Breakdown of Die onderwyser praat in die klaslokaal.
praat
to speak
in
in
die onderwyser
the teacher
die klaslokaal
the classroom
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Questions & Answers about Die onderwyser praat in die klaslokaal.
What does die mean here, and how is it used?
Die is the definite article “the.” It’s used for both singular and plural nouns in Afrikaans. In this sentence it makes onderwyser specific: “the teacher.” If you wanted to say “a teacher,” you’d use the indefinite article ’n instead: ’n onderwyser praat...
What does onderwyser mean, and is it gender-specific?
Onderwyser means “teacher,” usually referring to a male teacher. To specify a female teacher you add -es: onderwyseres. If you want a gender-neutral plural, you can say onderwysers (“teachers”).
What does praat mean, and why doesn’t it change form for different subjects?
Praat is the verb “to speak” (present tense). In Afrikaans verbs do not conjugate for person or number. Whether you say
• Ek praat (I speak)
• Jy praat (you speak)
• Hulle praat (they speak)
the verb remains praat.
What is the role of in die klaslokaal in the sentence?
In die klaslokaal is a prepositional phrase indicating location: “in the classroom.”
• in = “in”
• die = “the”
• klaslokaal = “classroom”
Why is klaslokaal written as one word?
Afrikaans commonly forms compound nouns by combining two words. Here klas (“class”) + lokaal (“room”) → klaslokaal (“classroom”). Writing them as a single word is standard practice.
How would you turn this statement into a question: “Does the teacher speak in the classroom?”
Swap the verb and subject (inversion). You get:
Praat die onderwyser in die klaslokaal?
How do you make the sentence negative: “The teacher does not speak in the classroom”?
Use nie before and after the verb phrase:
Die onderwyser praat nie in die klaslokaal nie.
The first nie follows the verb, and the second nie comes at the end of the clause.