Jy kan ook vleis en groente koop.

You can also buy meat and vegetables.

Breakdown of Jy kan ook vleis en groente koop.

• jy: you
• ook: also
• en: and
• koop: to buy
• kan: can
• die vleis: the meat
• die groente: the vegetable

Questions & Answers about Jy kan ook vleis en groente koop.

Why does the sentence use Jy instead of U?

Jy is the informal singular form of "you" in Afrikaans, used in everyday conversation among friends, family, and people you know well. U is more formal or polite and is usually used when addressing seniors, in polite correspondence, or in formal contexts.

What does ook mean here, and where should it go in the sentence?

Ook means "also" in English. In Afrikaans, it can be placed right after the modal verb (kan) or after the subject. Both "Jy kan ook vleis en groente koop" and "Jy kan vleis en groente ook koop" are understandable, though the former is more common and natural-sounding.

Why is koop placed at the end instead of right after kan?

In Afrikaans, when using a modal verb (kan), the main verb (koop) often appears at the end of the clause. This is a typical word order pattern:
• Subject (Jy)
• Modal verb (kan)
• Other words (ook vleis en groente)
• Main verb in the infinitive form (koop).

Is groente singular or plural, and do I need to change anything when I refer to different vegetables?

Groente in Afrikaans can refer to vegetable(s) in a general sense. It doesn’t change form whether you’re talking about one type of vegetable or many. However, if you want to be more specific, you can specify the type (for example, wortels for carrots, aartappels for potatoes, etc.).

How does the meaning change if I say Jy koop ook vleis en groente instead?

Jy koop ook vleis en groente translates to "You are also buying meat and vegetables," indicating an ongoing action or fact. Using kan ("can") implies ability or permission: "You can also buy meat and vegetables," suggesting it's an option or capability rather than a statement of what is actually happening right now.