graag

Graag (Like Doing)

Level 1

Ek lees graag. (I like reading.) Ek wil graag help. (I would like to help.)

How It Works

Enjoying an activity. Say the verb, then graag:

  • Sy swem graag. (She likes swimming.)
  • Ek eet graag Thaise kos. (I like eating Thai food.)

Where graag goes. Graag follows the verb in second place and any pronoun object: Ek eet dit graag. (I like eating it.) With het or a modal, graag stays in the middle and the other verb goes to the end: Ek het altyd graag gelees. (I always liked reading.)

Negation. Nie comes before graag, and a second nie closes the sentence: Hy dans nie graag nie. (He doesn't like dancing.) See nie placement.

Polite wishes. Wil graag is the everyday way to say would like: Ek wil graag help. Ek wil graag 'n kaartjie koop. For a thing, close with hê: Ek wil graag 'n koppie tee hê. See wil and wil ... hê. Sou graag wil is even softer: see sou.

A short answer. Graag! or Baie graag! means With pleasure! or Yes, please!

Preferring. Graag compares as graag, liewer, liefste: Ek drink liewer tee. (I prefer tea.) Pizza eet ek die liefste. (Pizza is what I like eating most.) See irregular comparison.

Graag or hou van? Both can talk about activities: Ek lees graag and Ek hou van lees mean nearly the same. For people and things, use hou van.

Examples (6)

  1. Ek lees graag.

    I like reading.

    Word by Word: I read gladly.

  2. Sy swem graag in die see.

    She likes swimming in the sea.

    Word by Word: She swims gladly in the sea.

  3. Ek wil graag help.

    I would like to help.

    Word by Word: I want gladly help.

    Wil graag is a polite way to offer or ask.

  4. Hy dans nie graag nie.

    He doesn't like dancing.

    Word by Word: He dances not gladly not.

  5. Ek drink liewer tee.

    I prefer tea.

    Word by Word: I drink rather tea.

    Liewer is the comparative of graag.

  6. Wil jy saamkom? Ja, graag!

    Do you want to come along? Yes, gladly!

    Word by Word: Want you along-come? Yes, gladly!

Common Mistakes

  • Putting graag before the verb, as if it were a verb itself.

    Ek graag lees.
    Ek lees graag.

    The verb must be in second place. Graag is an adverb and comes after it.

  • Putting nie after graag.

    Ek lees graag nie.
    Ek lees nie graag nie.

    Nie comes before graag, and the second nie goes at the end.

  • Using wil graag with a thing but no hê.

    Ek wil graag 'n koppie tee.
    Ek wil graag 'n koppie tee hê.

    In standard Afrikaans, wil needs a verb at the end. For a thing, that verb is hê.

How It Connects

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

graagLevel 1Graag (Like Doing)

Learn This First

Graag is another way to say you like doing something, and it goes after the verb.

Words in This Pattern

graag