Ná ontbyt werk ek in die tuin.

Because Afrikaans main clauses usually follow a verb-second pattern.

In Ná ontbyt werk ek in die tuin, the time phrase Ná ontbyt comes first. Once that first element is in position 1, the finite verb must come next:

• Ná ontbyt = first element
• werk = second element
• ek = subject after the verb

So werk ek is the normal word order here.

Compare:

• Ek werk in die tuin ná ontbyt.
• Ná ontbyt werk ek in die tuin.

Both are correct, but the second one emphasizes after breakfast a bit more.

The accent distinguishes ná from na.

• ná = after
• na = usually to or towards

So:

• Ná ontbyt = after breakfast
• na die tuin = to the garden

The accent is important because it changes the meaning.

Afrikaans often leaves out the article in expressions like after breakfast, just like English does.

Compare:

• English: after breakfast
• Afrikaans: ná ontbyt

You would not normally say ná die ontbyt unless you meant a very specific breakfast in a special context, which is uncommon.

Usually ontbyt means breakfast as a meal or breakfast time. In a sentence like this, ná ontbyt naturally means after breakfast.

As a noun:

• Ontbyt was lekker. = Breakfast was nice.

Afrikaans can also use ontbyt in verbal contexts, but in your sentence it is simply the noun breakfast.

It means in the garden.

Breakdown:

• in = in
• die = the
• tuin = garden

Depending on context, an English speaker might sometimes think of yard, but the direct meaning is garden.

Yes, absolutely.

Both are grammatical:

• Ná ontbyt werk ek in die tuin.
• Ek werk in die tuin ná ontbyt.

The difference is mainly emphasis and flow:

• Ná ontbyt werk ek in die tuin. → foregrounds the time
• Ek werk in die tuin ná ontbyt. → starts with I work..., so it sounds more neutral

No. Afrikaans verbs usually do not change form for different subjects in the present tense.

So you get:

• Ek werk = I work
• Jy werk = you work
• Hy werk = he works
• Ons werk = we work

Unlike English, there is no special -s form like he works. The verb stays werk.

A rough guide is:

Ná ontbyt werk ek in die tuin
≈ naa ONT-bate vairk ek in dee TAIN

A few notes:

• ná sounds like naa
• ontbyt has the stress on the second syllable: ont-BEIT or ont-BYT depending on accent description
• werk sounds a bit like English verk/vairk, with an Afrikaans w pronounced more like English v
• die here sounds like dee
• tuin is roughly like tain or tœyn, depending on how closely you want to imitate Afrikaans pronunciation

Yes. It is a very natural Afrikaans time expression.

Afrikaans often uses simple preposition + noun phrases to set the time frame:

• ná ontbyt = after breakfast
• voor middagete = before lunch
• na werk = after work
• in die oggend = in the morning

Putting such a phrase at the beginning of the sentence is very common.

Because the two noun phrases work differently.

• ontbyt in ná ontbyt is a general time expression, like English after breakfast, so no article is needed.
• die tuin refers to a specific place, the garden, so the definite article die is used.

So the difference is not random; it depends on how the noun is being used.

Yes, sometimes the exact feeling depends on context.

Tuin normally means garden, but in everyday use it can refer to an outdoor area around the house. In some contexts, English speakers might translate it as yard if that sounds more natural.

Still, the core meaning is garden, and in die tuin is the standard phrase here.