Die hoender is reeds in die oond, maar die rys is nog nie gaar nie.

Die is the Afrikaans definite article, equivalent to English the.

It appears three times because there are three definite noun phrases:

• die hoender = the chicken
• die oond = the oven
• die rys = the rice

Unlike English, Afrikaans uses the same article die for:

• singular nouns
• plural nouns
• all grammatical genders

So you do not have to learn separate forms like the for one type and something else for another.

Because the sentence has two main clauses joined by maar:

• Die hoender is reeds in die oond
• maar die rys is nog nie gaar nie

Each main clause needs its own finite verb, and here that verb is is.

So this works just like English:

• The chicken is already in the oven
• but the rice is not cooked yet

Reeds means already.

So:

• Die hoender is reeds in die oond = The chicken is already in the oven.

A useful extra point: reeds is correct Afrikaans, but it can sound a little more formal or written. In everyday speech, many speakers would more naturally say al:

• Die hoender is al in die oond

That means the same thing here.

In this sentence, both can mean already:

• Die hoender is reeds in die oond
• Die hoender is al in die oond

The difference is mostly one of style:

• reeds = often a bit more formal, careful, or written
• al = very common in everyday spoken Afrikaans

Learners should know both, but al is probably the one you will hear more often in conversation.

This is a very common Afrikaans pattern for not ... yet.

In the sentence:

• die rys is nog nie gaar nie

the word nog adds the idea of yet / still, and the two nie words form the negative structure.

So:

• gaar = cooked / done
• nie gaar nie = not cooked
• nog nie gaar nie = not cooked yet

This is an extremely useful pattern to learn.

Afrikaans normally uses double negation.

A basic pattern is:

• Die rys is nie gaar nie = The rice is not cooked.

When you add nog for yet, you get:

• Die rys is nog nie gaar nie = The rice is not cooked yet.

So the second nie at the end of the clause is a normal feature of standard Afrikaans negation.

For learners, it is often helpful to remember these patterns as chunks:

• nie ... nie
• nog nie ... nie

Gaar means cooked, done, or cooked through.

It is especially used for food that must reach the right level of cooking:

• meat
• rice
• vegetables
• eggs

So Die rys is nog nie gaar nie means the rice is not finished cooking yet.

A useful opposite is:

• rou = raw

For example:

• Die vleis is nog rou = The meat is still raw.

Because gaar is the more precise word for food being properly cooked.

• gaar = cooked through / done
• gereed = ready

Sometimes gereed can work in a broader sense, but for food, gaar is usually better.

Compare:

• Die rys is gaar = The rice is cooked.
• Die kos is gereed = The food is ready.

So in this sentence, gaar is exactly the right choice.

Afrikaans main clauses usually follow the verb-second rule.

That means:

• first comes one element, often the subject
• then comes the finite verb

Here the structure is:

• Die hoender = subject
• is = finite verb
• reeds = adverb
• in die oond = prepositional phrase

So:

• Die hoender is reeds in die oond

This is the normal, natural order.

Yes, but the result may sound more marked or formal.

The most natural version is:

• Die hoender is reeds in die oond

You may also see:

• Reeds is die hoender in die oond

That is grammatically possible, but it sounds more literary or unusual in everyday speech.

So as a learner, the safest choice is to keep reeds after is here.

Because the chicken is inside the oven.

• in die oond = in the oven
• op die oond = on top of the oven

So if the chicken is cooking, in die oond is the normal phrase.

Maar means but.

It connects the two clauses and shows a contrast:

• the chicken is already in the oven
• but the rice is still not ready

So maar tells you that the second idea contrasts with the first one.

Because die does not only go with countable nouns. It can also be used with mass nouns when they are specific.

So:

• rys = rice in general
• die rys = the rice, meaning a particular rice that both speaker and listener know about

This is similar to English:

• Rice is healthy
• The rice is not cooked yet

Grammatically, hoender is singular.

• die hoender = the chicken

In context, it could refer to:

• a whole chicken
• a chicken dish
• the chicken being cooked

This is similar to English, where the chicken can refer either to the animal or to the food, depending on context.

The plural is:

• hoenders = chickens

Yes. The sentence uses the present tense with is.

Afrikaans often uses the simple present in situations where English also uses a present form:

• Die hoender is reeds in die oond
• Die rys is nog nie gaar nie

The ongoing situation is understood from the context. You do not need a special progressive form here to express that the cooking is still in progress.