Breakdown of Die hotel bied vervoer aan gaste.
die hotel
the hotel
die gas
the guest
die vervoer
the transport
bied aan
to offer
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Questions & Answers about Die hotel bied vervoer aan gaste.
Why does bied follow Die hotel immediately?
Afrikaans main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) word order: the finite verb must occupy the second syntactic position. Here Die hotel is the first element, so bied comes directly after it.
Why is aanbied split, with aan at the end, instead of kept together like in Dutch?
In Afrikaans separable verb particles always detach from the root and go to the end of the clause. The verb “to offer” combines the root bied and the particle aan, but you never write aanbied as one word.
Why does the sentence use aan and not vir for “to guests”?
The verb bied is idiomatically paired with the particle aan in Afrikaans. You cannot replace it with vir; the fixed combination bied … aan means “offer/provide.”
Can I omit the particle aan and simply say Die hotel bied gaste vervoer?
Yes. If you move the indirect object (gaste) before the direct object (vervoer), you can drop the preposition. For example:
Die hotel bied gaste vervoer
is also correct and common.
Why isn't there an article before vervoer (no die or ’n)?
Vervoer is an uncountable (mass) noun in this context (“transport” in general). Uncountable nouns typically appear without an article unless you refer to a specific instance.
Could I add die or ’n before vervoer, and if so, when?
Yes, but only if you have a specific transport service in mind. For example:
- Die hotel bied die vervoer aan gaste wat by ons troue hul hek toe kom.
- Die hotel betaal ’n vervoer vir VIP-gaste.
In broad, general statements you leave the article out.
Why is gaste in the plural form here?
You’re referring to all guests collectively, so you use the plural gaste. If you meant a single guest, you’d say gas.
Could I use the verb gee instead of bied to mean provide?
You might be understood with gee vervoer, but it sounds less natural. The standard way to say “provide/offer” in Afrikaans is bied … aan.
Are there other verbs I can use here instead of bied … aan to mean provide?
Yes, depending on the nuance and register:
- verskaf (formal, “supply”)
- verleen (very formal/legal, “grant”)
- reël (if you’re organizing or arranging transport)
How can I tell that vervoer is a noun here and not a verb?
Three clues:
• It follows the verb bied and functions as its object.
• It shows no verb inflections (it stays the same form).
• Semantically it names a service/thing (“transport”), so it behaves like a noun.