If you have javascript turned off you may have problems accessing the (pulldown) menu on this site. If this is the case, you may access all the pages through the "Sitemap" which can be found on the top right of each single page. Thank you!

3rd Pos: Negation

What should you already know:

  • You have memorized the pronouns (link).
  • You understand the difference between subject and object pronouns (link).
  • You studied the word order of Object Pronouns in the sentence as the first item in the 'third position' (or first position after the first verb).
  • When learning about verbs, you learned about negating a sentence (link).

Negation and Word Order.

The sentence examples below will show you a regular object, or an Object Pronoun (OP) with a Preposition, and then with an OP. You will see that the OP by itself sticks to the first verb. Each sentence will then be negated. The word NIE will be shaded by an X and the OP will be shaded by orange.

  • Die kind sien elke dag sy suster by die skool.
  • Die kind sien X elke dag sy suster by die skool X.
  • Die kind speel elke dag met sy suster by die skool.
  • Die kind speel  X  elke dag met sy suster by die skool X.
  • Die kind sien haar elke dag by die skool.
  • Die kind sien haar  X  elke dag by die skool  X.
  • Die kind speel elke dag met haar by die skool.
  • Die kind speel  X  elke dag met haar by die skool  X.
  • Die kind sien elke dag sy broer by die skool.
  • Die kind sien  X elke dag sy broer by die skool  X.
  • Die kind speel elke dag met sy broer by die skool.
  • Die kind speel X elke dag met sy broer by die skool X.
  • Die kind sien hom elke dag by die skool.
  • Die kind sien hom  X elke dag by die skool X.
  • Die kind speel elke dag met hom by die skool.
  • Die kind speel  X elke dag met hom by die skool X.
  • Die kind sien  X elke dag sy susters by die skool.
  • Die kind speel  X elke dag met sy susters by die skool.
  • Die kind sien hulle  X elke dag by die skool.
  • Die kind speel  X elke dag met hulle by die skool.
  • Die kind sien  X elke dag vir ek en Jannie by die skool X.
  • Die kind speel  X elke dag met ek en Jannie by die skool X.
  • Die kind sien ons  X elke dag by die skool X.
  • Die kind speel  X elke dag met ons by die skool X.
  • Die kind sien  X elke dag sy bal by die skool X.
  • Die kind speel  X elke dag met sy bal by die skool X.
  • Die kind sien dit  X elke dag by die skool X.
  • Die kind speel  X elke dag daarmee* by die skool X. * (see Prepositional Combinations)

Did you notice that ...

1. the time reference 'elke dag' came after the verb and pushed the object on one position.

2. when the object became an objet pronoun, it was the word directly after the first verbs. Do remember, it could be a helping verb too, e.g. Die kind sal hom elke dag .... .

3. if the object pronoun had a preposition too, e.g. met haar, vir hom, etc. it acted like a regular object and did not take that spot right after the first verb. An interesting behavior that you should have spotted is that when the object pronoun was DIT and it had a preposition, e.g. met dit, vir dit, op dit, in dit, etc. these terms morphed to one word, as explained in the lesson on Prepositional Combinations.

4. the first negation was directly after the first verb, with the one exception -- if there was an object pronoun, it made room for the OP. Remember, if the OP had a preposition as a buddy, no deal!