Indien daar nêrens ’n sleutel is nie, sal die hond onrustig raak.

the dog

Breakdown of Indien daar nêrens ’n sleutel is nie, sal die hond onrustig raak.

• wees: to be
• nie: not
• sal: will

Questions & Answers about Indien daar nêrens ’n sleutel is nie, sal die hond onrustig raak.

Why does the sentence start with Indien? Is it the same as if?

Yes. Indien means if.

It introduces a condition, so Indien daar nêrens ’n sleutel is nie means If there is no key anywhere.

A learner should also know that indien sounds a bit more formal or written than as. In everyday speech, many speakers would more naturally say:

As daar nêrens ’n sleutel is nie, sal die hond onrustig raak.

So indien is correct, but slightly more formal.

What is daar doing here? Does it mean there?

Here daar is not really a location word in the usual sense. It works like there in English sentences such as There is a problem or There is a key.

So:

• Daar is ’n sleutel = There is a key
• Daar is nêrens ’n sleutel nie = There is no key anywhere

It helps introduce existence. So in this sentence, daar is part of the structure meaning there is / there are.

What does nêrens mean, and why is it placed before ’n sleutel?