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Hoe stadiger ons beweeg, hoe minder foute maak ons.

Hoe stadiger ons beweeg, hoe minder foute maak ons.
The slower we move, the fewer mistakes we make.
FromLesson 14inHardcore Afrikaans

Breakdown of Hoe stadiger ons beweeg, hoe minder foute maak ons.

ons
we
hoe
how
maak
to make
die fout
the mistake
stadiger
slower
beweeg
to move
minder
fewer

Questions & Answers about Hoe stadiger ons beweeg, hoe minder foute maak ons.

What does hoe ... hoe ... express in Afrikaans?

It’s a correlative comparative construction equivalent to English the … the …. Each clause starts with hoe plus a comparative to state a cause–effect relationship.
Example: Hoe stadiger ons beweeg, hoe minder foute maak ons.
= “The slower we move, the fewer mistakes we make.”

How do you form comparatives like stadiger?

Most one-syllable adjectives or adverbs add -er to become comparatives:
• stadig → stadiger (slow → slower)
• groot → groter (big → bigger)
Longer words often use meer before the adjective:
• meer interessant (more interesting)
Some words are irregular: min (little) becomes minder (less).

Why does the comparative come immediately after hoe instead of after the subject?

In a hoe ... hoe ... clause, the pattern is hoe + comparative + subject + verb. Placing the comparative right after hoe highlights the degree before naming who or what does the action.
• Correct: Hoe stadiger ons beweeg
• Not: Hoe ons stadiger beweeg

What is the word order inside each hoe-clause?

Each clause is a main clause and follows the verb-second (V2) rule:

  1. First element (here comparative)
  2. Finite verb in second position
  3. Subject (ons)
  4. Any objects or other adverbs
    So Hoe stadiger (1), beweeg (2), ons (3), …
Why is there a comma between the two hoe-clauses?

You separate the two parallel main clauses with a comma to signal the pause and show that one idea leads into the next:
Hoe …, hoe …

Why don’t we use an article before foute?
Afrikaans omits an indefinite article with generic plurals. Minder foute simply means “fewer mistakes.” If you meant specific mistakes you would say die foute (“the mistakes”).
Do you have to repeat ons in the second clause?
Yes. Each hoe-clause is separate and must have its own subject to satisfy the V2 rule. Omitting ons in the second clause would leave out the subject entirely.

More from this lesson

die foutEk maak 'n fout.reg te stelVandag leer ek om die fout reg te stel.Jy wys my hoe om die fout reg te stel.die kansOns kry 'n nuwe kans om beter te werk.gewoonlik
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