Ná middagete vra ons vir die rekening en gee ons ’n klein fooi.

we

Breakdown of Ná middagete vra ons vir die rekening en gee ons ’n klein fooi.

• die: the
• klein: small
• en: and

Questions & Answers about Ná middagete vra ons vir die rekening en gee ons ’n klein fooi.

Why does the sentence say vra ons and gee ons instead of ons vra and ons gee?

Afrikaans main clauses usually put the finite verb in the second position.

So when the sentence begins with Ná middagete (After lunch), that time phrase takes the first position, and the verb comes next:

Ná middagete vra ons ...

not

Ná middagete ons vra ...

The same pattern continues in en gee ons ..., because Ná middagete applies to both actions. If there were no fronted time phrase, you would normally say:

Ons vra vir die rekening en ons gee ’n klein fooi.

Why is Ná written with an accent?

The accent helps show that ná means after.

This is useful because na without the accent often means to or towards.

For example:

• Ons gaan na die restaurant. = We go to the restaurant.
• Ná middagete = After lunch.

So in this sentence, the accent tells you that the meaning is after, not to.

Why is middagete one word?