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Ons begin die soektog nou.

Ons begin die soektog nou.
We start the search now.
FromLesson 10inHardcore Afrikaans

Breakdown of Ons begin die soektog nou.

ons
we
nou
now
begin
to start
die soektog
the search

Questions & Answers about Ons begin die soektog nou.

Why doesn’t begin change form for ons?
Afrikaans verbs in the present tense are not conjugated. They remain in the base form regardless of the subject. So you get ek begin, jy begin, ons begin, hulle begin, etc., all using begin without any added ending.
What part of speech is nou, and why is it placed at the end of the sentence?
nou is an adverb of time (meaning now). In the default Afrikaans word order (Subject–Verb–Object–Adverb), time adverbs often follow the object. Hence Ons begin die soektog nou. You can also say Ons begin nou die soektog, swapping nou and die soektog without breaking the rule that the finite verb stays second.
Why doesn’t the sentence use met after begin, as in English “to start with”?
In Afrikaans, begin can directly take a noun as its object: begin die soektog. Using met (e.g. begin met die soektog) is also possible, but when you’re directly initiating something, omitting met is more natural and idiomatic.
What is the function of die in die soektog?
die is the definite article “the.” Unlike English, Afrikaans uses die for all genders and numbers in definite noun phrases. Here it marks soektog (“search”) as a specific search.
Why is soektog written as one word?
soektog is a compound noun formed from soek (search) + tog (expedition). In Afrikaans, when two nouns combine to express a single concept, they merge into one word.
How would you say “We started the search” in the past tense?
Use the perfect tense with het + past participle. For begin, the past participle is also begin. So: Ons het die soektog begin.
How do you ask “Are we starting the search now?”
Yes/no questions invert the verb and subject. You get: Begin ons nou die soektog?
If you want to say “Let’s start the search now,” is there another construction?
Yes—use kom ons + infinitive: Kom ons begin nou die soektog. This is the usual way to express “let’s” in Afrikaans.
Can you move nou to the front for emphasis?
Absolutely. When you front an adverb, the finite verb still remains in second position: Nou begin ons die soektog. This puts extra stress on now.
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