Breakdown of Die kinders wag vir groen by dieselfde verkeerslig.
wag
to wait
vir
for
by
at
die kind
the child
dieselfde
the same
groen
green
die verkeerslig
the traffic light
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Questions & Answers about Die kinders wag vir groen by dieselfde verkeerslig.
Why is vir used after wag in wag vir groen?
In Afrikaans, the verb wag (“to wait”) combines with the preposition vir to indicate what you’re waiting for—just like English “wait for.” So wag vir groen literally means “wait for green.”
Can color words like groen function as nouns without an article?
Yes. In contexts like traffic lights, colors become abstract nouns and drop the article. wag vir groen = “wait for green,” meaning “wait for the green light.”
What role does by play in by dieselfde verkeerslig?
by is a locative preposition meaning “at” or “by.” Here it marks the place where the waiting happens: “at the same traffic light.”
Why isn’t there a die before dieselfde verkeerslig?
The word dieselfde (“same”) already serves as a determiner, so you don’t add the definite article die. dieselfde verkeerslig = “the same traffic light.”
Why does die appear before kinders even though it’s plural?
Afrikaans uses die as the definite article for both singular and plural nouns. There is no separate plural article.
Is verkeerslig one word? How is it built?
Yes. It’s a compound noun from verkeer (“traffic”) + lig (“light”). Afrikaans often forms new nouns by joining two words into one.
Can I start the sentence with by dieselfde verkeerslig?
Absolutely. Just remember Afrikaans is a V2 language: the finite verb stays in second position. So you’d say:
By dieselfde verkeerslig wag die kinders vir groen.
Could I use op instead of vir with wag?
You can say wag op but it’s usually for waiting on people or events (“wag op jou pa” = “wait for your dad”). With objects like a traffic light, wag vir is the standard construction.