Ek maak 'n fout.

I make a mistake.

Breakdown of Ek maak 'n fout.

• ek: I
• ’n: a
• maak: to make
• die fout: the mistake

Questions & Answers about Ek maak 'n fout.

Why is Ek always capitalized in Afrikaans, even when it’s not at the beginning of a sentence?

Unlike most other pronouns in Afrikaans, ek is always written with an initial capital E. This is simply an orthographic convention in Afrikaans and has nothing to do with emphasis or the position in the sentence—it’s just how the language works.

Why is 'n used here instead of writing een or just using “a” like in English?

The indefinite article in Afrikaans is 'n, which is a contraction of een (the number “one”). It functions like English a or an. The apostrophe shows that letters have been omitted. You pronounce it as a quick, unstressed schwa—similar to the “a” in about.

How do I pronounce Ek maak ’n fout correctly?

• Ek: /ɛk/ (like “eck”)
• maak: /maːk/ (long “mahk”)
• 'n: /ə/ (a very short schwa)
• fout: /fɑu̯t/ (rhymes with English “bout,” but with an /f/)
  Put it all together: /ɛk maːk ə fɑu̯t/.

Why is the simple present maak used instead of a continuous form like “am making”?

Afrikaans does not distinguish between simple and continuous tenses the way English does. The present tense maak covers both “make” and “am making.” If you really want to stress that something is in progress right now, you can say Ek is besig om ’n fout te maak (I am busy making a mistake), but in everyday speech Ek maak ’n fout is perfectly normal for “I’m making a mistake.”

Why isn’t there an auxiliary verb like “do” in Ek maak ’n fout?

Afrikaans grammar doesn’t use a dummy auxiliary do in affirmative statements. You simply place the main verb in its form. So instead of saying I do make a mistake, Afrikaans just says Ek maak ’n fout.

What is the word order in Ek maak ’n fout, and does it ever change?

The basic word order in a main clause is Subject–Verb–Object (SVO). Here Ek (subject) maak (verb) ’n fout (object). If you add adverbs, they usually come after the verb but before the object: Ek maak nou ’n fout (I am making a mistake now). The SVO order stays intact.

How would you say “I made a mistake” in Afrikaans?

Use the perfect tense: Ek het ’n fout gemaak.

• het = have (auxiliary)
• gemaak = past participle of maak

What part of speech is fout, and can it be used in other ways?

Fout is primarily a noun meaning “mistake” or “error.” Its plural is foute. It can also function adjectivally to mean “wrong,” as in Dit is fout (That is wrong).