Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Hulle sê dat die werk moeilik is.

sê is the Afrikaans verb meaning to say; zeg is its Dutch counterpart. Although the two languages share roots, Afrikaans replaced many Dutch forms. When you want to express “say” in Afrikaans, always use sê.

What’s the difference between sê and vertel?

sê: to say, simply utter words
vertel: to tell, as in telling a story or providing detailed information
Use sê when you want to quote someone or state what was said, and use vertel when you mean “to tell someone something” or to narrate.

What is the function of dat in this sentence?

dat is a subordinating conjunction (the Afrikaans equivalent of the English word “that”) linking the main clause (Hulle sê) with the subordinate clause (die werk moeilik is).

Can dat be dropped in Afrikaans?

Yes. In informal spoken Afrikaans it’s common to omit dat:
Hulle sê die werk moeilik is.
In formal writing, including dat helps avoid ambiguity.

Why is the verb is at the end of the subordinate clause?

In Afrikaans subordinate clauses introduced by dat, the finite verb moves to the end of the clause. This verb-final rule is a core feature of Afrikaans subordinate word order.

Why does the adjective moeilik come before the verb in that clause?

Because the verb is pushed to the final position, any complements (like adjectives) stay in front of the verb. In a main clause you’d say die werk is moeilik, but after dat the verb shifts to the end.

Why is there a definite article die before werk? Can’t you just say werk?

die werk = “the work” or “the job,” referring to a specific task
Bare werk = work in general, an abstract or uncountable concept
Since the sentence talks about a particular job or piece of work, you need die.

How do you pronounce moeilik, and what sound does oe represent?

In Afrikaans oe is pronounced like the English oo in food (IPA [u]). So moeilik sounds like MOO-lik, with stress on the first syllable.

Are there other conjunctions besides dat that trigger verb-final order?

Yes. Subordinating conjunctions such as omdat (because), voordat (before), terwyl (while), as (if), and others also send the finite verb to the end of the clause.