Ek maak dit self.

I do it myself.

Breakdown of Ek maak dit self.

• ek: I
• dit: it
• maak: to make
• self: oneself; personally

Questions & Answers about Ek maak dit self.

What does each word in Ek maak dit self mean?

Word by word:

• Ek = I
• maak = make
• dit = it / this (depending on context)
• self = myself / personally

So the structure is very direct: I make it myself.

Why is maak used here? Doesn't it usually mean make, not do?

Yes, maak usually means make.

So if the idea is literally I make it myself, this sentence is fine.

If the intended meaning is more general, like I do it myself, Afrikaans often prefers:

• Ek doen dit self.

That is a very useful distinction:

• maak = make, create, prepare, produce
• doen = do, carry out

So Ek maak dit self sounds most natural when something is being made.

What exactly does dit mean here?