Rotsblokklim gebruik 'n valmat.

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Breakdown of Rotsblokklim gebruik 'n valmat.

• gebruik: to use
• die rotsblokklim: bouldering
• die valmat: crash mat for climbing

Questions & Answers about Rotsblokklim gebruik 'n valmat.

Why is rotsblokklim written as one long word?

Afrikaans very often joins nouns and related word parts into a single compound word. So rotsblokklim is built from:

• rots = rock
• blok = boulder / block
• klim = climb / climbing

Together, rotsblokklim refers to bouldering. English often uses separate words where Afrikaans prefers one compound word.

What part of speech is rotsblokklim here?

In this sentence, rotsblokklim functions as a noun: the activity or sport of bouldering.

So although klim can be a verb meaning to climb, the whole compound rotsblokklim is being used as the subject of the sentence.

Why is the verb gebruik not changed the way English verbs change, like uses?

Afrikaans verbs are much simpler than English verbs. In the present tense, the verb usually stays the same regardless of the subject.

So you get:

• Ek gebruik = I use
• Jy gebruik = you use
• Hy gebruik = he uses
• Rotsblokklim gebruik = bouldering uses

Unlike English, Afrikaans does not usually add -s for he/she/it forms in the present tense.

What does 'n mean, and how do I pronounce it?