ooit

Ever: Ooit

Level 4

Ooit means ever: Was jy al ooit in Namibië? (Have you ever been to Namibia?) In a negative statement, use nooit.

How It Works

1. Questions. Al ooit asks whether something has happened at any time up to now:

Was jy al ooit in Namibië? (Have you ever been to Namibia?)
Het jy al ooit bobotie geëet? (Have you ever eaten bobotie?)

2. After a superlative. Ooit comes last, as in English: Dit was die beste ete ooit. (That was the best meal ever.) See superlative -ste.

3. After as and with doubt. As jy ooit in Kaapstad is, kom kuier by ons. (If you're ever in Cape Town, come and visit us.) Ek twyfel of hy ooit sal kom. (I doubt he'll ever come.)

4. The negative is nooit. In a plain negative statement, not and ever merge into nooit (never), with the closing nie: Ek was nog nooit in Namibië nie. (I have never been to Namibia.) The question al ooit is answered with nog nooit, just as iets pairs with niks and êrens with nêrens. With another negative word, however, ooit is fine: Niemand sal ooit weet nie. (No one will ever know.)

5. Forever and someday. Ooit does not mean always or someday. Say vir altyd (forever) and eendag (someday): Ons sal vir altyd vriende wees. (We will be friends forever.)

Examples (6)

Was jy al ooit in Namibië?
Have you ever been to Namibia?
Word by Word: Were you already ever in Namibia?
Dit was die beste ete ooit.
That was the best meal ever.
Word by Word: It was the best meal ever.
Het jy al ooit bobotie geëet?
Have you ever eaten bobotie?
Word by Word: Have you already ever bobotie eaten?
As jy ooit in Kaapstad is, kom kuier by ons.
If you're ever in Cape Town, come and visit us.
Word by Word: If you ever in Cape-Town are, come visit by us.
Niemand sal ooit weet nie.
No one will ever know.
Word by Word: No-one will ever know not.
With another negative word such as niemand, ooit is used.
Sal ons ooit klaarkry?
Will we ever finish?
Word by Word: Shall we ever finish?

Common Mistakes

Saying nie ooit instead of nooit.
Ek was nie ooit in Namibië nie.
Ek was nog nooit in Namibië nie.
In a plain negative statement, not and ever merge into nooit. Nog nooit means never up to now.
Using ooit for forever.
Ons sal vir ooit vriende wees.
Ons sal vir altyd vriende wees.
Ooit means ever, at any time. Forever is vir altyd.

How It Connects

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

ooitLevel 4Ever: Ooit

Learn This First

Ooit means ever, next to altyd and nooit.

altyd/nooitAlways and Never
Compare ooit with altyd and nooit.
Level 2

Words in This Pattern