Breakdown of Hulle werk lank in daardie kamer.
hulle
they
in
in
werk
to work
die kamer
the room
daardie
that
lank
for a long time
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Questions & Answers about Hulle werk lank in daardie kamer.
What does lank mean here, since it usually means long?
In Afrikaans, lank can mean long in terms of time or distance. In this sentence, it specifically implies they have been working for an extended period, so here it translates to for a long time.
Why is daardie used instead of die or hierdie?
Daardie means that, referring to something farther away from the speaker. Die just means the, and hierdie means this, indicating something closer. Here, daardie kamer implies a room that is not immediately near the speaker.
Does the verb werk change form depending on the subject in Afrikaans?
No. In Afrikaans, werk stays the same regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural. Unlike English, there is no change such as he works versus they work.
Is there any difference between saying Hulle werk lank in daardie kamer and Hulle werk al lank in daardie kamer?
When you add al (meaning already or for a while now), it emphasizes that the work in that room has been ongoing for some time. Hulle werk lank simply states they work there for a long time, whereas Hulle werk al lank implies they have already been at it for quite some time.