Newspaper Headlines

Level 6

Headlines save space: Man in ongeluk dood (A man has died in an accident), Nuwe skool geopen (A new school has been opened). There is no die, no 'n and no het or is.

How It Works

1. What headlines leave out. Afrikaans headlines drop small words that the reader can supply:

  • articles: Man in ongeluk dood = 'n Man is in 'n ongeluk dood (see 'n and die)
  • the verb is before an adjective: Ou brug veilig = Die ou brug is veilig
  • the passive auxiliary is: Nuwe skool geopen = 'n Nuwe skool is geopen (see the past passive with is)

2. Tense in headlines.

  • The present tense reports events that just happened: Reën bring verligting vir boere.
  • A bare past participle is passive: Drie gearresteer ná rooftog (Three people have been arrested after a robbery).
  • Gaan + infinitive announces the future: Minister gaan bedank (The minister is going to resign), as in gaan + infinitive.

3. Spelling conventions. Afrikaans headlines capitalize only the first word and names, not every word as English headlines often do. Accents are still written, as in ná (after).

4. Only in headlines. This clipped style belongs to headlines, captions and notices. When you write a sentence in an article, a message or an essay, put the articles and auxiliaries back in.

Examples (6)

  1. Man in ongeluk dood

    Man killed in accident

    Word by Word: Man in accident dead

    Full sentence: 'n Man is in 'n ongeluk dood.

  2. Nuwe skool geopen

    New school opened

    Word by Word: New school opened

    The bare participle hides the passive is: 'n Nuwe skool is geopen.

  3. Reën bring verligting vir boere

    Rain brings relief for farmers

    Word by Word: Rain brings relief for farmers

  4. Drie gearresteer ná rooftog

    Three arrested after robbery

    Word by Word: Three arrested after robbery

  5. Minister gaan bedank

    Minister to resign

    Word by Word: Minister goes resign

  6. Petrolprys styg weer

    Petrol price rises again

    Word by Word: Petrol-price rises again

Common Mistakes

  • Using headline style in an ordinary sentence.

    Die nuwe skool geopen gister.
    Die nuwe skool is gister geopen.

    Outside a headline, a passive sentence needs its auxiliary is, and the participle goes to the end.

  • Filling in the headline Nuwe skool geopen with word.

    'n Nuwe skool word geopen.
    'n Nuwe skool is geopen.

    The headline reports that a school has been opened. Word geopen means that it is being opened, which changes the meaning; a finished event takes is.

  • Capitalizing every word, as in English headlines.

    Nuwe Skool Geopen
    Nuwe skool geopen

    Standard Afrikaans capitalizes only the first word of a headline and any names.

How It Connects

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

Newspaper HeadlinesLevel 6

Learn This First

Headlines drop words, especially the passive helper.