Ons haal die kinders by die skool.

we

Breakdown of Ons haal die kinders by die skool.

• die: the
• by: at
• die kind: the child

Questions & Answers about Ons haal die kinders by die skool.

Why does the sentence use haal? Does it really mean pick up?

Yes. In this sentence, haal means fetch, go and get, or pick up.

Afrikaans often uses haal where English uses pick up, especially when you go somewhere to collect a person. So Ons haal die kinders by die skool is a natural way to say We pick up the children at/from the school.

Afrikaans does not always need a separate word matching English up.

What does by mean here? I thought by meant by or at, not from.

That is a very common question.

By usually means by, at, or with. But with haal, it often introduces the place where someone is being collected.

So:

• by die skool = at the school literally
• but in natural English, the whole phrase may be translated as from the school if that sounds more idiomatic

The important idea is: the school is the location where the children are being fetched.

Could I also say Ons haal die kinders by die skool op?