Breakdown of Hoe vinniger ons werk, hoe groter word die gevaar.
ons
we
werk
to work
hoe
how
word
to become
die gevaar
the danger
vinniger
faster
groter
greater
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Questions & Answers about Hoe vinniger ons werk, hoe groter word die gevaar.
Why are there two hoes in the sentence?
Afrikaans uses a correlative comparative structure with hoe … hoe …. The first hoe introduces the “more/faster” part, the second hoe introduces the “then …” result. Together they mean “the more/faster …, the more/greater …”.
How does the hoe … hoe structure translate into English?
Literally it’s “How faster we work, how bigger becomes the danger,” but idiomatically it’s “The faster we work, the greater the danger becomes.”
Why does the verb come before the subject in the second clause (hoe groter word die gevaar)?
After the second hoe, that clause behaves like a question (inversion): the finite verb (word) appears first, then the subject (die gevaar).
What’s the role of word in this sentence?
Word is the present tense of word (“to become”). So groter word die gevaar means “the danger becomes greater.”
How do you form the comparative of vinnig?
Most adjectives and adverbs in Afrikaans take -er for the comparative. So vinnig (“fast/quickly”) → vinniger (“faster/more quickly”).
Why is there a comma between the two clauses?
Because you’re linking two main clauses in a correlative comparative (“hoe … hoe …”), and Afrikaans punctuation calls for a comma between them.
Can you omit word and say “Hoe vinniger ons werk, hoe groter die gevaar”?
In very casual speech you might hear that, but it’s clearer and more standard to include the verb (word) in the second clause.
Can I use this pattern with other adjectives or adverbs?
Yes. For example:
Hoe meer ek lees, hoe slimmer word ek.
(“The more I read, the smarter I become.”)
Why does it say die gevaar instead of just gevaar?
Afrikaans often uses the definite article (die) when talking about a general or known concept—in this case, “the danger” in question.
Could I reverse the clauses and still be correct?
E.g. “hoe groter word die gevaar, hoe vinniger ons werk”?
No. The fixed pattern is hoe X, hoe Y. Reversing them breaks the standard correlative comparative order and sounds incorrect.