Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Ek sien ’n groot golf by die see.

In Afrikaans, ’n is a contraction of the old word een (one). The apostrophe shows that the e has been dropped. It functions exactly like “a” or “an” in English and is always written with that leading apostrophe.

What’s the difference between die and ’n in this sentence?

die is the definite article (equivalent to English the), while ’n is the indefinite article (English a or an). Here, die see means the sea, and ’n groot golf means a big wave.

Why doesn’t groot take an -e ending before golf?

Afrikaans adjectives only get an -e ending when the noun is definite or when you form the plural. Because groot golf is singular and preceded by the indefinite article ’n, the adjective remains in its basic form, groot.

What is the word order in Ek sien ’n groot golf by die see, and how does it compare to English?

Afrikaans follows the same basic S-V-O (Subject-Verb-Object) structure as English.

Ek (I) is the subject.
sien (see) is the verb.
’n groot golf (a big wave) is the object.
Adjectives like groot come before the noun, just as in English.

What does by die see literally mean, and why is by used instead of in?

by die see literally means “by the sea” or “at the seaside.” In Afrikaans:

by indicates location next to or at something’s edge.
in die see would mean “in the sea” (i.e. swimming in the water).

How would you say “I see big waves at the sea” (using the plural)?

You’d say: Ek sien groot golwe by die see.
Changes:

golf (wave) → golwe (waves) for the plural.
You drop the indefinite article ’n when describing an unspecified number of something in the plural.

How do you pronounce ’n, groot, and golf in Afrikaans?

’n is pronounced [ən], like the “a” in “about.”
groot is [χrut] or [xrut], with a guttural g (like the German “Bach”).
golf is [χɔlf] or [xɔlf], again with that back-of-throat g sound.