Die kole is heeltemal koud.

Die means the.

In Afrikaans, die is the definite article for:

• singular nouns: die man = the man
• plural nouns: die kole = the coals

It is not capitalized because it is not at the start of an English-style title or a proper noun. In the sentence Die kole is heeltemal koud, it is capitalized only because it begins the sentence.

Kole is the plural form of kool.

So:

• die kool = the coal
• die kole = the coals

A learner may notice that the vowel changes in the plural. That is normal in Afrikaans with some nouns. You cannot always predict every plural perfectly, so it is useful to learn noun plurals together with the singular form.

In context, kole often refers to coals, especially hot or burnt pieces from a fire. Depending on context, English might translate it as coals or embers.

So in a fire-related situation, Die kole is heeltemal koud could naturally mean that the fire has died out and the coals/embers are completely cold.

In Afrikaans, the verb is is used for both singular and plural in the present tense of to be.

Compare:

• Die kool is koud = The coal is cold
• Die kole is koud = The coals are cold

So unlike English, Afrikaans does not change this verb to are in the plural.

Heeltemal means completely, entirely, or totally.

In this sentence:

• Die kole is heeltemal koud = The coals are completely cold

It comes before the adjective koud and intensifies it.

This is a very natural position in Afrikaans:

• Dit is heeltemal reg = That is completely right
• Ek is heeltemal moeg = I am completely tired

Yes. Die kole is koud is perfectly correct and means The coals are cold.

Adding heeltemal makes it stronger:

• Die kole is koud = the coals are cold
• Die kole is heeltemal koud = the coals are completely cold

So heeltemal adds emphasis.

Afrikaans adjectives used after a linking verb like is usually do not change for number.

So:

• Die kool is koud = singular
• Die kole is koud = plural

The adjective stays koud in both cases.

This is easier than English in some ways, because you do not need to worry about plural adjective agreement.

Yes, koue would be wrong in this sentence.

After is, you use the plain adjective form:

• Die kole is koud

The form koue is used before a noun:

• die koue kole = the cold coals
• die koue wind = the cold wind

So:

• predicate position: Die kole is koud
• before the noun: die koue kole

Yes, in this simple statement the word order is very similar to English:

• Die kole = subject
• is = verb
• heeltemal koud = description

So the structure is: Subject + verb + complement

That makes this sentence quite straightforward for English speakers.

A yes/no question is usually made by putting the verb first:

• Is die kole heeltemal koud? = Are the coals completely cold?

This verb-first pattern is very common in Afrikaans questions.

A rough English-friendly guide is:

heeltemal ≈ HAIL-tuh-mahl

A few notes:

• heel sounds a bit like English hail
• the te is usually unstressed
• the final a is like a short uh or a depending on accent
• stress is usually near the beginning

You do not need a perfect English equivalent, but saying something close to HAIL-tuh-mahl will be understandable.

A rough guide is:

koud ≈ koat or kowt, depending on how you hear the Afrikaans diphthong

Notes:

• the k is a normal k
• ou is a diphthong, not exactly like English ow, but somewhat similar
• the final d may sound softer than an English d in connected speech

The main thing is to avoid pronouncing it like English could. It is much closer to coat/kowt than could.

No, die by itself normally means the.

If you want these or those, Afrikaans uses other words, such as:

• hierdie = this/these
• daardie = that/those

So:

• die kole = the coals
• hierdie kole = these coals
• daardie kole = those coals

Yes, it is completely natural.

A speaker might use it when checking whether a fire is still burning, for example:

• after a braai
• near a fireplace
• after a campfire

It clearly means that the coals are no longer hot at all.