Hulle sal ook suiker en melk koop as dit nodig is.

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Breakdown of Hulle sal ook suiker en melk koop as dit nodig is.

• hulle: they
• wees: to be
• en: and
• die melk: the milk
• die suiker: the sugar
• dit: it
• nodig: necessary
• sal koop: will buy
• as: if

Questions & Answers about Hulle sal ook suiker en melk koop as dit nodig is.

Why do we use sal here instead of gaan?

In Afrikaans, sal is a more formal or neutral way to express the future tense, similar to using will in English. Gaan can also indicate something happening in the near future (like going to in English), but sal tends to be the more standard choice for future tense in general statements.

What does ook mean, and why is it placed here in the sentence?

Ook means also or too. You can think of it as adding an additional action or item to a list. It often appears near the verb or just after the subject to emphasize adding another item to the action they already plan to do.

Why do we use suiker and melk without any article in front of them?

In Afrikaans (as in English), mass nouns or uncountable items like sugar (suiker) and milk (melk) often don’t require an article. If you wanted to specify a certain quantity, you would add words like 'n bietjie (a little) or 'n koppie (a cup) before them to show measure.

Why is the sentence order Hulle sal ook suiker en melk koop as dit nodig is and not something like As dit nodig is, Hulle sal ook suiker en melk koop?

Afrikaans typically follows a Subject–Verb–Object structure. Placing as dit nodig is (if it’s necessary) at the end is a natural positioning for the conditional clause. However, you can start the sentence with the conditional phrase (As dit nodig is, sal hulle ook suiker en melk koop), but remember to move the verb sal right after the conjunction or qualifying phrase.

What does as dit nodig is mean in literal terms, and why is dit used?

Literally, as dit nodig is translates to if it is necessary. The word dit can function much like it in English, referring to the situation or action needed. Because Afrikaans doesn’t always require an explicit subject for is, dit is dropped into the phrase to refer to the general need.