Ek droog my hande met 'n handdoek af.

I dry my hands with a towel.

Breakdown of Ek droog my hande met 'n handdoek af.

• ek: I
• 'n: a
• my: my
• met: with

Questions & Answers about Ek droog my hande met 'n handdoek af.

Why is af at the end of the sentence?

Because afdroog is a separable verb in Afrikaans, much like some verbs in Dutch and German.

• The full verb is afdroog = to dry off / dry
• In a main clause, the verb splits:
  • Ek droog ... af.
• In some other structures, it can stay together:
  • om my hande af te droog = to dry my hands

So droog is the main verb part, and af moves to the end.

Is droog ... af different from just droog?

Yes, often afdroog means to dry off / wipe dry, while droog by itself can simply mean to dry or be dry, depending on context.

Compare:

• Ek droog my hande af. = I dry my hands / I dry my hands off
• Die klere droog. = The clothes are drying / dry

So the af adds the idea of finishing the drying or wiping something dry.

Why is it my hande and not something like myne hande?