Die werk is ernstig.

The work is serious.

Breakdown of Die werk is ernstig.

• wees: to be
• die werk: the work
• ernstig: serious

Questions & Answers about Die werk is ernstig.

What does die mean here?

Die is the definite article in Afrikaans, equivalent to the in English. It’s used because we’re referring to a specific piece of work or job. When speaking about work in general, you can omit it entirely:
Werk is ernstig.

Why isn’t ernstig ending in -e?

In predicative position (after a copula like is), Afrikaans adjectives remain uninflected. That’s why you say:
Die werk is ernstig.
If you use the adjective attributively (directly before a noun), it takes an -e:
die ernstige werk

How would you turn this statement into a question?

By inverting the subject and verb:
Is die werk ernstig?
(“Is the work serious?”)

How do you negate this sentence?

Afrikaans uses a double negation with nie … nie. You’d say:
Die werk is nie ernstig nie.
(“The work isn’t serious.”)

Can I drop the article and simply say Werk is ernstig?

Yes. Without die, you speak about work in general:
Werk is ernstig.
means “Work is serious.” Use die only when you mean a specific job or task.

What’s the difference between ernstig and erg?

Ernstig means “serious” in the sense of grave or important.
Erg can be an adverb meaning “very” (ek is erg moeg) or an adjective meaning “bad/harsh” (dis erg). You generally wouldn’t say Die werk is erg to mean “The work is serious”—that could be misunderstood as “the work is very bad.”