Ek werk nog, al is ek reeds moeg.

Here nog means still.

So Ek werk nog means I am still working or I still work, depending on context. In this sentence, the ongoing sense is the natural one.

It comes after werk because Afrikaans main clauses normally put the finite verb early in the clause:

• Ek werk nog
• literally: I work still
• natural English: I am still working

Also, nog can have other meanings in other sentences, such as yet, another, or more, so its exact meaning depends on context.

Al is means although, even though, or though.

It introduces a contrast:

• Ek werk nog = I am still working
• al is ek reeds moeg = even though I am already tired

So the whole sentence expresses concession: one thing is true despite another thing being true.

This is a fixed Afrikaans pattern: al + verb + subject.

So you get:

• al is ek moeg
• al werk hy hard
• al het sy min tyd

In this pattern, the verb comes right after al. That is why is comes before ek.

This is different from a clause with alhoewel, where you would normally say:

• alhoewel ek reeds moeg is

No. It is the same spelling, but not the same job.

In Ek werk nog, al is ek reeds moeg, al is a conjunction meaning although/even though.

Afrikaans al can also mean things like:

• already
• all

But not here. In this sentence, the already meaning is carried by reeds, not by al.

Reeds means already or by now.

It adds the idea that the speaker has reached the state of being tired already, but is continuing to work anyway.

So:

• al is ek moeg = although I am tired
• al is ek reeds moeg = although I am already tired

The second version sounds a bit stronger, because it highlights that the tiredness has already set in.

They are different, but that is exactly why the sentence works so well.

• nog = still working
• reeds = already tired

Together they create a contrast:

• the work is continuing
• the tiredness has already begun

So the sentence means something like: I am still working, even though I am already tired.

Yes.

You can say:

• Ek werk nog, al is ek moeg.

That is completely natural. It simply removes the extra already/by now emphasis.

So:

• with reeds: stronger contrast
• without reeds: simpler statement

Yes.

You can say:

• Al is ek reeds moeg, werk ek nog.

This has the same basic meaning.

Notice the word order in the second clause:

• werk ek nog
• not ek werk nog

That happens because when a clause comes first in Afrikaans, the finite verb of the main clause usually comes before the subject.

Yes.

A very similar sentence would be:

• Alhoewel ek reeds moeg is, werk ek nog.

This also means Although I am already tired, I am still working.

The difference is mainly style:

• al is ... = shorter, compact, very idiomatic
• alhoewel ... is = a little fuller and often slightly more formal

Both are correct.

Afrikaans often uses the simple present where English uses either the simple present or the present continuous.

So:

• Ek werk can mean I work or I am working

Context tells you which meaning is intended. In this sentence, because of nog and the idea of current tiredness, English would usually translate it as I am still working.

If you want to make the ongoing action extra explicit, Afrikaans can also use:

• Ek is nog besig om te werk

But Ek werk nog is perfectly normal.

Yes, the comma is normal and helpful here.

It separates the main clause from the concessive clause:

• Ek werk nog, al is ek reeds moeg.

If you put the concessive clause first, you would also use a comma:

• Al is ek reeds moeg, werk ek nog.

So the comma helps show the sentence structure clearly.