dit ... dat

Dit as a Placeholder for a Clause

Level 4

Dit is duidelik dat sy reg is. (It's clear that she's right.) Dit points ahead to the dat clause.

How It Works

1. Dit is + adjective + dat. This is the most common frame:

  • Dit is jammer dat jy nie kan kom nie. (It's a pity that you can't come.)
  • Dit is belangrik dat almal betyds kom. (It's important that everyone comes on time.)

2. Other verbs. The same pattern works with other verbs: Dit verbaas my dat hy nog nie hier is nie. (It surprises me that he isn't here yet.) Dit gebeur soms dat die trein laat is. (It sometimes happens that the train is late.)

3. Dit is needed. Just as in Dit reën, you cannot leave dit out. In speech dit is often becomes dis: Dis moontlik dat die winkel al toe is. (It's possible that the shop is already closed.)

4. Verbs at the end. The dat clause follows the dat rule: dat sy reg is, dat jy nie kan kom nie.

5. Dat or om te? When the clause has its own subject, use dat: Dit is belangrik dat jy water drink. When it has no subject of its own, use om ... te: Dit is belangrik om water te drink.

6. Negative sentences. The closing nie comes after the dat clause: Dit is nie waar dat hy ryk is nie. See double negation across clauses.

Tip: In a passive such as it is said that, Afrikaans uses daar instead of dit: Daar word gesê dat ... See daar word. Verbs with a fixed preposition use daar + preposition: see daaroor dat.

Examples (6)

  1. Dit is jammer dat jy nie kan kom nie.

    It's a pity that you can't come.

    Word by Word: It is pity that you not can come not.

  2. Dit is duidelik dat sy reg is.

    It's clear that she is right.

    Word by Word: It is clear that she right is.

  3. Dit verbaas my dat hy nog nie hier is nie.

    It surprises me that he isn't here yet.

    Word by Word: It surprises me that he yet not here is not.

  4. Dit is belangrik dat almal betyds kom.

    It's important that everyone comes on time.

    Word by Word: It is important that everyone on-time comes.

  5. Dit is nie waar dat hy ryk is nie.

    It isn't true that he is rich.

    Word by Word: It is not true that he rich is not.

    The closing nie comes after the dat clause.

  6. Dis moontlik dat die winkel al toe is.

    It's possible that the shop is already closed.

    Word by Word: It's possible that the shop already closed is.

    Dis is the spoken short form of dit is.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out dit.

    Is duidelik dat sy reg is.
    Dit is duidelik dat sy reg is.

    A statement needs a subject before the verb. Dit fills that slot.

  • Keeping main-clause word order after dat.

    Dit is duidelik dat sy is reg.
    Dit is duidelik dat sy reg is.

    In a dat clause the verb goes to the end.

How It Connects

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

dit ... datLevel 4Dit as a Placeholder for a Clause

Learn This First

Dit can stand in for a whole dat clause.

Words in This Pattern