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Die bestuurder wag by die stasie.

Die bestuurder wag by die stasie.
The driver waits at the station.
FromLesson 6inHardcore Afrikaans

Breakdown of Die bestuurder wag by die stasie.

wag
to wait
by
at
die stasie
the station
die bestuurder
the driver

Questions & Answers about Die bestuurder wag by die stasie.

What does die mean in this sentence?
die is the definite article in Afrikaans, equivalent to the in English. It does not change for gender or number—die is used for all nouns when they’re definite.
Why is die used twice in the sentence?
Because there are two definite noun phrases here—die bestuurder (the driver) and die stasie (the station)—each needs its own article.
How do I pronounce wag, and what sound does the g make?

“wag” is pronounced approximately as /vɑx/ or /vɑχ/.

  • w sounds like an English v
  • a is like the “a” in “father”
  • g is a guttural fricative (similar to the “ch” in German Bach)
Why doesn’t the verb wag change form for “he” (no -s)?
Afrikaans verbs do not inflect for person or number in the present tense. You use the same form—wag—with ek, jy, hy/sy, ons, julle, and hulle.
What does by mean here, and why isn’t it in or op?

In this context by means at (a location).

  • in would mean “inside” (“in die stasie” = inside the station)
  • op would mean “on top of” (“op die stasie” makes no sense)
    So “wag by die stasie” = wait at the station.
Why is the sentence in the simple present instead of a continuous form like in English?

Afrikaans does not have a separate continuous (“-ing”) form. The simple present covers both simple and ongoing actions.
“Die bestuurder wag by die stasie” can mean “the driver waits” or “the driver is waiting.”

Can I start with By die stasie and change the word order?

Yes. Afrikaans allows you to front an adverbial phrase. When you do, the verb stays in second position:
By die stasie wag die bestuurder.

What’s the difference between wag vir and wag by?
  • wag vir = wait for someone or something.
    (e.g. Ek wag vir die bus. = I’m waiting for the bus.)
  • wag by = wait at a place.
    (e.g. Ek wag by die stasie. = I’m waiting at the station.)
What does the suffix -er in bestuurder indicate?

The suffix -er turns a verb (or root) into an agent noun—“one who does X.”

  • bestuur = to drive
  • bestuurder = one who drives → driver
How do I form the plurals of bestuurder and stasie?

Here are the regular plural forms:

  • bestuurder → bestuurders
  • stasie → stasies
    Note that the verb wag stays the same even if you talk about multiple drivers.
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