Questions & Answers about Sy sê dankbaar “dankie” en gee 'n kaartjie aan die bibliotekaris.
Why is ’n written with an apostrophe?
In Afrikaans, the indefinite article is ’n (a/an), a shortened form of een. The apostrophe indicates the missing e. It functions like English a or an. Example: ’n boek (a book), ’n kaartjie (a card).
Other notes:
- It is always lowercase ’n, even at the start of a sentence.
- It is pronounced as a quick n sound.
What’s the difference between dankbaar and dankie?
dankbaar is an adjective meaning grateful (here used as an adverb without changing form).
dankie is an interjection meaning thank you.
So Sy sê dankbaar dankie literally means she says thank you gratefully, highlighting her manner of speech.
Why is dankbaar placed before dankie? Isn’t dankbaar normally an adjective?
In Afrikaans many adjectives double as adverbs—there is no -ly suffix. Manner adverbs (words describing how something is done) often follow the verb and precede the object.
Structure: Subject + Verb + Adverb + Object
In this sentence: Sy (subject) + sê (verb) + dankbaar (adverb) + dankie (object).
Why are there quotation marks around dankie? Can they be omitted?
Quotation marks indicate the exact word being spoken. They are not strictly required:
- Informally: Sy sê dankbaar dankie en gee ’n kaartjie aan die bibliotekaris.
- Formally/textbook style: Sy sê dankbaar “dankie” en gee ’n kaartjie aan die bibliotekaris.
Why is gee followed by ’n kaartjie aan die bibliotekaris instead of die bibliotekaris ’n kaartjie?
Afrikaans allows two constructions for give:
- Direct object + prepositional object:
Sy gee ’n kaartjie aan die bibliotekaris. - Double object (indirect + direct):
Sy gee die bibliotekaris ’n kaartjie.
Both are correct; the first uses aan to introduce the recipient.
What does bibliotekaris mean? Why die bibliotekaris and not ’n bibliotekaris?
bibliotekaris means librarian.
die bibliotekaris = the librarian (a specific person).
Use ’n (a/an) for someone non-specific: Sy gee ’n kaartjie aan ’n bibliotekaris.
Why is Sy capitalized? Is it always uppercase?
Only the first word of a sentence is capitalized in Afrikaans (like English).
Within a sentence, sy (she) is lowercase, unless it refers to the formal You (rare).
Examples:
- Sentence start: Sy is baie dankbaar.
- Mid-sentence: ... omdat sy ’n kaartjie kry.
Can I drop dankbaar and just say Sy sê dankie? What changes?
Yes. Sy sê dankie simply means she says thank you.
Adding dankbaar emphasizes how she says it—she feels genuine gratitude.
How flexible is the word order with manner adverbs like dankbaar?
The typical order is Subject–Verb–Adverb–Object:
Sy + sê + dankbaar + dankie.
For emphasis, you can move the adverb:
- Dankbaar sê sy dankie...
- Sy sê dankie dankbaar...
Each variation shifts the focus or style slightly.
More from this lesson
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning AfrikaansMaster Afrikaans — from Sy sê dankbaar “dankie” en gee 'n kaartjie aan die bibliotekaris to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions