Die werktuigkundige is jonk.

to be

Breakdown of Die werktuigkundige is jonk.

• die werktuigkundige: the mechanic
• jonk: young

Questions & Answers about Die werktuigkundige is jonk.

What does die mean in this sentence?

Here die is the definite article, so it means the.

A useful point for English speakers: Afrikaans uses die for:

• the in the singular
• the in the plural

So unlike English, you do not change the article form.

Examples:

• die man = the man
• die vrou = the woman
• die kinders = the children

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Why is die not capitalized?

Because in Afrikaans, die is just the ordinary word for the here, not a special proper noun.

It is only capitalized if it begins a sentence, as it does in Die werktuigkundige is jonk.

Be careful not to confuse:

• die = the
• Dié = this one / these / that one in certain contexts, usually written with an accent to mark emphasis or distinction

So in your sentence, Die is capitalized simply because it is the first word.

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What does werktuigkundige mean exactly?