Hulle werk lank buite.

they

Breakdown of Hulle werk lank buite.

• werk: to work
• lank: long
• buite: outside

Questions & Answers about Hulle werk lank buite.

Is ‘lank’ describing the amount of time they work, or can it mean ‘tall’?

In Afrikaans, ‘lank’ can mean both ‘long’ (in terms of time) and ‘tall’ (in terms of height), but in this sentence, it clearly refers to duration. So here, ‘lank’ means ‘for a long time.’

Does the word order matter in “Hulle werk lank buite,” or could it be rearranged?

Afrikaans generally follows a Subject–Verb–Object/Adverb pattern, but there is some flexibility. You might see variations like “Hulle werk buite lank,” but “Hulle werk lank buite” sounds more natural and is commonly used.

Why is it just “Hulle werk” and not something like “Hulle is werkende”?

In Afrikaans, you typically use the simple present tense ‘werk’ to indicate that someone is working. “Hulle is werkende” would sound awkward or overly formal; it’s more straightforward to say “Hulle werk.”

What does ‘buite’ mean, and when do I use it instead of other words for ‘outside’?

‘Buite’ simply means ‘outside’ and is used as an adverb or preposition. For example, “Hulle werk buite” (They work outside). You could also see phrases like “buitekant” for emphasis on being ‘on the outside aspect of something,’ but in everyday speech, ‘buite’ is sufficient to indicate ‘outside.’

Could I add “al” to say they’ve ‘already’ been working for a while outside?

Yes! You can say “Hulle werk al lank buite” to emphasize that they have already been working outside for a while. ‘Al’ in this context means ‘already’ or ‘for some time.’