Ek ken die veearts persoonlik.

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Breakdown of Ek ken die veearts persoonlik.

• ken: to know
• die veearts: veterinarian
• persoonlik: personal; personally

Questions & Answers about Ek ken die veearts persoonlik.

Why is ken used here instead of weet?

In Afrikaans, ken is used for knowing a person, being acquainted with someone, or being familiar with something.

So:

• Ek ken die veearts. = I know the vet / I am acquainted with the vet.

By contrast, weet is used for knowing a fact or knowing information.

For example:

• Ek weet waar hy woon. = I know where he lives.
• Ek ken hom. = I know him.

This is very similar to languages that distinguish know a person from know a fact.

What does die mean here?

Die is the definite article in Afrikaans, so here it means the.

• die veearts = the vet

A useful point for English speakers: Afrikaans uses die for all genders and all numbers.

So:

• die man = the man
• die vrou = the woman
• die kinders = the children

Unlike some other languages, you do not have to learn different forms for masculine, feminine, or plural.

Why is veearts written as one word?