Die nes beweeg wanneer die tak in die wind beweeg.

Because die is the Afrikaans definite article, usually equivalent to English the. It is used before both nouns here:

• die nes = the nest
• die tak = the branch

A useful thing for English speakers to know is that Afrikaans does not have different forms of the for masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns. It is just die.

Because both parts of the sentence use the same verb, beweeg, meaning move or sway.

• Die nes beweeg = the nest moves
• die tak ... beweeg = the branch moves

So the repetition is completely normal. The sentence is saying that one thing moves when the other thing moves.

Because wanneer introduces a subordinate clause. In Afrikaans, the verb usually goes to the end of a subordinate clause.

So:

• Main clause: Die nes beweeg
• Subordinate clause: wanneer die tak in die wind beweeg

This is a very important word-order pattern in Afrikaans. English keeps a more normal order after when, but Afrikaans sends the verb to the end.

Wanneer means when. In this sentence, it introduces the time clause: the nest moves when the branch moves.

It works very much like English when, although Afrikaans can sometimes use other words such as as in contexts where English might also say when. Still, wanneer is a clear and straightforward choice here.

Afrikaans often uses the simple present where English might use either the simple present or the present continuous.

So beweeg can mean:

• moves
• is moving

The exact meaning depends on context. In this sentence, it could describe a general fact or something happening right now.

No. In Afrikaans, verbs usually do not change form in the present tense depending on the subject.

So you get:

• Ek beweeg = I move
• jy beweeg = you move
• die nes beweeg = the nest moves
• die tak beweeg = the branch moves

This is one of the ways Afrikaans is simpler than English.

Literally, it means in the wind. In this sentence, it describes the branch as moving because it is being blown by the wind.

So die tak in die wind beweeg gives the idea of the branch moving in the wind, swaying in the breeze, or being moved by the wind.

Yes. If the subordinate clause comes first, the main clause still follows the Afrikaans verb-second pattern.

So you can say:

Wanneer die tak in die wind beweeg, beweeg die nes.

Notice that beweeg comes before die nes in the main clause. That happens because the first position is already taken by the whole wanneer clause.

No. Afrikaans does not mark grammatical gender in the article the way languages like German do.

So in this sentence:

• die nes
• die tak

Both use the same article, and that does not mean they are the same gender. Afrikaans has largely simplified that system away.

It can be either, depending on context.

Without extra context, it often sounds like a general observation or natural fact: when the branch moves in the wind, the nest moves too.

But in the right situation, it could also describe something happening at a particular moment. Afrikaans simple present is flexible in that way.