Breakdown of Ek dra ’n sonbril wanneer ek by die strand swem.
ek
I
die
the
by
at
’n
a
dra
to wear
wanneer
when
die strand
the beach
sonbril
sunglasses
swem
to swim
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Questions & Answers about Ek dra ’n sonbril wanneer ek by die strand swem.
What does dra mean, and how is it used here?
dra literally means “to carry,” but when talking about clothes or accessories it means “to wear.” In the sentence Ek dra ’n sonbril… it tells you that you are wearing sunglasses.
Why is ’n used, and what does it represent?
’n is the indefinite article “a” or “an.” It’s a shortened form of een (one). You use ’n every time you want to say “a [singular noun]” in Afrikaans.
Why is there an apostrophe in ’n, and can I drop it?
The apostrophe shows that you’ve dropped the ee from een. It’s not optional—n without an apostrophe is considered a typo in standard writing.
What’s the difference between wanneer, as, and terwyl, since all can translate as “when” or “while”?
• wanneer – used in questions (“Wanneer kom jy?”) and for general/repeated situations (“Ek rou wanneer dit reën.”).
• as – introduces a single event or condition (“As dit reën, bly ek tuis.”). In past contexts, as also covers one‐time events (“As jy gister gekom het, het jy gewag.”).
• terwyl – strictly means “while,” emphasising two actions happening at the same time (“Ek lees ‘n boek terwyl ek wag.”).
Why is the verb swem at the end of the clause wanneer ek by die strand swem?
In Afrikaans subordinate (dependent) clauses introduced by conjunctions like wanneer, the finite verb moves to the very end. The structure is: wanneer + subject + other elements + verb.
What does by die strand mean, and how does it differ from op die strand?
• by die strand = “at the beach” (in the vicinity of the beach).
• op die strand = “on the beach” (literally on the sand).
Both are possible; by focuses on location, op on the surface.
Why is sonbril written as one word, and would it ever be hyphenated?
Afrikaans tends to form compound nouns as a single word without hyphens. So son (sun) + bril (glass) = sonbril. You won’t hyphenate it.
How do I form the plural of sonbril, and could I say sonbrille here?
The regular plural is sonbrille. However, Afrikaans speakers normally treat “sunglasses” as a single item, so they often stick with the singular sonbril even in general statements. If you actually mean “several pairs,” use sonbrille.
Does the simple present Ek dra cover both “I wear” and “I am wearing,” and how do you express continuous actions?
Yes. Afrikaans does not have a separate present progressive. Ek dra ’n sonbril… can mean either “I wear sunglasses (habitually)” or “I am wearing sunglasses (right now).” Context tells you which sense applies.