Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Ek het 'n klein appel.

In Afrikaans, the indefinite article is always written as 'n. The apostrophe indicates that some letters (originally “een”) were dropped. It functions like “a” or “an” in English and is never capitalized except at the start of a sentence (where it becomes 'n with a capital ').

How is 'n pronounced, and why do people sometimes slur it?

'n is pronounced with a weak vowel sound, almost like a soft “uh.” In casual speech, many speakers reduce or slur it, which often makes it sound very short or even barely audible.

Why do we say Ek het 'n klein appel instead of Ek het klein appel?

Afrikaans requires an article before a singular, countable noun just like English. Since appel is singular and countable, you add 'n to indicate it is one unspecified apple.

What does klein mean in this sentence?

klein means “small.” It is an adjective describing the size or quality of the appel (apple). In Afrikaans, adjectives typically come directly before the noun, just like in English (e.g., “small apple,” “tasty apple,” etc.).

Is there a difference between Ek het 'n klein appel and Ek het 'n klein appel gehad?

Yes. Ek het 'n klein appel is present tense (“I have a small apple”), while Ek het 'n klein appel gehad is past tense (“I had a small apple”). You add gehad to show that this happened in the past.