Ek is nog besig met die werk.

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Breakdown of Ek is nog besig met die werk.

• die: the
• wees: to be
• met: with
• die werk: the work
• besig: busy
• nog: still

Questions & Answers about Ek is nog besig met die werk.

Why is nog used in this sentence?

Nog typically means still in English. It emphasizes that the person remains in the ongoing process of doing something.

What does besig mean in this context?

Besig means busy or occupied. It indicates that the speaker is engaged with the work at the moment.

Why do we say met die werk instead of something like aan die werk?

In Afrikaans, met is often used with besig to show what one is busy with. Saying aan die werk would sound less natural, though it might still be understood. Met die werk is simply the standard collocation.

Can the word order change? For example, can I say: Nog is ek besig met die werk?

Afrikaans has relatively flexible word order, but placing nog at the start would be unusual here and could change the emphasis. The natural word order is Ek is nog besig met die werk.

Is nog mandatory? Could I just say Ek is besig met die werk?

You can drop nog if you want to say I am busy with the work without emphasizing that it’s ongoing. However, nog adds the nuance of still working, implying you haven't finished yet.