Breakdown of Ek installeer die toepassing op my rekenaar.
ek
I
my
my
op
on
die toepassing
the application
die rekenaar
the computer
installeer
to install
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Questions & Answers about Ek installeer die toepassing op my rekenaar.
Why does Afrikaans use Ek installeer instead of a separate continuous form like “I am installing”?
Afrikaans has only one present-tense form that covers both habitual and ongoing actions. So Ek installeer can mean either “I install” or “I am installing,” depending on context. There isn’t a distinct progressive construction as in English.
What role does op play in op my rekenaar? Could I use a different preposition?
The verb installeer in Afrikaans typically takes the preposition op when you install software “onto” a device. You wouldn’t use in or aan here. So op my rekenaar literally means “onto my computer.”
Why is the article die used before toepassing, and when would I use ’n instead?
Die is the definite article (“the”) in Afrikaans. You use it when you mean a specific app you both know about. If you’re installing any unspecified application, you’d say Ek installeer ’n toepassing op my rekenaar, with ’n functioning as the indefinite article “a.”
Is there grammatical gender for nouns like toepassing or rekenaar in Afrikaans?
No. Afrikaans does not assign grammatical gender to nouns. You always use die for “the,” regardless of the noun. You never have to worry about masculine, feminine, or neuter forms.
What’s the difference between toepassing and program in Afrikaans?
Both toepassing (application) and program (program) are commonly used. Toepassing is more formal and directly mirrors the English “application,” while program is shorter and very popular in everyday speech. They’re interchangeable in tech contexts.
How do I pronounce installeer, toepassing, and rekenaar?
- installeer: in-sta-LEER, with the stress on the last syllable; the double ee sounds like the “air” in “fair.”
- toepassing: TOO-pa-sing; the oe is pronounced like English “oo” in “tool.”
- rekenaar: RAY-kuh-nahr; the first e sounds like “ay,” and aar is like “are” in British English.
How would I negate this sentence?
Afrikaans uses a double-negation structure. You insert nie after the verb phrase and again at the end. So “I am not installing the application on my computer” becomes:
Ek installeer nie die toepassing op my rekenaar nie.
How can I turn it into a question?
Simply invert the verb and subject. For instance:
Installeer jy die toepassing op my rekenaar?
(“Are you installing the application on my computer?”)