Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Daardie kamer is duurder as hierdie kamer. - That room is more expensive than this room.

daardie = “that” (demonstrative for something farther away from the speaker/listener)
hierdie = “this” (demonstrative for something close to the speaker/listener)
Both are used as adjectives before a noun (e.g. daardie kamer, hierdie boek) or as pronouns when the noun is clear from context.

How do you form the comparative of adjectives in Afrikaans?

Most one- or two-syllable adjectives take the suffix -er (duur → duurder, klein → kleiner).
Longer adjectives often use meer before the adjective (intelligent → meer intelligent).
The comparative is followed by as to mean “than.”

Why is it duurder and not meer duur?

duur is a short, one-syllable adjective, so the standard comparative is formed by adding -er: duurder.
meer duur would be redundant. You only use meer with longer or irregular adjectives that don’t take -er easily.

Why is the comparative introduced with as instead of dan?

In Afrikaans comparisons, as always corresponds to English “than.”
dan is used in time expressions (e.g. “then,” “at that time”) or in conditional clauses, not for direct comparisons.

Can I use as wat in this sentence?

Yes. You can make it a little more explicit by turning the comparison into a clause:
• Daardie kamer is duurder as wat hierdie kamer is.
Here wat (“which”) introduces a subordinate clause. It’s correct but often omitted for brevity.

Can you omit the second kamer after hierdie?

Yes, if context is clear you can drop the noun the second time:
• Daardie kamer is duurder as hierdie.
Here hierdie functions as a pronoun (“this one”).

Do you ever add a second is at the end?

You can, especially if you include wat:
• Daardie kamer is duurder as wat hierdie kamer is.
Without wat, adding a second is is less common but still possible for emphasis:
• Daardie kamer is duurder as hierdie kamer is.