selfs
Even: Selfs
Selfs means even. Put it right before the surprising part: Selfs die kinders het gehelp. (Even the children helped.)
How It Works
1. Before the surprising part. Selfs highlights whatever comes right after it:
- Selfs die kinders het gehelp. (Even the children helped.)
- Hy werk selfs Sondae. (He even works on Sundays.)
- Sy praat selfs Japannees. (She even speaks Japanese.)
2. Word order. Selfs and its phrase count as one unit, so the verb still comes second (see verb second): Selfs my ma het gelag. (Even my mom laughed.)
3. Even with comparisons. Before a comparative, selfs means even more: Vandag is dit selfs warmer as gister. (Today it is even warmer than yesterday.) Afrikaans very often uses nog here too: nog warmer (see comparative -er).
4. Even if. Selfs as means even if, and the verb goes to the end (see as): Ons gaan swem, selfs as dit koud is. For even though, use hoewel or al with the verb first.
5. Not even. With a negative, Afrikaans usually says nie eers ... nie or nie eens ... nie: Hy het nie eers gegroet nie. (He didn't even say hello.)
6. Selfs is not self. Self means myself, yourself: Ek het dit self gemaak. (I made it myself.) Selfs means even.
Examples (6)
- Selfs die kinders het gehelp.
Even the children helped.
Word by Word: Even the children have helped.
Selfs die kinders is one unit in first place, so het comes second.
- Hy werk selfs Sondae.
He even works on Sundays.
Word by Word: He works even Sundays.
- Vandag is dit selfs warmer as gister.
Today it is even warmer than yesterday.
Word by Word: Today is it even warmer than yesterday.
- Ons gaan swem, selfs as dit koud is.
We're going swimming, even if it's cold.
Word by Word: We go swim, even if it cold is.
- Sy het selfs haar ouma genooi.
She even invited her grandma.
Word by Word: She has even her grandma invited.
- Selfs my pa kon die raaisel nie oplos nie.
Even my dad couldn't solve the riddle.
Word by Word: Even my dad could the riddle not solve not.
Common Mistakes
Using selfs when you mean -self.
Ek het die koek selfs gebak.Ek het die koek self gebak.The first sentence means I even baked the cake. To say I baked the cake myself, use self.
Translating even though word for word.
Selfs hoewel hy moeg was, het hy gewerk.Hoewel hy moeg was, het hy gewerk.Hoewel already means although or even though, so it needs no selfs. You can also say Al was hy moeg, het hy gewerk.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Selfs stands directly before the word or phrase that is surprising, including a subject at the start of a sentence.
Related Patterns
- -selfMyself, Yourself: -self
Means myself or yourself; do not confuse it with selfs.
Level 2 - Verb Second After a Fronted Word
Selfs and its phrase fill the first place, so the verb comes second.
Level 2 - as (If)If and When: As
Selfs as means even if.
Level 2 - hoewel/alhoewelAlthough
The word for even though, which needs no selfs.
Level 3 - Comparative -er
Selfs or nog before a comparative means even more.
Level 2 - al + Verb FirstEven Though: Al + Verb First
Another way to say even though: Al was hy moeg.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice selfs in Bubblegum
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