Language/Afrikaans/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be

Afrikaans Grammar - How to Use "Be"

Hi Afrikaans learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to use "be" in Afrikaans. "Be" is a very important verb in any language as it helps us to convey different states of being, existence, feelings or conditions. We will cover the following topics:

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Negation & Adjectives and Agreement.

Be verbs in Afrikaans

In Afrikaans, we use the verb "wees" to convey the concept of "be" in English. The verb "wees" is an irregular verb, which means that it does not follow the regular conjugation pattern of verbs in Afrikaans. To form the present tense of "wees," we use the following forms:

Pronoun	Wees Verb
Ek	is
Jy	is
Hy	is
Sy	is
Dit	is
Ons	is
Julle	is
Hulle	is

For example:

• Ek is 'n onderwyser. (I am a teacher.)
• Jy is 'n slim student. (You are a smart student.)
• Hy is hartseer. (He is sad.)
• Sy is lief vir musiek. (She loves music.)
• Dit is 'n hond. (It is a dog.)
• Ons is in die klas. (We are in the classroom.)
• Julle is jy nie honger nie? (Aren't you hungry?)
• Hulle is moeg. (They are tired.)

As you can see, "wees" can be used to describe different states of being, existence or conditions.

Be verbs with adjectives

One of the most common uses of "wees" is to describe someone or something using an adjective. In Afrikaans, we use the following structure to form sentences with adjectives:

"Subject + wees + adjective"

For example:

• Ek is gelukkig. (I am happy.)
• Jy is vriendelik. (You are friendly.)
• Hy is kwaad. (He is angry.)
• Sy is slim. (She is smart.)
• Dit is lekker. (It is tasty.)
• Ons is heeldag besig. (We are busy all day.)
• Julle is lui. (You are lazy.)
• Hulle is ryk. (They are rich.)

Note that the adjective follows the verb "wees." Also, the adjective agrees in number and gender with the subject.

Be verbs with nouns

We also use "wees" to identify or classify someone or something by using a noun. In Afrikaans, we use the following structure to form sentences with nouns:

"Subject + wees + article + noun"

For example:

• Ek is 'n onderwyser. (I am a teacher.)
• Jy is 'n student. (You are a student.)
• Hy is 'n dokter. (He is a doctor.)
• Sy is 'n sangeres. (She is a singer.)
• Dit is 'n tafel. (It is a table.)
• Ons is 'n span. (We are a team.)
• Julle is 'n paar. (You are a couple.)
• Hulle is 'n familie. (They are a family.)

Again, note that the article and noun come after "wees." Also, the article "'n" is used before the noun, and it agrees in gender with the noun.

Be verbs with locations

We also use "wees" to describe locations or positions. In Afrikaans, we use the following structure to form sentences with locations:

"Subject + wees + preposition + location"

For example:

• Ek is in die klas. (I am in the classroom.)
• Jy is op die stoep. (You are on the porch.)
• Hy is voor die huis. (He is in front of the house.)
• Sy is agter die boom. (She is behind the tree.)
• Dit is onder die tafel. (It is under the table.)
• Ons is langs die rivier. (We are by the river.)
• Julle is tussen die bome. (You are among the trees.)
• Hulle is bo-op die berg. (They are on top of the mountain.)

Note that the preposition and location come after "wees."

Dialogue

Here's a dialogue to illustrate the use of "wees" in context:

• Person 1: Hallo, hoe gaan dit met jou? (Hello, how are you?)
• Person 2: Ek is baie moeg, maar ek is gelukkig. (I am very tired, but I am happy.)
• Person 1: Hoekom is jy moeg? (Why are you tired?)
• Person 2: Ek is baie besig vandag. (I am very busy today.)
• Person 1: Is daar iets wat ek kan doen om te help? (Is there something I can do to help?)
• Person 2: Nee, dankie, ek moet net rustig wees. (No, thank you, I just need to rest.)

Conclusion

Congratulations, you now know how to use "be" in Afrikaans! Remember that practice is key to mastering any language, so don't be afraid to use the language as much as possible. To improve your Afrikaans Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions! Also, check out the Grammar section on the Polyglot Club website for more lessons.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Excellent job on conquering this lesson! Consider delving into these related pages: Common Errors & Gender.

Other Lessons

• Adjectives
• Questions
• Nouns
• The Rule of “Two Knees”
• Common Compound Verbs + Conjugations
• Gender
• Sentence Structure
• Negation
• Give your Opinion

Sources

• Afrikaans grammar - Wikipedia
• Learn Afrikaans Easily - Apps on Google Play
• Afrikaans - Wikipedia