Hy rus teen die muur terwyl hy vir die hysbak wag.

He rests against the wall while he waits for the elevator.

Breakdown of Hy rus teen die muur terwyl hy vir die hysbak wag.

• hy: he
• wag: to wait
• vir: for
• die hysbak: the elevator
• rus: to rest
• teen: against
• die muur: the wall
• terwyl: while

Questions & Answers about Hy rus teen die muur terwyl hy vir die hysbak wag.

Why is the verb rus used here instead of leun?

In Afrikaans:

• leun means “to lean,” emphasizing the action of tilting or placing weight at an angle.
• rus means “to rest,” implying a more relaxed, stationary position.
  So Hy rus teen die muur suggests he’s taking a break or pausing against the wall, not merely tilting against it.

What does the preposition teen mean in this context?

Here teen means against. It shows contact between two surfaces:
• Hy rus teen die muur = he rests against the wall.

Why is the finite verb wag at the end of the clause terwyl hy vir die hysbak wag?

Because terwyl is a subordinating conjunction (“while”), it turns the following clause into a subordinate clause. In subordinate clauses in Afrikaans, the finite verb moves to the end:
• Main clause (verb-second): Hy rus teen die muur.
• Subordinate clause (verb-final): terwyl hy vir die hysbak wag.

Why is the subject hy repeated after terwyl?

Afrikaans requires an explicit subject in each clause, even if it’s the same person. You can’t drop it as in English. So you need hy after terwyl to mark the subject of the subordinate clause.

Could I link the actions with en instead of terwyl?

Yes. But that changes the nuance:
• Hy rus teen die muur en hy wag vir die hysbak.
– You’re simply listing two actions side by side.
• Hy rus teen die muur terwyl hy vir die hysbak wag.
– You emphasize that the resting happens during the waiting.

What is the literal meaning of hysbak, and how do I pronounce it?

hysbak = lift-box (compound of hys, “lift,” and bak, “box”), i.e. elevator.
Pronunciation: [hais-bahk]
• hy sounds like English “high”
• s = [s]
• bak sounds like “bahk”

Can I say wag op instead of wag vir?

No. To wait for something in Afrikaans you use wag vir. wag op is not used in this context. Use:
• wag vir die hysbak = wait for the elevator

Why is the verb ordering in the main clause Hy rus teen die muur rather than Rus hy teen die muur?

Afrikaans generally follows a verb-second (V2) rule in main clauses, just like German. The finite verb appears as the second element:

1. Hy (subject)
2. rus (verb)
3. teen die muur (rest of the clause)