Breakdown of Selfs met die langer reis, bly die buskaartjie goedkoop, en soms die goedkoopste opsie.
die
the
en
and
met
with
bly
to stay
die buskaartjie
the bus ticket
goedkoop
cheap
die reis
the journey
selfs
even
langer
longer
soms
sometimes
goedkoopste
cheapest
die opsie
the option
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Questions & Answers about Selfs met die langer reis, bly die buskaartjie goedkoop, en soms die goedkoopste opsie.
What is the function of Selfs in this sentence?
Selfs is a concessive adverb meaning “even.” It introduces a surprising or unexpected condition: “Even with the longer trip, …”
Why is bly used instead of is?
In Afrikaans bly means “remains” or “continues to be.” It emphasises that the ticket stays cheap despite the longer journey. Using is would just state a fact without that sense of continuation.
Is the comma after reis necessary?
No, it’s optional. The comma separates the concessive clause (Selfs met die langer reis) from the main clause. Omitting it won’t change the meaning, but it helps signal a slight pause.
Why is the adjective goedkoop not in comparative form (goedkoper)?
There’s no direct comparison between two tickets here. The sentence simply states that the ticket remains cheap (positive form). You’d use goedkoper only if you were directly comparing it to something else (e.g., die buskaartjie is goedkoper as die treinkaartjie).
Why does the sentence switch to goedkoopste later on?
Goedkoopste is the superlative form (“cheapest”). It indicates that, among all possible options, the bus ticket is sometimes the cheapest choice.
Why is soms placed before die goedkoopste opsie instead of after the verb?
Here the clause is elliptical—bly is omitted for brevity. Fully it would read “en soms bly dit die goedkoopste opsie.” Adverbs like soms typically come before the verb in Afrikaans, so when you drop bly dit, soms naturally sits in front of die goedkoopste opsie.