Ná die drie volg die doelskop.

Breakdown of Ná die drie volg die doelskop.

after
volg
to follow
die drie
rugby try
die doelskop
conversion kick

Questions & Answers about Ná die drie volg die doelskop.

Why is the verb volg before die doelskop?

Because Afrikaans main clauses usually follow a verb-second pattern.

Here, the sentence starts with the time phrase die drie. Once that first element is placed at the front, the finite verb must come next:

Ná die drie volg die doelskop.

So the subject die doelskop comes after the verb.

If you start with the subject instead, you can also say:

Die doelskop volg ná die drie.

That is also correct, just with a different emphasis.

What does mean here, and why does it have an accent?

means after.

The accent helps show stress and can also make the meaning clearer in writing. For a learner, the important thing is to recognize here as the word meaning after.

Why is die used twice?

Because die is the definite article, like English the.

So:

  • die drie = the three
  • die doelskop = the goal kick

Afrikaans uses die for:

So unlike some other languages, the article does not change for masculine, feminine, neuter, or plural.

Is drie really just the number three here?

Yes, drie is the numeral three, but in this sentence it is being used like a noun.

That often happens when the context is already clear, especially in sports language. A number can stand for:

  • a score
  • a scoring action
  • a type of play

So die drie means something like the three or the three-point score/play, depending on the context you were given.

What form is volg? Why isn’t it changed like English follows?

Volg is the present-tense form of the verb volg.

In Afrikaans, verbs usually do not change in the present tense according to the subject. So you get:

  • ek volg
  • jy volg
  • hy volg
  • ons volg
  • hulle volg

English changes follow to follows with he/she/it, but Afrikaans keeps volg the same.

Does volg only mean physical follow, or can it also mean come next?

It can mean both.

Depending on context, volg can mean:

  • to follow someone or something
  • to come after
  • to come next in a sequence

In this sentence, it is clearly the sequence meaning: one event happens, and the next event follows.

Is doelskop one word on purpose?

Yes. Afrikaans strongly prefers writing compounds as one word.

So doelskop is a compound noun made from:

  • doel = goal
  • skop = kick

English often uses two words for things like this, but Afrikaans usually joins them into a single compound.

Could I also say Die doelskop volg ná die drie?

Yes, definitely.

That version is grammatical and may feel more natural to an English speaker because it starts with the subject:

Die doelskop volg ná die drie.

The original sentence:

Ná die drie volg die doelskop.

puts the time phrase first, which gives a slightly different emphasis. It highlights what happens after the three.

Is there an implied then or next in this sentence?

Yes, in meaning, but not as a separate word.

Afrikaans does not need an extra word like English then here. The sequence is already clear from:

  • = after
  • volg = follows / comes next

So the idea of then/next is built into the structure of the sentence rather than stated separately.

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