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Ons bestel elke dag brood by die winkel.

Ons bestel elke dag brood by die winkel.
We order bread at the store every day.
FromLesson 7inHardcore Afrikaans

Questions & Answers about Ons bestel elke dag brood by die winkel.

Why is there no article before brood?
Afrikaans often omits the article before uncountable or general nouns. Since brood (“bread”) is uncountable here, you just say brood instead of ’n brood or die brood.
What is the normal word order in this sentence?

Afrikaans follows a Subject-Verb-Object order, then Time-Manner-Place. Here it’s:
Ons (Subject) + bestel (Verb) + elke dag (Time) + brood (Object) + by die winkel (Place).

Can I start the sentence with Elke dag instead of Ons?

Yes. Afrikaans is a V2 (verb-second) language. If you front Elke dag, the verb still stays second:
Elke dag bestel ons brood by die winkel.

Why is bestel not changed for ons? How do you conjugate it?

In present tense, Afrikaans verbs do not change for person or number. You use the stem (infinitive minus -en). So you get:
ek bestel, jy bestel, ons bestel, hulle bestel, ensovoorts.

What does by mean in by die winkel? Is it the same as English “by”?
Here by means “at” or “near” in the sense of location. So by die winkel is “at the store/shop.” It’s similar to English “at” rather than “by” in the sense of “next to.”
Why is it die winkel and not ’n winkel?

Using die (“the”) specifies a particular shop known to speaker and listener. If you wanted to say “at a shop,” you’d use ’n winkel:
Ons bestel elke dag brood by ’n winkel.

Can I use daagliks instead of elke dag?

Yes. daagliks means “daily” or “each day.” Both forms are correct:
Ons bestel daagliks brood by die winkel.

Why is Ons capitalized? And is ons ever used differently?
Afrikaans capitalizes only the first word of a sentence and proper nouns. Here Ons is capitalized because it begins the sentence. Also, ons can mean the possessive “our.” For example, ons huis means “our house.”
How would you make the sentence negative (“We don’t order bread every day”)?

You insert the negator nie twice, after the verb and at the end:
Ons bestel nie elke dag brood nie.

How do you say “We ordered bread” (past tense)?

Use the past tense particle het plus the past participle bestel:
Ons het brood bestel by die winkel.

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