Breakdown of Die eksamen is moeilik; tog bly sy gelukkig en versigtig.
sy
she
wees
to be
en
and
bly
to stay
tog
yet
versigtig
careful
die eksamen
the exam
gelukkig
happy
moeilik
difficult
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Questions & Answers about Die eksamen is moeilik; tog bly sy gelukkig en versigtig.
What does tog mean and why is it used here?
Tog is a coordinating conjunction meaning “yet,” “still,” or “however.” It introduces the second clause to signal a contrast with the first part (“The exam is difficult”). Because it’s a coordinating conjunction starting the clause, the main verb follows immediately: tog bly sy.
Why is there a semicolon between moeilik and tog rather than a comma or a period?
A semicolon (puntskomma) links two closely related independent clauses more strongly than a comma but less finally than a period. It highlights the contrast between the clauses. You could replace it with a comma (…moeilik, tog bly…) or even a period, but the semicolon gives the sentence a balanced, fluid feel.
Why is the verb bly used instead of using is again?
Bly means “remain” or “stay,” emphasizing continuity of a state despite circumstances. Saying is would simply state a condition (“she is happy”), whereas bly underscores that she continues to be happy and cautious in spite of the difficult exam.
Why does bly come before sy in “tog bly sy”?
Afrikaans follows verb-second (V2) word order in main clauses. When a clause begins with any element other than the subject (here tog), the main verb occupies the second position and the subject follows in third position: 1) tog, 2) bly, 3) sy.
What is the function of sy here? Is it “her” or “she”?
In this sentence, sy is the personal pronoun “she.” Afrikaans uses sy for “she” and haar for “her” or the possessive “her.” Here it’s the subject performing the action of bly.
Why do the adjectives moeilik, gelukkig, and versigtig not take any endings?
When adjectives are used predicatively—i.e., after a linking verb like is or bly—they do not get agreement endings. So you simply have is moeilik, bly gelukkig, bly versigtig without adding -e.
Why is tog not capitalized after the semicolon?
In Afrikaans punctuation, a semicolon does not end a sentence, so the following word remains lowercase (unless it’s a proper noun). Hence tog stays lowercase after the semicolon.
Could you use a comma instead of a semicolon in this sentence?
Yes. Using a comma is grammatically acceptable: “Die eksamen is moeilik, tog bly sy gelukkig en versigtig.” In speech you’d likely pause slightly. The semicolon just gives a bit more emphasis to the break and contrast.