Dit is 'n nuwe taal.

Afrikaans usually follows a basic subject–verb–object/complement order in simple main clauses, just like English.

• Dit = subject
• is = verb
• 'n nuwe taal = complement

So the structure is:

Dit + is + 'n nuwe taal
It + is + a new language

In a simple statement like this, the word order is very straightforward.

Dit means it in this sentence.

Afrikaans dit is often used the same way English uses it:

• Dit is warm. = It is warm.
• Dit is 'n probleem. = It is a problem.
• Dit is 'n nuwe taal. = It is a new language.

So here, dit is just the normal pronoun it.

'n is the Afrikaans indefinite article, meaning a or an.

It is always written with:

• an apostrophe
• a lowercase n

So:

• 'n taal = a language
• 'n boek = a book
• 'n nuwe taal = a new language

This is simply the standard written form in Afrikaans. It does not change for gender, and it does not have separate forms like English a/an.

'n is usually pronounced like a very weak vowel sound, similar to the a in about or sofa.

So it is often something like:

• uh
• a very light schwa sound

Important points:

• You usually do not pronounce the n strongly.
• In normal speech, it is very unstressed.

So Dit is 'n nuwe taal sounds roughly like:

Dit is uh nuwe taal

Not a careful English-style an.

This is one of the most common learner questions.

The basic adjective is nuut = new.
But before a noun, Afrikaans often uses an inflected adjective form, and here that form is nuwe.

So:

• Die taal is nuut. = The language is new.
• 'n nuwe taal = a new language

This difference is very common in Afrikaans:

• predicate position: nuut
• before the noun: nuwe

So in this sentence, nuwe is correct because it comes directly before taal.

No, Afrikaans does not have grammatical gender in the way languages like German or Dutch do.

That means:

• no masculine/feminine/neuter article system for nouns
• no need to change 'n depending on the noun

So:

• 'n taal = a language
• 'n man = a man
• 'n vrou = a woman
• 'n kind = a child

The article 'n stays the same.

This is one reason Afrikaans grammar is often easier for English speakers than some other European languages.

Yes, very often.

is is the present-tense form of the verb to be, and it looks exactly like English is.

Examples:

• Dit is goed. = It is good.
• Hy is moeg. = He is tired.
• Sy is 'n dokter. = She is a doctor.

So in Dit is 'n nuwe taal, is works just like English is.

Nuwe is usually pronounced roughly like NOO-vuh.

A few helpful points:

• The first syllable sounds like new but without the English y glide.
• The second syllable is weak, like vuh.

So not an English-style new-way.
It is closer to:

NOO-vuh

If you are learning pronunciation, listening to native audio is especially useful here.

Taal means language, and it is pronounced roughly like tahl.

Points to notice:

• It has a long aa sound
• It rhymes more with father than with English tail

So:

• taal ≈ tahl

The long aa is important in Afrikaans spelling and pronunciation.

Yes. Dis is a very common contraction of Dit is.

So:

• Dit is 'n nuwe taal.
• Dis 'n nuwe taal.

Both mean the same thing: It is a new language.

In everyday spoken Afrikaans, Dis is extremely common and often sounds more natural in casual conversation.

This is a famous spelling point in Afrikaans.

Even at the beginning of a sentence, 'n usually stays lowercase, and the next word gets the capital letter.

For example:

• 'n Nuwe taal is interessant.

Not:

• 'N nuwe taal is interessant.

So 'n is unusual because it normally remains lowercase even when it comes first.

Not always, but very often.

Afrikaans adjective inflection is simpler than in some other languages, but learners still need to get used to forms like:

• nuut → nuwe
• goed → goeie
• jong → jong

Some adjectives change before a noun, and some do not change much or at all.

In this sentence, you should simply learn:

• nuut = new
• 'n nuwe taal = a new language

That pattern will come up again and again.

Yes: 'n is very weak, so the stress falls more on the content words.

In Dit is 'n nuwe taal, the stronger words are usually:

• nuwe
• taal

A natural rhythm is something like:

Dit is 'n NU-we TAAL

with 'n reduced and unstressed.

That helps the sentence sound much more natural.