Breakdown of Gratis koffie word gereeld aan gaste gegee.
wees
to be
die gas
the guest
gratis
free
die koffie
the coffee
gereeld
regularly
aan
to
gee
to give
Questions & Answers about Gratis koffie word gereeld aan gaste gegee.
What does word do in this sentence?
Word is the present-tense passive auxiliary in Afrikaans. It functions like English “is” in “is given,” marking the passive voice. As the finite verb it also occupies the second position in the clause.
Why is gee changed to gegee?
In a passive construction the main verb appears as a past participle. Afrikaans forms most past participles by adding ge- to the verb stem. Since the stem of gee is gee, the past participle becomes gegee (“given”).
Why does gereeld come between word and aan gaste?
Afrikaans has a “verbal bracket” (werkwoordelike hek) where the finite verb (word) stands in second position and the non-finite verb (gegee) comes at the end. Adverbs like gereeld slot into the middle:
finite verb – adverb – objects – non-finite verb.
Why is aan used before gaste?
The verb gee (“to give”) in Afrikaans takes its indirect object with aan (“to”). You always say gee iets aan iemand (“give something to someone”), so in the passive it remains aan gaste.
Why is there no article before gratis koffie?
Here gratis koffie is generic or uncountable—coffee in general that is free. No article is used. If you meant a single cup, you could say ’n gratis koppie koffie (“a free cup of coffee”).
Can I start the sentence with Gereeld instead of Gratis koffie?
Yes. You can front the adverb for emphasis:
Gereeld word gratis koffie aan gaste gegee.
You must keep word in second position (V2), so the order shifts around it.
How would I express the same idea in the active voice?
Use an active subject and verb form:
Ons gee gereeld gratis koffie aan gaste.
Here ons is the subject, gee is the finite verb, and gratis koffie is the direct object.
What exactly is the “verbal bracket” in Afrikaans?
The verbal bracket is the pattern where the finite verb appears in position two and any non-finite verbs (infinitives or past participles) go to the end. Everything else—objects, adverbs—slots in between. In your sentence the bracket is word ... gegee with gereeld aan gaste in the middle.
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