Sommige getuies wag buite.

Because sommige means some and it directly modifies the noun getuies (witnesses). Afrikaans, like English, often begins a simple statement with the subject:

Sommige getuies = some witnesses

So the structure is:

Sommige getuies + wag + buite
some witnesses + wait + outside

Sommige means some or certain when talking about an unspecified part of a group.

Examples:

• Sommige mense verstaan dit nie. = Some people do not understand it.
• Sommige kinders speel buite. = Some children are playing outside.

It is perfectly correct and fairly formal/neutral. In everyday speech, Afrikaans speakers also often use party to mean some:

• Party getuies wag buite.

That has a slightly more conversational feel.

The singular is getuie = witness.

The plural is getuies = witnesses.

So:

• 'n getuie = a witness
• getuies = witnesses

Afrikaans plural formation varies by noun, and here -s is added:

• getuie → getuies

This is a noun pattern you just get used to over time.

No. In standard Afrikaans, verbs generally do not change according to the subject the way they do in English.

So you get:

• Ek wag = I wait / am waiting
• Jy wag = you wait / are waiting
• Hy wag = he waits / is waiting
• Ons wag = we wait / are waiting
• Hulle wag = they wait / are waiting

So Sommige getuies wag buite uses wag simply because Afrikaans verbs usually keep the same form in the present tense.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Afrikaans simple present often covers both:

• wait
• are waiting

So Sommige getuies wag buite can mean:

• Some witnesses wait outside
• Some witnesses are waiting outside

In real-life use, the second is often the more natural English translation if the action is happening now.

Buite means outside here.

It comes at the end because Afrikaans often places adverbs of place after the verb in a simple sentence:

• Hy staan buite. = He is standing outside.
• Die kinders speel buite. = The children are playing outside.
• Sommige getuies wag buite. = Some witnesses are waiting outside.

So the word order is very natural: subject + verb + place

In this sentence, buite is being used as an adverb, meaning outside.

Compare:

• Hulle wag buite.
  Here buite stands on its own = outside → adverb

• Hulle wag buite die gebou.
  Here buite is followed by a noun phrase (die gebou) = outside the building → preposition-like use

So in your sentence, it is best understood as outside on its own.

Because sommige already functions as the determiner.

In English, we say:

• some witnesses

not usually:

• the some witnesses

Afrikaans works similarly:

• sommige getuies

not:

• die sommige getuies

So sommige already does the job of introducing the noun.

In a yes/no question, Afrikaans usually puts the verb first:

• Wag sommige getuies buite?
  = Are some witnesses waiting outside?

That is the normal verb-first question pattern.

If you wanted a question word:

• Waarom wag sommige getuies buite?
  = Why are some witnesses waiting outside?

Yes. Afrikaans uses verb-second word order in main clauses. If you move another element to the front, the verb usually comes immediately after it.

So:

• Sommige getuies wag buite.
• Buite wag sommige getuies.

Both are possible, but the second one puts more emphasis on outside.

This is an important Afrikaans pattern:

• normal order: subject + verb + rest
• if something else comes first: fronted element + verb + subject + rest

A rough English-friendly guide would be:

• sommige ≈ SO-mi-ghuh
• getuies ≈ guh-TU-ee-uhs
• wag ≈ vakh or vahkh
• buite ≈ BAY-tuh

A few pronunciation notes:

• g in Afrikaans is usually a throaty sound, not an English g.
• w sounds more like English v.
• ui is a distinct Afrikaans vowel sound, but learners often approximate it at first.

A rough full sentence: SO-mi-ghuh guh-TU-ee-uhs vakh BAY-tuh

Yes, if you want to stress that the action is happening right now.

You could say:

• Sommige getuies is besig om buite te wag.

That means something like: Some witnesses are busy waiting outside / are in the process of waiting outside

However, in many ordinary situations, simple wag is more natural and less heavy:

• Sommige getuies wag buite.

So the original sentence is normal and idiomatic.