Noun + -hulle

Ma-Hulle: Someone and Their People

Level 3

Ma + hulle → Ma-hulle: Mom and the people with her, such as the family. Thabo-hulle: Thabo and his family or friends.

How It Works

1. How to build it. Take a name or family word and add -hulle with a hyphen:

  • Ma-hulle (Mom and the family)
  • Pa-hulle (Dad and them)
  • Thabo-hulle (Thabo and his people)
  • oom Klaas-hulle (Uncle Klaas and his family)

2. Who is in the group? The context decides. Often it is the person's family or household, but it can also be friends they are with. English has no exact word for this; "and them" or "and the others" comes close.

3. It is a group. Refer back with hulle: Ma-hulle het gebel. Hulle kom môre.

4. Possession. Add se after the whole group: Ma-hulle se huis (Mom and them's house, the family home).

5. Spelling. The Afrikaanse Woordelys en Spelreëls writes these with a hyphen: Ma-hulle, not Ma hulle.

Tip: it works well with oom and tannie: Ons gaan by tannie Sarie-hulle kuier.

Examples (5)

  1. Ma-hulle kom vanaand vir ete.

    Mom and the family are coming for dinner tonight.

    Word by Word: Mom-them come tonight for dinner.

  2. Thabo-hulle kom vanaand.

    Thabo and his people are coming tonight.

    Word by Word: Thabo-them come tonight.

  3. Ons gaan Sondag by oom Klaas-hulle kuier.

    We are visiting Uncle Klaas and his family on Sunday.

    Word by Word: We go Sunday by uncle Klaas-them visit.

  4. Is dit Pa-hulle se kar?

    Is that Dad and them's car?

    Word by Word: Is it Dad-them POSS car?

    Se comes after the whole group.

  5. Anna-hulle bly naby die skool.

    Anna and her family live near the school.

    Word by Word: Anna-them stay near the school.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing -hulle as a separate word.

    Ma hulle kom vanaand vir ete.
    Ma-hulle kom vanaand vir ete.

    The standard spelling joins hulle to the name or family word with a hyphen.

  • Referring back to the group with a singular pronoun when you mean the whole group.

    Ek het vir Ma-hulle gebel en sy kom môre.
    Ek het vir Ma-hulle gebel en hulle kom môre.

    Ma-hulle is a group. If the whole group is coming, use hulle. Sy would mean only Mom is coming.

How It Connects

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

Noun + -hulleLevel 3Ma-Hulle: Someone and Their People

Learn This First

-hulle added to a name or noun means that person and their people.

Words in This Pattern