Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Sy beskou haarself in die spieël.

Breakdown of Sy beskou haarself in die spieël.

Why is haarself used here instead of just haar?

Haarself means herself. It is the reflexive form, used when the subject and the object are the same person.

So in Sy beskou haarself, the person doing the action (sy = she) is also the person receiving the action (herself).

Using just haar would normally mean her, referring to another female person, not the same one.

Is haarself always written as one word?

Yes, haarself is normally written as one word in standard Afrikaans.

The same pattern appears with other reflexive forms:

What does beskou mean exactly? Is it the normal word for look at?