Die gids wys historiese voorwerpe in die museum.

The guide shows historical objects in the museum.

Breakdown of Die gids wys historiese voorwerpe in die museum.

• in: in
• die museum: the museum
• die gids: the guide
• wys: to show
• historiese: historical
• die voorwerp: the object

Questions & Answers about Die gids wys historiese voorwerpe in die museum.

Why is there no die before historiese voorwerpe?

Afrikaans has no plural indefinite article (there’s only ‘n for singular). To say “historical objects” in general, you simply use the noun in the plural—historiese voorwerpe. If you meant specific objects, you’d use die historiese voorwerpe.

How do you form the plural of voorwerp?

Most Afrikaans nouns form their plural by adding -e. You keep the stem and tack on -e, so:
• boek → boeke
• tafel → tafels (some add -e and lose an l, but tafel is regular)
• voorwerp → voorwerpe

Why is histories changed to historiese here?

When adjectives come directly before a noun in Afrikaans, they normally take an -e ending. The base adjective is histories; to modify voorwerpe, you add -e, giving historiese voorwerpe.

How do you pronounce gids and wys?

• gids – initial g is a guttural sound (like German Bach), so it’s roughly [xits], rhyming with English “hits,” but with a throaty G.
• wys – the wy digraph sounds like English “ay” in “day,” and Afrikaans w is closer to /ʋ/ (between v and w). So it’s [ʋɛis], roughly “veys.”

Why is wys in the second position (S-V-O) and not somewhere else?

Afrikaans main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb always comes in the second slot. Here Die gids (subject) is first, wys (verb) is second, and then you have objects and phrases. Even if you start with something else, the verb must stay in position two.

Can I use toon instead of wys?

Yes. Both wys and toon mean “to show,” but with a slight nuance. Wys often means “point out/direct attention,” while toon can mean “display/demonstrate.” A guide can wys visitors specific items or toon them exhibits—both are correct.

How would I say “The guide showed historical objects in the museum” (past tense)?

Use the perfect tense with het + past participle of wys, which is gewys:
Die gids het historiese voorwerpe in die museum gewys.

Why in die museum? Could I say op die museum or by die museum?

• in die museum = inside the museum (within its walls).
• op die museum would mean “on top of” (the roof).
• If you want “at the museum” in the sense of “in the vicinity,” you can use by die museum, but for being inside the exhibits you say in die museum.