Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Ek kan groot lêers vinnig aflaai.

In this sentence, kan is a modal verb expressing ability (like English can). It is the finite verb, so it occupies the second position in the clause. The main verb aflaai remains in its infinitive form after kan without any additional marker.

Why is there no om before aflaai?

After modal verbs such as kan, wil, or moet, Afrikaans does not use om before the infinitive. You simply place the bare infinitive (aflaai) directly after the modal, similar to English (“I can download,” not “I can to download”).

Why is aflaai written as one word, and what does the prefix af- do?

aflaai is a compound verb of the separable prefix af- (off) and laai (load). Together they literally mean “load off,” which in computing corresponds to “download.” In the infinitive form (after a modal), the prefix stays attached as one word. In a main clause without a modal, you could separate it: Ek laai groot lêers vinnig af.

How is the adverb vinnig positioned in the sentence, and can it move?

Adverbs of manner like vinnig typically appear after the object and before the infinitive when there’s a modal: Subject–modal–object–adverb–infinitive (Ek kan groot lêers vinnig aflaai). You can also say Ek kan vinnig groot lêers aflaai, placing vinnig right after kan; both are grammatically correct, though the emphasis slightly shifts.

How do you form the plural of lêer, and what role does the circumflex ê play?

The circumflex in lêer marks a long vowel (/e:/) and distinguishes the noun lêer (file) from the verb leer (to learn). To form the plural, simply add -s, giving lêers. The adjective groot stays the same in singular and plural.

Why does the adjective groot not change in the plural?

Afrikaans attributive adjectives are invariant—they do not inflect for number or gender. Therefore groot remains the same whether you describe one file (groot lêer) or many (groot lêers).

How would you express “I can't download large files quickly” in Afrikaans?

Use the nie...nie negative construction around the infinitive: Ek kan nie groot lêers vinnig aflaai nie. The first nie follows the modal kan, and the second nie goes at the end of the clause.

Can this sentence be reordered without changing its meaning?

Yes. For example:

Ek kan vinnig groot lêers aflaai.
Ek laai groot lêers vinnig af. (without the modal)
These alternatives maintain the same meaning. While Afrikaans word order is flexible with adverbs, the modal–infinitive structure remains consistent.