Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Die kos is gesond.

Die is the definite article in Afrikaans, equivalent to the in English. It’s used with both singular and plural nouns when you refer to a specific or previously mentioned item.

Why isn't there an ’n (indefinite article) before kos? Shouldn't it be ’n kos?

’n is the indefinite article (like a/an) but it’s only used with countable nouns. Kos is an uncountable (mass) noun meaning food, so you don’t use ’n with it. To talk about food in general, you say Kos is gesond (i.e. Food is healthy). If you wanted to refer to a single piece or type, you could say ’n stuk kos (a piece of food).

Why doesn’t gesond take an -e ending here?

When adjectives come after a copular verb like is (in the predicative position), they stay in their base form and don’t get the -e ending. When an adjective appears directly before a noun (attributive position), it usually takes -e, as in die gesonde kos.

How would I say “the healthy food” in Afrikaans?

You’d say die gesonde kos. Here gesond is attributive (directly before the noun), so it takes the -e ending.