Kan u vir my sê watter toonbank nou oop is?

Because this is a question, and Afrikaans usually puts the finite verb first in a yes/no question.

So the statement-style order would be more like:

U kan vir my sê ... = You can tell me ...

But to ask it as a question, Afrikaans moves the verb to the front:

Kan u vir my sê ...?

This is similar to English Can you tell me ...?

u is the formal/polite word for you in Afrikaans.

• u = formal, polite
• jy = informal, used with friends, family, people you know well

So this sentence sounds polite, like something you might say to a staff member, receptionist, or stranger.

A less formal version would be:

Kan jy vir my sê watter toonbank nou oop is?

vir my means to me / for me, depending on context. In this sentence, it marks the person receiving the information.

So in:

Kan u vir my sê ...

the idea is Can you tell me ...

Afrikaans often uses vir before a person who is the indirect object.

Compare:

• Hy gee vir my die boek. = He gives me the book.
• Kan u vir my sê ... = Can you tell me ...

In natural English we usually just say tell me, but Afrikaans commonly uses vir my.

sê is the infinitive/basic dictionary form of the verb to say / tell.

After a modal verb like kan, Afrikaans normally uses the main verb in its base form:

• Ek kan kom. = I can come.
• Sy kan help. = She can help.
• Kan u sê ...? = Can you tell ...?

So kan is the conjugated verb, and sê stays in its basic form.

watter means which.

It is used when you are choosing from specific options or asking someone to identify one from a set.

• watter toonbank = which counter

By contrast, wat usually means what.

Compare:

• Wat doen u? = What are you doing?
• Watter toonbank is oop? = Which counter is open?

So here watter is used because the speaker wants to know which counter is open.

toonbank usually means counter, such as a service counter, sales counter, or desk in a shop, office, or airport.

Depending on context, English might translate it as:

• counter
• service desk
• checkout counter
• reception counter

So the exact English word depends on the situation, but counter is the basic meaning.

This is one of the most important word-order patterns in Afrikaans.

After verbs like sê when you introduce a clause such as which counter is open, Afrikaans often puts the conjugated verb at the end of that subordinate clause.

So:

• watter toonbank nou oop is

not

• watter toonbank nou is oop

This is similar to Dutch and German-style subordinate clause word order.

Compare:

• Ek weet dat hy moeg is. = I know that he is tired.
• Kan u sê watter toonbank nou oop is? = Can you say which counter is open?

In a direct main clause, you would say:

Die toonbank is oop. = The counter is open.

But inside this embedded clause, is goes to the end.

nou means now.

It adds the idea of at the moment / currently:

• watter toonbank oop is = which counter is open
• watter toonbank nou oop is = which counter is open now

So it makes the question more immediate and situation-specific.

Yes. If you remove nou, the sentence still works:

Kan u vir my sê watter toonbank oop is?

That means Can you tell me which counter is open?

Adding nou just emphasizes right now / currently.

Yes, very common. It is a soft, polite way to ask something.

Instead of asking very directly, Afrikaans often uses a structure like:

Kan u vir my sê ...? = Can you tell me ...?

This sounds courteous and natural in service situations.

Other polite patterns are also possible, such as:

• Weet u ...? = Do you know ...?
• Sal u vir my kan sê ...? = Would you be able to tell me ...?

But Kan u vir my sê ...? is perfectly normal and useful.

Yes. The main change would be u to jy:

Kan jy vir my sê watter toonbank nou oop is?

That is the informal version.

You might also hear casual spoken Afrikaans with slightly simpler wording depending on the situation, but the sentence above is the straightforward informal equivalent.

A direct question would be:

Watter toonbank is nou oop?

Here the clause stands on its own, so the verb order changes:

• Direct question: Watter toonbank is nou oop?
• Embedded clause: ... watter toonbank nou oop is

This difference is very useful to notice, because Afrikaans changes word order in embedded clauses.

It sounds natural. A polite Afrikaans speaker could definitely say this in real life.

It is especially natural in places like:

• airports
• banks
• government offices
• supermarkets
• service counters

The sentence is clear, polite, and idiomatic. The main thing learners should notice is the word order in watter toonbank nou oop is, because that is where English speakers often make mistakes.