Verbs as Nouns: die swem

Die Swem: Verbs as Nouns

Level 4

Use the plain verb as a noun for an activity: Swem is gesond. (Swimming is healthy.) English adds -ing, but Afrikaans does not.

How It Works

1. General activities. Without an article, the verb names the activity in general. English uses an -ing form here:

  • Swem is gesond. (Swimming is healthy.)
  • Rook is hier verbode. (Smoking is forbidden here.)

2. With die. With die, the verb works like an ordinary noun. It often points to a particular act or occasion, and an object follows with van:

  • die lees van boeke (the reading of books)
  • Die wag was baie lank. (The wait was very long.)

3. After a preposition. The verb can follow a preposition, as after hou van: Ek hou van lees. (I like reading.) Ek hou nie van die wag nie. (I don't like the waiting.)

4. A short object in front. Without die, a short object can come just before the verb: Boeke lees is lekker. (Reading books is fun.)

5. Om te for longer ideas. A longer phrase often uses om te instead: Om elke dag te swem is gesond. After a preposition, an om te phrase is usually announced with daar + the preposition (see daaroor dat and daarvan om te): Ek hou daarvan om te lees.

6. -ing is something else. Afrikaans -ing makes only certain nouns, often for a result: teken → tekening (a drawing). It is not a general way to say doing something, so swemming is not a word.

Examples (6)

  1. Swem is goeie oefening.

    Swimming is good exercise.

    Word by Word: Swim is good exercise.

  2. Rook is in die gebou verbode.

    Smoking is not allowed in the building.

    Word by Word: Smoke is in the building forbidden.

  3. Ek hou nie van die wag nie.

    I don't like the waiting.

    Word by Word: I like not of the wait not.

  4. Die lees van boeke help jou taal groei.

    Reading books helps your language grow.

    Word by Word: The read of books helps your language grow.

    With die, the object follows with van.

  5. My ouma is lief vir kook.

    My grandma loves cooking.

    Word by Word: My grandma is fond of cook.

  6. Boeke lees is lekker.

    Reading books is fun.

    Word by Word: Books read is nice.

    Without die, a short object can come before the verb.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding an English-style -ing.

    Swemming is gesond.
    Swem is gesond.

    Afrikaans uses the plain verb as the noun. There is no -ing form for activities.

  • Putting the object straight after the verb with die.

    Die lees boeke is lekker.
    Die lees van boeke is lekker.

    After die + verb, the object follows with van. Without die you can say Boeke lees is lekker.

How It Connects

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Verbs as Nouns: die swemLevel 4Die Swem: Verbs as Nouns

Learn This First

The verb stem can name an activity, with die for a particular act and van introducing its object.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.