Ons huis is ’n kilometer van die winkel.

Our house is a kilometre from the store.

Breakdown of Ons huis is ’n kilometer van die winkel.

• die: the
• wees: to be
• die huis: the house
• ons: our

Questions & Answers about Ons huis is ’n kilometer van die winkel.

Why is there an apostrophe in ’n before the letter n?

’n is the reduced form of een, the Afrikaans word for “one.” When it functions as the indefinite article “a” or “an,” the e in een is dropped and replaced by an apostrophe.

What does van die mean in this sentence?

van die literally means “from the.” In this context it indicates distance, so ’n kilometer van die winkel translates as “one kilometer from the shop.”

Why is it die winkel and not ’n winkel?

Using die winkel makes the store specific—“the shop.” If you said ’n winkel, it would mean “a shop” in general, not one already known or being pointed out.

Why is kilometer singular here?

Because the distance is exactly one kilometer. In Afrikaans, as in English, you only add an s for plural when the number is not one: twee kilometers, drie kilometers, etc.

Can I use the full word een instead of ’n?