Questions & Answers about Sy sê dankbaar “dankie” en gee 'n kaartjie aan die bibliotekaris.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Yes. Sy sê dankie simply means she says thank you.
Adding dankbaar emphasizes how she says it—she feels genuine gratitude.
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.