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Learn Hardcore Afrikaans: Ons volg die ontwikkeling. - We follow the development.

Hardcore Afrikaans
/Going on a day hike with friends
/Ons volg die ontwikkeling.

Ons volg die ontwikkeling.

Ons volg die ontwikkeling.

We follow the development.

Breakdown of Ons volg die ontwikkeling.

die ontwikkeling

the development

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Questions & Answers about Ons volg die ontwikkeling.

What does ons mean, and is it always we?

In this sentence, ons means we.

Afrikaans ons can also mean us in other contexts, depending on its role in the sentence. For example:

Ons volg die ontwikkeling. = We follow the development.
Hulle sien ons. = They see us.

So ons does not change form the way English we/us does; the function is understood from the sentence.

Why is the verb volg and not something like volgen or volgt?

Afrikaans verbs are much simpler than English or Dutch verbs. In the present tense, the verb usually stays the same for all subjects.

So you get:

Ek volg = I follow
Jy volg = you follow
Hy volg = he follows
Ons volg = we follow

There is no separate -s ending like in English he follows, and no infinitive ending like Dutch volgen in this sentence. The basic verb form is volg.

Is volg the infinitive, or is it a conjugated form?

In Afrikaans, the infinitive is usually marked with te, as in:

om te volg = to follow

But in normal present-tense sentences, the bare verb form is used:

Ons volg die ontwikkeling.

So volg here is the finite verb in the sentence, but it looks the same as the basic dictionary form. That is normal in Afrikaans.

Why is die used here? Does it mean the?

Yes, die here means the.

Afrikaans has one definite article, die, for all nouns. It does not change for gender or number. So unlike languages that have different forms for the depending on masculine/feminine/neuter or singular/plural, Afrikaans just uses die.

Examples:

die man = the man
die vrou = the woman
die kind = the child
die kinders = the children

So die ontwikkeling simply means the development.

What does ontwikkeling mean exactly?

Ontwikkeling usually means development.

Depending on context, it can refer to:

growth
progress
unfolding change
development of a situation, project, region, or idea

So Ons volg die ontwikkeling could mean:

We are following the development.
We are monitoring how things develop.
We are tracking the progress.

The exact English wording depends on context, but development is the core meaning.

How is ontwikkeling built? Is it related to other words?

Yes. Ontwikkeling is related to the verb ontwikkel, meaning to develop.

So:

ontwikkel = develop
ontwikkeling = development

This is similar to English:

develop → development

You may also notice the common noun ending -ing, which often forms nouns from verbs in Afrikaans.

Why is the word order Ons volg die ontwikkeling?

This is the normal basic word order for a main clause in Afrikaans:

subject + verb + object

So:

Ons = subject
volg = verb
die ontwikkeling = object

That gives:

Ons volg die ontwikkeling.

This is very similar to normal English word order: We follow the development.

Could this sentence also mean We are following the development?

Yes. Afrikaans often uses the simple present where English may use either the simple present or the present continuous, depending on context.

So Ons volg die ontwikkeling can mean:

We follow the development
We are following the development

In real usage, the context tells you whether it is a general statement, a current action, or ongoing monitoring.

How do you pronounce volg?

Volg is pronounced roughly like folkh or folg, with a short o sound.

A few tips:

v in Afrikaans is often pronounced like English f
the o is short, not like the long English oh
the final g is the guttural Afrikaans g/ch sound, made at the back of the throat

So it will not sound exactly like English volg with a hard g at the end.

How do you pronounce ontwikkeling?

Roughly, ontwikkeling sounds like:

on-TVIK-ke-ling

A few details:

ont- has a short o
w in Afrikaans sounds like English v
k sounds clear and crisp
-ing is not pronounced exactly like English -ing in singing; it is usually a simpler ing sound

You do not need perfect pronunciation immediately, but it helps to notice that Afrikaans spelling is often quite regular.

Why isn’t there an Afrikaans word for are in this sentence?

Because volg is the main verb follow, not part of a separate be + -ing construction.

English often says:

We are following the development

Afrikaans usually just says:

Ons volg die ontwikkeling

So Afrikaans does not need a separate word for are here. The single verb volg carries the meaning.

Could I replace ons with other pronouns easily?

Yes. Since the verb form stays the same in the present tense, this is very easy:

Ek volg die ontwikkeling. = I follow the development.
Jy volg die ontwikkeling. = You follow the development.
Hy volg die ontwikkeling. = He follows the development.
Sy volg die ontwikkeling. = She follows the development.
Hulle volg die ontwikkeling. = They follow the development.

This is one of the simpler parts of Afrikaans grammar.

Is die ontwikkeling singular or plural?

Here it is singular: the development.

If you wanted the plural the developments, it would usually be:

die ontwikkelings

So:

Ons volg die ontwikkeling. = We follow the development.
Ons volg die ontwikkelings. = We follow the developments.

The article die stays the same in both singular and plural.

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