Breakdown of Hulle bly by hul huis vandag.
hulle
they
vandag
today
die huis
the house
bly
to stay
by
at
hul
their
Questions & Answers about Hulle bly by hul huis vandag.
Why does the sentence use "Hulle" and "hul"?
In Afrikaans, Hulle is a subject pronoun (meaning "they"), and hul is often used as a possessive pronoun (meaning "their"). In this sentence, Hulle performs the action ("they stay"), while hul shows ownership ("their house").
What's the difference between "by hul huis" and "in hul huis"?
Using by in Afrikaans often translates to "at" in English, indicating a location in a broader sense ("at their house"). If you said in hul huis, it would more specifically mean "inside their house."
Could we use "woon" instead of "bly" here?
While both woon and bly can mean "live" in English, bly has the additional sense of "stay," which is why it’s common in everyday speech for "stay" or "remain." Woon is more specifically used for "to reside."
Why is "vandag" placed at the end?
Adverbs of time like vandag can appear in several positions in Afrikaans sentences, but placing it at the end is quite common and straightforward. It doesn't change the core meaning; it simply emphasizes "today" as an extra detail about the action.
How can I remember the difference between "hul" and "hulle"?
A handy tip is to think of "u" in hul as part of "your" (their/your in a possessive sense) and the extra "le" in hulle hinting at a plural subject ("they"). Over time, with practice, these forms will come naturally.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Afrikaans grammar?”
Afrikaans grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning AfrikaansMaster Afrikaans — from Hulle bly by hul huis vandag to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions