Waar is die ding?

Where is the thing?

Breakdown of Waar is die ding?

• wees: to be
• waar: where
• die ding: the thing

Questions & Answers about Waar is die ding?

What does each word in Waar is die ding? do?

• Waar = where
• is = is
• die = the
• ding = thing

So the structure is:

Waar + is + die ding
= Where is the thing?

Why is the word order Waar is die ding? and not something else?

Afrikaans usually puts the question word first in a wh-question, and the finite verb comes right after it.

So:

• Waar = question word
• is = finite verb
• die ding = subject

This is very similar to English:

• Where is the thing?

Compare the basic statement order:

• Die ding is hier. = The thing is here.

In the question, waar moves to the front, and the verb stays in second position.

What exactly is die here?