In die lente sit ons langer buite, want die lug voel vars.

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Breakdown of In die lente sit ons langer buite, want die lug voel vars.

• in: in
• sit: to sit
• buite: outside

Questions & Answers about In die lente sit ons langer buite, want die lug voel vars.

Why is it In die lente and not just In lente?

Die is the Afrikaans definite article, meaning the. With seasons, Afrikaans commonly uses the article in expressions like:

• in die lente = in spring
• in die somer = in summer
• in die winter = in winter

So even though English often says just in spring, Afrikaans normally says in the spring literally: in die lente.

Also, die is used for all genders in Afrikaans, unlike languages that have different words for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns.

Why does sit come before ons?

This is because Afrikaans usually puts the finite verb in second position in a main clause.

The sentence begins with In die lente, which is a time phrase. Because that phrase comes first, the verb must come next:

• In die lente sit ons langer buite

If you started with the subject instead, you would get:

• Ons sit langer buite in die lente

Both are possible, but the first version emphasizes when it happens.

So the pattern is:

• first element: In die lente
• second position: sit
• then subject: ons

Does here really mean , or does it mean something more general?