Log inSign up

Ek hoor die hond buite die huis.

Ek hoor die hond buite die huis.
I hear the dog outside the house.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Afrikaans

Breakdown of Ek hoor die hond buite die huis.

ek
I
die hond
the dog
die huis
the house
buite
outside
hoor
to hear

Questions & Answers about Ek hoor die hond buite die huis.

Why is the article die used before hond and huis?
Afrikaans uses a single definite article die for all genders and numbers. It works exactly like English the and signals that you’re talking about a specific dog or house. Unlike languages with gendered or case-inflected articles, die never changes form in Afrikaans.
What is the difference between hoor and luister?

• hoor = to hear (sound reaches your ears, no active effort). It takes a direct object: Ek hoor die hond.
• luister = to listen (actively focus on sound). It normally pairs with the preposition na: Ek luister na die radio.

Why do we say buite die huis instead of buiten die huis?
In Afrikaans the spatial preposition for outside is buite. The form buiten is inherited from Dutch and in modern Afrikaans generally means besides/except. Always use buite when you mean outside (a place).
How do you pronounce Ek hoor die hond buite die huis?

Approximate phonetics and English hints:
• Ek = /ɛk/ (“eck”)
• hoor = /huːr/ (rhymes with “door”)
• die = /diː/ (“dee”)
• hond = /hɔnt/ (“hont”)
• buite = /ˈbœi̯tə/ (“boy-tuh”)
• die = /diː/ (“dee”)
• huis = /hœys/ (“hoys”)

What’s the basic word order in Ek hoor die hond buite die huis?

Afrikaans follows a Subject–Verb–Object pattern in main clauses:
Subject (Ek) + Verb (hoor) + Object (die hond) + Adverbial phrase (buite die huis). You can shift the adverbial for emphasis, but the core S-V-O remains.

Could you say Ek hoor buite die huis die hond instead?

That ordering is technically understandable but sounds unnatural. If you really want to highlight location you could front it:
Buite die huis hoor ek die hond (Outside the house I hear the dog).
But placing buite die huis between verb and object is rarely used.

Does Afrikaans have noun cases? Why doesn’t die change after the preposition buite?
Afrikaans has lost most case distinctions. The definite article die is invariant and stays the same whether it’s subject, object or follows a preposition like buite. There are no separate case-forms for articles.
How do you say I hear a dog outside the house with an indefinite article?

Use the indefinite article 'n before hond:
Ek hoor 'n hond buite die huis.
Note that 'n is pronounced like un or a quick uh sound.

More from this lesson

die boodskapnoemHy noem sy hond en kat in die verslag.die familieIn die boodskap noem hulle die hele familie.die broerhardopHy lees die boek hardop.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Afrikaans grammar?”
Afrikaans grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Afrikaans

Master Afrikaans — from Ek hoor die hond buite die huis 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
Start learning Afrikaans freeBrowse the full course