Ons huis is belangrik vir ons.

Our house is important to us.

Breakdown of Ons huis is belangrik vir ons.

• wees: to be
• die huis: the house
• vir: for
• ons: our
• belangrik: important

Questions & Answers about Ons huis is belangrik vir ons.

Why do we use vir instead of a different preposition like aan here?

In Afrikaans, vir often translates to “for” or “to” in English and is used when indicating that something is important, beneficial, or directed toward someone. While aan can sometimes mean “to,” using aan here would sound unnatural to most Afrikaans speakers in the context of importance. Hence, vir is the standard choice.

Is there a difference between Ons huis and Ons se huis?

When you say Ons huis, you’re simply saying Our house (using the pronoun ons as a possessive). Ons se huis can sometimes appear in informal speech to emphasize our, but it’s generally more idiomatic to say Ons huis. You might hear Ons ouma se huis (Our grandmother’s house) when indicating possession after a noun, but for our in front of house, Ons huis is preferred.

Why do we say belangrik and not belangrike?

Belangrik is the base form (adjective) meaning “important.” Afrikaans adjectives can take an -e ending when they come directly before nouns (for example, belangrike huis if you wanted to say “important house”). However, in the sentence Ons huis is belangrik vir ons, the adjective follows a linking verb (is), so it stays in its base form: belangrik.

Is there no article like ‘n or die before huis in this sentence?

Afrikaans doesn’t require an article before the possessive pronoun ons plus a noun. Since the sentence starts with Ons huis, it clearly shows possession without needing an article. In English, you might say “Our house,” and similarly, Afrikaans simply says Ons huis, without needing something like ‘n or die here.

Why does the word ons appear twice—once at the beginning and once at the end?

The first ons is a subject pronoun or a possessive pronoun (in this case, indicating “our”), while the second ons is an object pronoun or “us.” Translating directly, you could think of it as “Our house is important for us.” In Afrikaans, reusing ons can feel natural because one instance indicates possession, and the other clarifies the people who consider the house important.