Die telling is tans gelykop.

Here die means the.

It is not pronounced like the English word die. In Afrikaans, die is usually pronounced roughly like dee.

A useful thing to remember is that Afrikaans uses die as the definite article for:

• singular nouns
• plural nouns

So unlike languages such as German, you do not have to learn different forms for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns.

Examples:

• die telling = the score
• die spelers = the players

Yes, telling can mean counting, but in the right context it can also refer to a score or tally.

In a sports context, die telling means the score.

So this is one of those words where context matters:

• telling = counting / tally / score

English has something similar with words like count or tally, which can also shift meaning depending on the situation.

Tans means currently, at present, or right now.

In this sentence, it tells you that the score is tied at the moment.

So:

• Die telling is tans gelykop. = The score is currently tied.

You may also hear nou in everyday Afrikaans for now, but tans often sounds a bit more neutral or slightly more formal in this kind of statement.

Gelykop means equal, level, or tied, depending on context.

In sports or games, it usually means:

• tied
• level

Examples:

• Dit is gelykop. = It’s tied.
• Die spanne is gelykop. = The teams are level.

It is written as one word: gelykop.

This is normal Afrikaans word order.

The basic structure is:

Die telling | is | tans | gelykop
subject | verb | time word | complement

So:

• Die telling = subject
• is = verb
• tans = time expression
• gelykop = description of the subject

Afrikaans often places time expressions like tans, nou, or vandag after the verb in a simple statement.

This sentence is very natural as written.

Yes, it can.

For example:

• Tans is die telling gelykop.

This is also correct, because Afrikaans allows a different element to come first for emphasis. When that happens, the verb still stays in the second position.

So:

• Die telling is tans gelykop. = neutral, standard statement
• Tans is die telling gelykop. = puts more emphasis on currently

That second-position rule for the verb is very important in Afrikaans main clauses.

Mostly yes. Is is the present tense form of to be for all persons in Afrikaans.

Examples:

• Ek is = I am
• Jy is = you are
• Hy is = he is
• Ons is = we are

Unlike English, the verb does not change form depending on the subject. That makes Afrikaans simpler here.

So in Die telling is tans gelykop, is works very much like English is.

No, not in the way many European languages do.

Afrikaans does not require you to learn noun gender for articles like:

• masculine
• feminine
• neuter

That is why you simply use die here, without worrying about gender.

This is one reason Afrikaans grammar is often easier for English speakers than languages like German or French.

Yes. Depending on context, Afrikaans speakers might also say:

• Dit is tans gelykop. = It is currently tied.
• Die wedstryd is tans gelykop. = The match is currently tied.
• Die puntestand is tans gelykop. = The score/points standing is currently level.

If the score is already obvious from context, Dit is gelykop is very common and natural.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

dee TEL-ling is tahnts khuh-LAY-kop

A few notes:

• die sounds like dee
• telling has stress on the first syllable: TEL-ling
• tans sounds roughly like tahnts
• gelykop has the main stress on the last part: ge-ly-KOP
• the g in Afrikaans is usually a throaty sound, not like the English g in go

The exact pronunciation varies a little by speaker and region, but that rough guide will help you get close.

More or less, yes:

• Die = the
• telling = score / tally
• is = is
• tans = currently
• gelykop = tied / level

A very literal translation would be:

• The score is currently level.

A more natural English translation in a sports setting is often:

• The score is currently tied.

So the meaning matches English quite closely, even if gelykop could also be translated as level rather than only tied.