Breakdown of Die katjie spring van die tafeltjie af en kyk na die hondjie.
en
and
van
from
die hondjie
the puppy
die tafeltjie
the little table
die katjie
the kitten
spring
to jump
af
off
kyk
to look
na
at
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Questions & Answers about Die katjie spring van die tafeltjie af en kyk na die hondjie.
What does the suffix -tjie do in katjie, tafeltjie, and hondjie?
The suffix -tjie is the diminutive ending in Afrikaans. It expresses smallness or affection:
- kat → katjie (kitten or little cat)
- tafel → tafeltjie (small table)
- hond → hondjie (puppy or little dog)
Depending on the noun’s ending, you may see slight spelling changes, but -tjie is the standard for forming diminutives.
Why does each noun have the article die in front of it?
die is the definite article in Afrikaans (equivalent to the in English). It doesn’t change for singular/plural:
- die katjie = the kitten
- die tafeltjie = the little table
- die hondjie = the puppy
Use ’n (pronounced uhn) for an indefinite article (a or an).
What does spring van die tafeltjie af mean, and why both van and af?
spring af is a two-part verb meaning to jump off. When specifying off of something, you use van ... af:
- van = from
- af = off
So spring van die tafeltjie af literally means jumps off of the little table.
Could I instead say spring af van die tafeltjie, or is that wrong?
Both word orders are acceptable:
- spring van die tafeltjie af (more common)
- spring af van die tafeltjie
Afrikaans allows you to place af either immediately after the verb or at the very end, but grouping van ... af is the usual pattern.
Why is it kyk na die hondjie and not simply kyk die hondjie?
In Afrikaans, the verb kyk (to look) requires the preposition na to mean to look at:
- kyk na = look at
Without na, the sentence is incomplete: - kyk na die hondjie = looks at the puppy
Can I use kyk vir die hondjie instead of kyk na die hondjie?
You can, but there’s a subtle difference:
- kyk na = look at (directing your gaze)
- kyk vir = look for or watch someone (implies searching or caution)
For a simple observation (he’s looking at the puppy), kyk na die hondjie is more natural.
How would I say a small table instead of the small table?
Use the indefinite article ’n (pronounced uhn) before the noun:
- ’n tafeltjie = a small table
Similarly: - ’n katjie = a kitten
- ’n hondjie = a puppy
How do you pronounce the -tjie ending in words like katjie and hondjie?
The tj is pronounced like the English ch in church, and the -ie is a short uh sound (schwa):
- katjie ≈ KAH-chuh
- hondjie ≈ HON-chuh