Elke lid bring 'n bykos.

In Afrikaans, elke is followed by a singular countable noun, just like every in English:

• elke lid = every member
• elke dag = every day
• elke kind = every child

So even though the idea refers to many people, the noun stays singular after elke.

Afrikaans verbs usually do not change form according to the subject in the present tense. That is much simpler than English.

So you get:

• Ek bring
• Jy bring
• Hy bring
• Ons bring
• Elke lid bring

The verb stays bring in all these cases.

'n is the Afrikaans indefinite article, equivalent to English a or an.

So:

• 'n bykos = a side dish

A few important points:

• It is written with an apostrophe: 'n
• It is usually unstressed in speech
• If it starts a sentence, you still write 'n, not 'N

Example:

• 'n Lid bring 'n bykos.

Only the following word gets capitalized if needed, not the 'n itself.

It is usually pronounced as a very weak vowel sound, like the a in English about or sofa.

So 'n bykos sounds roughly like:

• uhm BAI-kos or ə BAI-kos

In normal speech, it is very short and light.

Yes. In this simple main clause, the word order is:

• Elke lid = subject
• bring = verb
• 'n bykos = object

So the pattern is:

Subject + Verb + Object

That is the normal word order in a basic Afrikaans main clause.

Yes. Afrikaans is a verb-second language in main clauses. That means the finite verb normally comes in the second position.

For example:

• Elke lid bring 'n bykos.
• Vandag bring elke lid 'n bykos.

Notice that when Vandag comes first, bring still stays second, and elke lid moves after the verb.

Bykos is a noun, and it is also a common Afrikaans compound word:

• by = by, additional
• kos = food

Together, bykos means a side dish or something served along with the main food.

Afrikaans often forms words this way by combining smaller parts into one compound.

The plural of lid is lede.

So:

• 'n lid = a member
• lede = members

Example:

• Die lede bring bykosse. = The members bring side dishes.

This is a good word to memorize because the plural is irregular.

The plural is usually bykosse.

So:

• 'n bykos = a side dish
• bykosse = side dishes

Afrikaans often forms plurals with -e or -s, but with words like this you get -se.

It can often correspond to either each or every in English, depending on context.

So Elke lid bring 'n bykos can match:

• Each member brings a side dish
• Every member brings a side dish

Afrikaans uses elke very naturally in both kinds of situations.

Yes, iedere lid is possible and also means every/each member. However, elke is very common and natural in everyday Afrikaans.

So both are possible:

• Elke lid bring 'n bykos.
• Iedere lid bring 'n bykos.

In many contexts, elke is the more common choice.

Afrikaans does not use an extra helping verb in a normal present-tense statement like this.

English:

• Each member brings a side dish.

Afrikaans:

• Elke lid bring 'n bykos.

You just use the main verb bring directly.

Afrikaans normally uses double negation.

So:

• Elke lid bring 'n bykos.
• Geen lid bring 'n bykos nie. = No member brings a side dish.
• Elke lid bring nie 'n bykos nie. = Not every member brings a side dish / Every member does not bring a side dish, depending on context

The key thing learners notice is the final nie, which is very typical in Afrikaans negatives.