Breakdown of Die kind wat nou praat, is my suster.
praat
to speak
nou
now
wees
to be
my
my
die kind
the child
die suster
the sister
Questions & Answers about Die kind wat nou praat, is my suster.
Why is the relative pronoun wat used instead of wie in this sentence?
In Afrikaans, wat is commonly used as a relative pronoun for both people and objects, whereas wie is typically used only when referring to people preceded by a preposition (e.g., van wie, met wie). In the clause Die kind wat nou praat, wat connects the subject (die kind) to the action (praat).
Where does the word nou normally go in Afrikaans sentences?
Nou (meaning now) is often placed directly after the subject or near the verb to emphasize the time aspect. Here, it appears directly before the verb praat to show that the child is speaking right now.
Is suster pronounced similarly to the English word sister?
They share similar roots, but the pronunciation differs slightly. Suster in Afrikaans has a shorter u sound, somewhat between the English oo in book and the u in but. It might take practice to get the exact sound right.
Why is there a comma before is my suster?
In Afrikaans, a comma is often used to separate a relative clause (like wat nou praat) from the main clause of the sentence. This helps to clarify the structure: the child is being described in the relative clause, and then the main statement is my suster follows.
Can you break down the sentence structure?
- Die kind (subject)
- wat nou praat (relative clause describing die kind)
- is (linking verb)
- my suster (complement)
Together, this forms a sentence meaning: The child who is speaking now is my sister.
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