Middle Construction: die boek lees lekker

Die Boek Lees Lekker

Level 6

Afrikaans can say Die boek lees lekker (the book reads well): the thing is the subject, the verb stays active, and an adverb says how easy or pleasant it is.

How It Works

1. The pattern. Normally the subject of lees is the reader. In a middle sentence the subject is the thing being read, the verb stays active, and an adverb describes the experience:

  • Die boek lees lekker. (The book reads well. / The book is a good read.)
  • Hierdie mes sny goed. (This knife cuts well.)
  • Die nuwe kar ry baie lekker. (The new car drives very nicely.)

2. A quality, not an event. A middle sentence says what the thing is like for anyone who uses it. It does not report something that happened at a certain time. Compare the passive with word: Die boek word gelees (The book is being read) reports an action; Die boek lees lekker describes the book.

3. The adverb is needed. *Die boek lees is not a complete middle; it sounds as if the book itself is reading. Add a manner word, which looks like a plain adjective used as an adverb: lekker, maklik, goed, sleg, moeilik, gemaklik. The adverb can also be negated: Hierdie vleis sny nie lekker nie.

4. No reflexive pronoun. German says Das Buch liest sich gut, with sich. Afrikaans, like Dutch, adds nothing: Die boek lees lekker, not *Die boek lees hom lekker. Do not reach for reflexive pronouns here.

5. Other ways to say it. Dit + adjective + om te gives a longer version: Dit is lekker om hierdie boek te lees. An impersonal middle with dit is also common: Dit sit lekker op hierdie stoel.

Examples (6)

  1. Die boek lees lekker.

    The book is a good read.

    Word by Word: The book reads nicely.

  2. Hierdie mes sny goed.

    This knife cuts well.

    Word by Word: This knife cuts well.

  3. Die nuwe kar ry baie lekker.

    The new car drives very nicely.

    Word by Word: The new car drives very nicely.

  4. Hierdie hemp stryk maklik.

    This shirt is easy to iron.

    Word by Word: This shirt irons easily.

  5. Die stoel sit nogal gemaklik.

    The chair is quite comfortable to sit on.

    Word by Word: The chair sits rather comfortably.

  6. Hierdie vleis sny nie lekker nie.

    This meat doesn't cut well.

    Word by Word: This meat cuts not nicely not.

    The adverb lekker is negated to describe a poor quality.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the adverb.

    Die boek lees.
    Die boek lees lekker.

    The meaning intended is that the book reads well. Without an adverb such as lekker or maklik, the sentence does not work as a middle and sounds as if the book is reading.

  • Adding a reflexive pronoun, as in German.

    Die boek lees hom lekker.
    Die boek lees lekker.

    German uses sich in this construction, but Afrikaans uses no reflexive pronoun at all.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Middle Construction: die boek lees lekkerLevel 6Die Boek Lees Lekker

Learn This First

Die boek lees lekker describes how easily something is done, next to the passive.