Breakdown of Hy sê dit is gevaarlik om nou buite te loop.
hy
he
nou
now
wees
to be
loop
to walk
buite
outside
dit
it
sê
to say
om
to
gevaarlik
dangerous
Questions & Answers about Hy sê dit is gevaarlik om nou buite te loop.
What does Hy sê mean and how is sê conjugated in Afrikaans?
Why is there no dat before dit is gevaarlik?
In Afrikaans you can omit the conjunction dat after verbs of saying, thinking or believing. Both forms are correct:
What is the function of dit here?
Why is gevaarlik not preceded by an article or another word?
Why do we use om ... te in om nou buite te loop?
Afrikaans forms infinitive clauses with om + (adverbs) + te + verb. This is called the om-infinitive and functions like a noun or clause in English:
- om nou buite te loop = to walk outside now
Here it’s the complement of gevaarlik: “it is dangerous to walk outside now.”
Why is nou placed before buite, and could I say om buite nou te loop?
What part of speech is buite here? Do I need a preposition?
Can I insert gaan to say om nou buite te gaan loop?
Yes. Adding gaan + infinitive expresses immediate future or intention:
- om nou buite te gaan loop = to go walk outside now
It emphasises the action about to happen, but om nou buite te loop alone already means “to walk outside now.”
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