hier/daar
Here and There
Hier means here and daar means there: Kom hier! Die boek lê daar.
How It Works
Hier (here) is near the speaker, and daar (there) is farther away.
- Kom hier! Come here!
- Die boek lê daar. The book is lying there.
Spoken forms. In everyday speech you will often hear hierso and daarso. They mean exactly the same: Ek is hierso!
Useful combinations: hier binne (in here), daar buite (out there), daar oorkant (over there, across the way).
Starting a sentence. When hier or daar comes first, the verb comes next, before the subject. This is V2 inversion: Hier woon ek. Daar kom die bus!
Two kinds of daar. Daar can point to a place, as in Daar is die bus! (There's the bus!). It also starts sentences that say something exists, as in Daar is 'n probleem. (There is a problem.) See daar is.
Hier and daar are not hierdie and daardie. hierdie/daardie mean this and that and go before a noun: hierdie boek (this book).
From here, from there. hiervandaan and daarvandaan mean from here and from there. Hier and daar also join prepositions, as in hiermee and daarop. See daar/hier + preposition.
Examples (6)
- Kom hier!
Come here!
Word by Word: Come here!
- Die boek lê daar op die tafel.
The book is there on the table.
Word by Word: The book lies there on the table.
- Waar is my sleutels? Hier is hulle.
Where are my keys? Here they are.
Word by Word: Where are my keys? Here are they.
- Ons woon nou hier.
We live here now.
Word by Word: We live now here.
- Daar oorkant is die skool.
The school is over there.
Word by Word: There across is the school.
Daar oorkant comes first, so the verb is comes before die skool.
- Ek is hierso by die deur!
I'm here by the door!
Word by Word: I am here at the door!
Hierso is the everyday spoken form of hier.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the subject before the verb after hier or daar.
Hier ek woon.Hier woon ek.When hier or daar starts the sentence, the verb must come second, before the subject.
Using hierdie for here.
Die boek is hierdie.Die boek is hier.Hierdie means this and goes before a noun. For the place here, use hier.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Hier and daar are the place words behind hierdie and daardie.
Related Patterns
- daar isThere Is and There Are
Daar is also starts sentences that say something exists.
Level 1 - waar/wanneerWhere and When
Waar? (where?) is the question that hier and daar answer.
Level 1 - Verb Second After a Fronted Word
Starting with hier or daar puts the verb before the subject.
Level 2 - daarmee/hiervoor/daaroorDaarmee, Hiervoor, Daaroor
Hier and daar join prepositions: hiermee, daarop.
Level 3 - waar ... vandaan/heenWhere from and Where to
Hiervandaan and daarvandaan answer waar ... vandaan.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice hier/daar in Bubblegum
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