Die hond is groot.

the dog

Breakdown of Die hond is groot.

• groot: big

Questions & Answers about Die hond is groot.

How do I pronounce the word hond?

In Afrikaans, hond is pronounced with a short o that’s slightly closer to the aw in awful than to the o in hot. The d at the end is not as strongly emphasized or aspirated as in English; it’s often very soft or almost silent in casual speech.

Why is the verb is used in Die hond is groot?

Afrikaans uses is as the singular verb form for is/are/am in English. There’s no separate verb form for are. So regardless of whether you say I am, you are, or the dog is, in Afrikaans it simply stays is.

Why is die used here instead of another article?

Afrikaans has a single definitive article, die, which covers the in all cases—masculine, feminine, singular, and plural. Unlike English, you don’t change the article based on number or gender. So for the dog, it’s always die hond.

Does groot ever change form depending on what it describes?

No, groot remains the same regardless of whether it’s describing something singular, plural, masculine, or feminine. Pronouns, articles, and adjectives in Afrikaans typically don’t change with gender or number. So whether you say The dog is big or The dogs are big, you still use groot.