U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.

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.

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.

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.

No. Behoort can also be related to the idea of belonging, depending on the context.

For example:

• Dit behoort aan my. = It belongs to me.
• U behoort dit te doen. = You ought to do it.

In your sentence, because behoort is followed by te dra, it clearly means ought to / should.

Te is the Afrikaans word often used before an infinitive, similar to English to in phrases like to wear.

So:

• dra = wear
• te dra = to wear

After behoort, Afrikaans normally uses te + infinitive:

• behoort te dra = ought to wear
• behoort te gaan = ought to go
• behoort te luister = ought to listen

This is normal Afrikaans word order.

In a main clause, the finite verb usually comes early, often in the second position. Any extra verb such as an infinitive often goes to the end.

So the structure is:

• U = subject
• behoort = finite verb
• die veiligheidsbril = object
• te dra = infinitive phrase at the end

That is why the sentence looks like:

U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.

This is very common in Afrikaans.

Die veiligheidsbril means the safety glasses, the safety goggles, or the safety spectacles, depending on context.

A few useful parts:

• die = the
• veiligheid = safety
• bril = glasses / spectacles

Together, veiligheidsbril is a compound noun meaning protective eyewear.

Afrikaans, like Dutch and German, very often forms compound nouns as one word.

So:

• veiligheid
  • bril → veiligheidsbril

This is very normal in Afrikaans. English often writes similar ideas as two words, but Afrikaans usually combines them.

The -s- in the middle is also common in compounds:

• veiligheid → veiligheids-

Afrikaans usually uses bril as a singular noun, even when English prefers a plural form like glasses.

So:

• ’n bril = a pair of glasses
• die bril = the glasses

This is just a difference between the two languages. English treats glasses as plural in form, while Afrikaans commonly uses bril as a singular noun.

Die means the.

Unlike languages such as German or French, Afrikaans does not have different forms of the for masculine, feminine, and most singular/plural distinctions in the same way.

So die is used very broadly:

• die man = the man
• die vrou = the woman
• die kind = the child
• die bril = the glasses

That makes articles simpler in Afrikaans than in many other European languages.

Yes. Depending on context, U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra could be understood as:

• You should wear the safety glasses
• You ought to wear the safety glasses
• You are supposed to wear the safety glasses

The exact English wording depends on tone and context, but the basic idea is obligation or proper practice.

Not quite. Behoort is usually softer than must.

Compare:

• U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra. = You should / ought to wear the safety glasses.
• U moet die veiligheidsbril dra. = You must wear the safety glasses.

So behoort suggests what is proper, expected, or advisable, while moet is more direct and stronger.

A natural negative version would be:

U behoort nie sonder die veiligheidsbril te werk nie.
= You should not work without the safety glasses.

If you want to negate the original structure more directly, you could say:

U behoort nie die veiligheidsbril uit te laat nie.
= You should not leave out the safety glasses.

Afrikaans normally uses double negation, so you often see nie ... nie.

In everyday speech, especially in less formal situations, people might more naturally say:

• Jy moet die veiligheidsbril dra.
• Jy behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.

And in a formal notice:

• U moet die veiligheidsbril dra.
• U behoort die veiligheidsbril te dra.

So your sentence is correct, but it has a somewhat formal, instructional tone.