Questions & Answers about Ek kan groot lêers vinnig aflaai.
What is the function of kan in this sentence?
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?