as (If)
If and When: As
As means if, or when for things that happen again or haven't happened yet: Bel my as jy by die huis is.
How It Works
As covers two English words: if and when.
1. If (a condition):
- As jy honger is, kan jy 'n toebroodjie eet. (If you're hungry, you can eat a sandwich.)
- Ek sal kom as ek tyd het. (I'll come if I have time.)
2. When (future): Bel my as jy by die huis is. (Call me when you're home.)
3. When or whenever (repeated): Ons bly binne as dit reën. (We stay inside when it rains.) This also works for habits in the past: As dit gereën het, het ons altyd binne gespeel. (Whenever it rained, we always played inside.)
4. One past event: use toe. For a single event in the past, Afrikaans uses toe, not as: Toe ek by die huis kom, het ek geëet. (When I got home, I ate.) See as, wanneer or toe.
5. Word order. The verb goes to the end of the as-clause. When the as-clause comes first, the main clause starts with its verb: As dit reën, bly ons binne. See starting with a subordinate clause.
6. Other uses. After a comparative, as means than: groter as (bigger than); see as meaning than. In formal writing, indien can replace as when it means if.
Examples (6)
- Ons bly binne as dit reën.
We stay inside when it rains.
Word by Word: We stay inside if it rains.
A repeated event, so as means when or whenever.
- Bel my as jy by die huis is.
Call me when you're home.
Word by Word: Call me if you at the house are.
A future event, so as means when.
- As jy honger is, kan jy 'n toebroodjie eet.
If you're hungry, you can eat a sandwich.
Word by Word: If you hungry are, can you a sandwich eat.
- Ek sal kom as ek tyd het.
I'll come if I have time.
Word by Word: I will come if I time have.
- As ek klaar gewerk het, gaan ek draf.
When I've finished working, I'm going for a run.
Word by Word: If I finished worked have, go I run.
The finite verb het comes last, after the participle.
- As dit gereën het, het ons altyd binne gespeel.
Whenever it rained, we always played inside.
Word by Word: If it rained has, have we always inside played.
In the past, as means whenever: something that happened again and again.
Common Mistakes
Keeping main-clause order after as.
Ons bly binne as dit is koud.Ons bly binne as dit koud is.As sends the verb to the end of its clause.
Using as for one event in the past.
Gister het ek geëet as ek by die huis gekom het.Gister het ek geëet toe ek by die huis gekom het.This sentence is about one moment yesterday, so it needs toe. In the past, as means whenever.
Putting the subject first in the main clause after an as-clause.
As dit reën, ons bly binne.As dit reën, bly ons binne.The as-clause fills first place, so the main verb must come next.
How It Connects
Learn This First
As starts a subordinate clause, so its verbs go to the end.
Related Patterns
- toe (When)When in the Past: Toe
Toe is used instead of as for one event in the past.
Level 2 - wanneerWhen: Wanneer
Wanneer is another word for when with repeated or future events.
Level 2 - as / wanneer / toeAs, Wanneer or Toe?
This entry compares the three words for when.
Level 3 - as (Than)Than: As
The same word as also means than after a comparative.
Level 2 - indienIf (Formal): Indien
Indien is a formal word for if, used like as.
Level 4 - Starting With a Subordinate Clause
An as-clause often starts the sentence, which makes the main clause begin with its verb.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice as (If) in Bubblegum
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