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Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Die geur kom van die vleis. - The aroma comes from the meat.

Hardcore Afrikaans
/Having a braai with friends
/Die geur kom van die vleis.

Die geur kom van die vleis.

Die geur kom van die vleis.

The aroma comes from the meat.

Breakdown of Die geur kom van die vleis.

the aroma or flavour

Questions & Answers about Die geur kom van die vleis.

Why is die used twice in Die geur kom van die vleis?

Because die is the Afrikaans definite article meaning the.

It appears before both nouns:

die geur = the smell / the scent
die vleis = the meat

Afrikaans uses die for all genders, and also for both singular and plural definite nouns, so it is very common to see it repeated like this.

What does geur mean exactly? Is it just smell?

Geur usually means scent, aroma, or smell, often with a slightly pleasant or appealing sense.

So:

geur = often scent / aroma
reuk = often more neutral, and sometimes odour / smell

In many contexts, geur suggests a nice smell, such as food, flowers, or perfume. In this sentence, it likely means the aroma or the smell of the meat.

Why is kom van used here?

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Kom van literally means comes from.

So:

Die geur kom van die vleis = The smell comes from the meat

This is a very normal way in Afrikaans to say that something originates from a source.

Examples:

Die geluid kom van buite. = The sound comes from outside.
Die lig kom van die venster. = The light comes from the window.

Does kom always mean a physical movement, like come in English?

No. Just like English come, Afrikaans kom can be used both:

literally, for movement
figuratively, for origin or source

So in this sentence, kom does not mean the smell is walking somewhere. It means the smell originates from the meat.

Why is the word order so similar to English here?

Because this is a simple main clause, and Afrikaans often has the same basic word order as English in sentences like this:

Die geur = subject
kom = verb
van die vleis = prepositional phrase

So the structure is:

Subject + Verb + Prepositional phrase

That gives: Die geur kom van die vleis.

In more complex sentences, Afrikaans word order can differ more from English, but this one is straightforward.

What exactly does van mean here?

Here, van means from.

So:

van die vleis = from the meat

Afrikaans van can also mean of in other contexts, depending on the phrase.

For example:

die geur van die vleis = the smell of the meat
Die geur kom van die vleis = The smell comes from the meat

So the meaning of van depends on how it is used in the sentence.

Why is it vleis and not a plural form like meats?

Because vleis usually works like meat in English: it is often treated as an uncountable or mass noun.

So:

die vleis = the meat

If you wanted to talk about different kinds of meat, that would be a different context, but in this sentence vleis simply means the meat as a substance or food item.

How do you pronounce geur and vleis?

Approximate pronunciations:

geur: something like khur or ghur, with a guttural g sound typical of Afrikaans
vleis: roughly like flays

A few notes:

g in Afrikaans is not like the English g in go. It is usually a throaty, back-of-the-mouth sound.
eu in geur can be tricky for English speakers; it does not match a simple English vowel exactly.
ei in vleis sounds like the vowel in day or say, though Afrikaans pronunciation can be a bit sharper.

Could I also say Die reuk kom van die vleis?

Yes, you could.

That would mean something like The smell comes from the meat too. The difference is mainly nuance:

geur often sounds more pleasant, like aroma or scent
reuk is more neutral and can sometimes suggest a stronger or less pleasant smell

So if the meat smells delicious, geur is a very natural choice.

Could I say Die geur is van die vleis instead?

You probably could be understood, but Die geur kom van die vleis is more natural if you want to say the smell originates from the meat.

Why?

is van can sound like belongs to or is associated with
kom van clearly expresses comes from / originates from

So for source or origin, kom van is the better choice here.

Is Die geur kom van die vleis a complete and natural sentence in Afrikaans?

Yes, it is a complete, natural, and grammatically correct sentence.

It sounds simple and idiomatic. A native speaker would understand it immediately as saying that the scent or aroma is coming from the meat.

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