Dit is 'n nasionale projek.

Here dit means it.

In Afrikaans, dit can also mean this or that in some contexts, but in a simple sentence like Dit is 'n nasionale projek, an English speaker will usually understand it as it.

So the structure is:

• dit = it
• is = is
• 'n nasionale projek = a national project

Is is the present-tense form of the verb wees = to be.

One useful thing about Afrikaans is that verbs usually do not change as much as in English. So unlike English:

• I am
• you are
• he is

Afrikaans uses the same present form very widely:

• Ek is = I am
• Jy is = you are
• Hy is = he is
• Ons is = we are

So in this sentence, is simply means is.

'n is the Afrikaans indefinite article, the equivalent of English a or an.

So:

• 'n projek = a project
• 'n nasionale projek = a national project

The apostrophe is just part of how the word is written. It is not optional.

A few important points:

• 'n is used for both a and an
• it does not change depending on the next word
• it is usually written with a lowercase n

Even at the beginning of a sentence, the n itself stays lowercase. If needed, the next word is capitalized instead.

'n is usually pronounced as a very weak neutral vowel, like uh or the a in about.

So 'n nasionale projek sounds roughly like:

• uh nasionale projek

The article 'n is normally unstressed. Native speakers say it very lightly.

This is one of the most important grammar points in the sentence.

In Afrikaans, adjectives often take -e when they come before a noun.

So:

• 'n nasionale projek = a national project

But when the adjective comes after the verb is, it often appears without that -e:

• Die projek is nasionaal = The project is national

So the difference is:

• before the noun: nasionale
• after the verb: nasionaal

This is similar to the difference between an attributive adjective and a predicative adjective.

Yes. In this sentence, the word order is very close to English:

• Dit = subject
• is = verb
• 'n nasionale projek = complement

So the pattern is:

• Subject + verb + article + adjective + noun

That makes this sentence quite easy for English speakers to follow.

Yes. Dis is a very common contraction of Dit is.

So these both mean the same thing:

• Dit is 'n nasionale projek
• Dis 'n nasionale projek

The full form Dit is may feel a little more careful or formal, while Dis is very common in everyday speech and writing.

No. Afrikaans does not use grammatical gender the way some other European languages do.

That means you do not need different forms of the indefinite article for masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns.

So:

• 'n projek = a project
• 'n boek = a book
• 'n tafel = a table

The article stays 'n.

This is much simpler than languages where nouns belong to different genders.

You would say:

• Die projek is nasionaal.

This is a very useful comparison with your original sentence:

• Dit is 'n nasionale projek. = It is a national project.
• Die projek is nasionaal. = The project is national.

Notice the adjective change:

• nasionale before the noun
• nasionaal after is

That contrast helps explain why the original sentence uses nasionale.