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Questions & Answers about Ons lees.
How do I pronounce Ons?
The word Ons typically sounds like the English word once but with a slightly shorter vowel. It starts with an "O" similar to the "o" in on, followed by an "ns" blend made by keeping your tongue behind your front teeth and pushing air through your nose and mouth simultaneously.
Why does Ons mean both "we" and "us"?
In Afrikaans, Ons can serve as the subject pronoun (like "we") as well as object pronoun (like "us"). Context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended. Unlike English, Afrikaans uses the same form in both situations.
Why isn’t there a separate word for "are" before lees?
Afrikaans doesn’t require a helping verb to form a continuous or progressive tense like English does. So rather than saying "We are reading," Afrikaans simply uses "Ons lees."
Can lees mean "read" and "am reading"?
Yes. In Afrikaans, a single present tense form can mean what English might express as "read" or "am/is/are reading." There’s no need to change the verb to show continuous action.
Is lees ever used for plural forms?
Yes, lees remains the same whether the subject is singular or plural. Afrikaans verbs generally don’t change form according to the subject, so "Ek lees" (I read) and "Ons lees" (We read) both use the same form.