Gee my 'n voorbeeld.

Give me an example.

Breakdown of Gee my 'n voorbeeld.

• 'n: a
• my: me
• gee: to give
• die voorbeeld: the example

Questions & Answers about Gee my 'n voorbeeld.

Why is there no word for you in Gee my 'n voorbeeld?

Because this is an imperative, or command. In Afrikaans, just as in English, the subject is usually left out in commands: Give me an example also does not say you explicitly.

The understood subject could be jy (singular informal), julle (plural), or u (formal/polite), depending on the situation.

What form is gee?

Gee is the verb to give. In this sentence, it is being used as an imperative: Give!

A useful thing for learners is that Afrikaans verbs often have fewer different forms than English verbs. So gee can appear in several contexts without changing much.

Why is it my and not ek?

Because my is the object form, meaning me, while ek is the subject form, meaning I.

So:

• Ek gee = I give
• Gee my = Give me

This can be confusing because Afrikaans my can also mean my in other contexts, but here, after the verb, it clearly means me.

Can I also say ?