Die blomme wat ek koop, ruik lekker.

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Breakdown of Die blomme wat ek koop, ruik lekker.

• koop: to buy
• lekker: nice
• die blom: the flower
• ruik: to smell

Questions & Answers about Die blomme wat ek koop, ruik lekker.

Why do we use wat here instead of dat?

In Afrikaans, wat is the relative pronoun used for both people and things in defining relative clauses. Dat is typically used as a conjunction meaning that (e.g. I believe that you are right = Ek glo dat jy reg is). So, when you want to say the flowers that I buy, you use wat instead of dat.

Why is there a comma after koop in this sentence?

In Afrikaans, commas around a relative clause can be used for clarity or stylistic reasons, much like in English. While it’s often omitted, some writers include a comma to separate the clause (wat ek koop) from the main verb phrase (ruik lekker). It’s not strictly mandatory, but it helps the sentence flow more naturally.

Why do we say ruik lekker instead of ruik goed?

In everyday Afrikaans, lekker is a very common word that can mean nice, tasty, pleasant, or good. When describing how something smells, saying ruik lekker (literally smells nice) is more idiomatic than ruik goed (smells good). Both are technically correct, but ruik lekker is more natural in conversation.

Is koop in the present tense or does it also imply a future meaning?

The form koop is present tense. However, like in English where I am buying can imply a future action (e.g. I’m buying flowers tomorrow), in Afrikaans it can sometimes indicate a near-future action depending on the context. If the context is Die blomme wat ek koop, it can mean the flowers that I am buying now or the flowers I intend to buy.