Die voetgreep is op die klimroete.

The foothold is on the climbing route.

Breakdown of Die voetgreep is op die klimroete.

• wees: to be
• op: on
• die voetgreep: foothold
• die klimroete: climbing route

Questions & Answers about Die voetgreep is op die klimroete.

Why does die appear twice in Die voetgreep is op die klimroete?

Because die means the in Afrikaans, and it is used before both nouns:

• die voetgreep = the foothold
• die klimroete = the climbing route

Afrikaans does not have different forms of the for masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns. It also does not change the the way some other languages do for case. So die is the normal definite article in both places.

Is is used the same way as English is?

Yes, very often it is. In this sentence, is is the present-tense form of the verb to be, just like English is:

• Die voetgreep is ... = The foothold is ...

So the structure is very similar to English here.

What does voetgreep literally mean?

Voetgreep is a compound noun:

• voet = foot
• greep = grip or hold

So voetgreep literally means something like foot-hold, which matches the English word foothold very closely.

Afrikaans often builds words this way by joining smaller words together into one compound noun.

What does klimroete literally mean?