U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.

You ought to wear the safety glasses.

Breakdown of U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.

• dra: to wear
• u: you
• die veiligheidsbril: safety glasses
• behoort te: ought to

Questions & Answers about U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.

What does U mean, and why is it used instead of jy?

U means you, but it is the formal or polite form.

So in this sentence, the speaker is addressing someone respectfully, as you might see in:

• instructions
• safety notices
• formal writing
• polite public communication

A less formal version would be:

Jy behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.

That would mean the same thing, but with an informal you.

Why is U capitalized?

In Afrikaans, U is traditionally written with a capital letter when it means the polite/formal you.

This helps distinguish it from other words and signals respect. In modern usage, capitalization is very common with U, especially in formal writing.

What does behoort mean here?

Here, behoort means ought to or should.

So:

U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.
= You should wear the safety glasses/goggles.

It expresses recommendation, duty, or proper behavior.

Does behoort always mean should?