Question 1

Why does the sentence start with Ek? Can I drop the pronoun like in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

In Afrikaans you almost always include the subject pronoun, even though the verb form doesn’t change with person. So Ek (‘I’) is required. You can’t simply say “Bewonder die vars blomme …” to mean “I admire …”.

Question 2

Why is the verb bewonder the same for all persons? In English we say “he admires” (–s).

Accepted Answer

Afrikaans verbs do not get a special ending in the present tense. Whether it’s ek bewonder, jy bewonder, hy bewonder or ons bewonder, the verb form remains bewonder.

Question 3

What word order rule governs Ek bewonder die vars blomme in die tuin?

Accepted Answer

A basic Afrikaans main clause follows Subject-Verb-Object-Adverbial (S-V-O-A). Here:  
• S = Ek  
• V = bewonder  
• O = die vars blomme  
• A = in die tuin  
This is sometimes called the V2 rule: the finite verb is always in second position.

Question 4

If I want to start with the location, how would word order change?

Accepted Answer

You still keep the verb in second position. For example:  
“In die tuin bewonder ek die vars blomme.”  
Here In die tuin is first (A), bewonder stays second (V), then ek (S), etc.

Question 5

Why do we use die here? Are there different forms of “the” for gender or number?

Accepted Answer

Afrikaans has only one definite article: die, used for all genders (masculine, feminine, neuter) and both singular and plural. So die blom, die blomme, die hond, die huise, etc.

Question 6

How do I know blomme is plural?

Accepted Answer

Most Afrikaans nouns form the plural with -e. The singular blom (‘flower’) becomes blomme in the plural. There are other patterns (–s, vowel changes, no change), but blomme is the regular –e plural.

Question 7

Why doesn’t the adjective vars get an –e ending (like varse blomme)?

Accepted Answer

Adjectives add –e only before indefinite singular nouns: ’n vars blom. In all other cases (definite singular, indefinite plural, definite plural), the bare form is used. Since die vars blomme is definite plural, no –e is added.

Question 8

Why is it in die tuin and not just in tuin or op die tuin?

Accepted Answer

1. You need an article when you refer to a specific garden: die tuin.  
2. in die tuin = ‘in the garden’, which is the normal way to say where flowers are planted.  
3. op die tuin would mean ‘on top of the garden’, which isn’t idiomatic here.

Question 9

What’s the difference between saying Ek bewonder and Ek hou van?

Accepted Answer

• Ek bewonder = “I admire” (strong, respectful feeling).  
• Ek hou van = “I like” (more casual, general liking).  
Use bewonder when you want to express admiration or awe, hou van for simple liking.

Question 10

How would I say “I admire fresh flowers in a garden” (not a specific one)?

Accepted Answer

Replace die with the indefinite article ’n:  
“Ek bewonder vars blomme in ’n tuin.”  
Note: ’n (pronounced like “un”) is the only way to say “a/an” in Afrikaans.

Ek bewonder die vars blomme in die tuin.

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