Stuur my 'n boodskap.

Because this is a command. In Afrikaans, commands usually begin with the verb.

• Stuur = send
• Stuur my 'n boodskap. = Send me a message.

This is the imperative form, and in Afrikaans it usually looks the same as the normal verb form.

In commands, Afrikaans usually leaves out the subject, just like English often does.

• Stuur my 'n boodskap. = Send me a message.
• You do not need jy here.

You can add jy for emphasis in some contexts, but the normal command leaves it out.

Here my means me.

So:

• stuur = send
• my = me
• 'n boodskap = a message

Literally, the structure is Send me a message.

Do not confuse this with English my. In Afrikaans, my can mean my or me depending on the grammar of the sentence. Here it is the object, so it means me.

Both can be used.

• Stuur my 'n boodskap.
• Stuur vir my 'n boodskap.

Both mean Send me a message.

Without vir, the sentence is a bit tighter and very normal.
With vir, the recipient is made more explicit, and this is also very common in everyday Afrikaans.

So if you say either version, you will be understood.

'n is the Afrikaans indefinite article, equivalent to English a or an.

So:

• 'n boodskap = a message

A few important things about 'n:

• it is always written lowercase
• it is pronounced very weakly, like uh
• even at the beginning of a sentence, 'n stays lowercase

For example:

• 'n Boodskap is genoeg. = A message is enough.

The order is natural for an Afrikaans command:

1. verb: Stuur
2. indirect object: my
3. direct object: 'n boodskap

So the pattern is:

Verb + person + thing

That is why Stuur my 'n boodskap sounds natural.

A version with vir is also common:

• Stuur vir my 'n boodskap

Boodskap means message.

It can refer to different kinds of messages depending on context, such as:

• a text message
• a private message
• an online message
• a general message or note

If you want to be more specific, Afrikaans can also say things like:

• 'n SMS
• 'n WhatsApp-boodskap
• 'n e-pos

But 'n boodskap by itself is a very normal general word.

By itself, Stuur my 'n boodskap. is a straightforward command. It is not rude by default, but it can sound direct, depending on tone and situation.

To make it more polite, you could say:

• Stuur asseblief vir my 'n boodskap. = Please send me a message.
• Kan jy vir my 'n boodskap stuur? = Can you send me a message?

So the original sentence is fine, but if you want to sound softer, add asseblief or turn it into a question.

The normal negative command is:

Moenie vir my 'n boodskap stuur nie.
= Don't send me a message.

This is a very useful Afrikaans pattern:

Moenie + rest of sentence + nie

Afrikaans negatives often use nie twice in this kind of structure.

A simple English-friendly approximation is:

STYOOR may uh BOOT-skahp

A few notes:

• stuur has no exact English equivalent, but styoor/styoor is a rough guide
• my sounds roughly like may
• 'n is just a weak uh
• boodskap has the main stress on the first syllable: BOOD-skap

You do not stress 'n strongly. It should sound very light.