Sal jy die tenk met brandstof volmaak?

Sal is the future/modal verb shall/will in Afrikaans. In a yes/no question, Afrikaans usually puts the finite verb first, just like English does in Will you ...?

So:

• Jy sal die tenk volmaak. = You will fill the tank.
• Sal jy die tenk volmaak? = Will you fill the tank?

That is why sal comes first here.

Jy means you. It is the normal singular you, but in everyday Afrikaans it is also often used informally in contexts where English also just says you.

Afrikaans does not have as much verb change as English, so jy stays simple:

• jy is = you are
• jy het = you have
• jy sal = you will

Die means the. Since the sentence refers to the tank, Afrikaans uses die.

Compare:

• die tenk = the tank
• 'n tenk = a tank

So if you are talking about a specific tank, die tenk is correct.

Tenk means tank. In this sentence, it most naturally refers to a fuel tank, such as the tank of a car or another vehicle.

So die tenk here is not just any container in a general sense, but specifically the tank that gets filled with fuel.

Met brandstof literally means with fuel.

• met = with
• brandstof = fuel

Afrikaans can include this phrase to make clear what the tank is being filled with. It is perfectly natural.

You may also hear shorter phrasing in context, but this version is explicit:

• volmaak = fill up / fill completely
• die tenk met brandstof volmaak = fill the tank with fuel

Brandstof means fuel.

It is a common Afrikaans word for fuel in general. Depending on context, it could refer to petrol, diesel, or fuel more generally.

It is made up historically from parts related to burning and substance/material, but for learners it is best simply to remember it as the normal word for fuel.

Yes. Vol means full, and maak means make. So volmaak literally means make full.

In practice, volmaak means:

• fill up
• fill completely

So:

• Maak die bottel vol. = Fill the bottle.
• Sal jy die tenk volmaak? = Will you fill the tank up?

It is a very useful verb to learn because the meaning is quite transparent once you know vol and maak.

This is a very common Afrikaans word-order pattern.

The sentence contains the auxiliary/modal verb sal, and when Afrikaans uses a modal like sal, the main verb usually goes to the end of the clause.

So the structure is:

• Sal = finite/modal verb in first position
• jy = subject
• die tenk met brandstof = object + extra phrase
• volmaak = main verb at the end

This is similar to other Afrikaans sentences with modals:

• Ek sal dit doen. = I will do it.
• Kan jy help? = Can you help?
• Sy wil huis toe gaan. = She wants to go home.

Yes, volmaak behaves like a separable verb in many contexts.

Without a modal, you often see the parts separated:

• Ek maak die tenk vol. = I fill the tank up.
• Hy maak die bottel vol. = He fills the bottle.

But with a modal verb such as sal, the infinitive usually stays together at the end:

• Ek sal die tenk volmaak.
• Sal jy die tenk volmaak?

So:

• no modal: maak ... vol
• with modal: volmaak

This is a very common thing for learners to notice.

In standard Afrikaans, volmaak is normally written as one word in the infinitive form.

So the standard form here is:

• Sal jy die tenk met brandstof volmaak?

But when the verb is split in a finite construction, you write the parts separately:

• Jy maak die tenk vol.

So the distinction is usually:

• volmaak = infinitive
• maak ... vol = split finite form

It is neutral everyday Afrikaans. Nothing in it is especially formal or slangy.

It would sound natural in ordinary conversation, for example at a petrol station, in a garage, or when talking about a vehicle.

If you wanted to sound slightly more conversational in some contexts, a speaker might choose a different wording, but this sentence itself is completely normal and correct.

The statement version would be:

Jy sal die tenk met brandstof volmaak.

That means You will fill the tank with fuel.

So the main difference is word order:

• statement: Jy sal ...
• yes/no question: Sal jy ...?

A rough pronunciation guide for English speakers would be:

Sahl yay dee tenk met brahnt-stof fol-mak?

A few helpful notes:

• sal sounds roughly like suhl/sahl, depending on accent
• jy is often like yay
• die in Afrikaans is usually pronounced more like dee, not like English the
• volmaak has a clear f sound at the start of vol

Pronunciation varies by accent, but this should help you recognize the sentence when spoken.