Old Genitives: des, 's
Old Genitives: Des and 'S
Des is an old word for of the, and 's is its short form. You find them only in fixed expressions: des te meer (all the more), die dag des oordeels (judgment day), 's Lands wyse, 's lands eer.
How It Works
1. Possession today. Modern Afrikaans has no case endings on nouns or articles. It shows possession with se (die onderwyser se huis) or with van (die huis van die onderwyser).
2. Des: an old word for of the. Older Dutch had a genitive article des. Afrikaans keeps it only in fixed expressions:
- des te + comparative: des te meer (all the more), des te beter (all the better). With hoe it gives hoe gouer, des te beter (the sooner, the better), a formal twin of hoe ... hoe.
- die dag des oordeels (judgment day), mostly in religious language.
- Words that grew out of des: destyds (at that time), desnoods (if need be), desondanks (in spite of that).
3. 's: the short form. 's is a shortened des. It survives in the saying 's Lands wyse, 's lands eer (every country has its own customs; when in Rome, do as the Romans do). The time words soggens and saans also come from 's oggens and 's aands, but they are now written as one word.
4. Capital letters. When a sentence starts with 's, the 's stays lowercase and the next word gets the capital: 's Lands wyse ..., just as with 'n.
5. Related old case forms. Ten and ter in ten minste and ter wille van are old dative forms from the same system.
Tip: If you want to say whose something is, use se. Keep des for the phrases you have actually seen.
Examples (6)
- Hy het hard gewerk, en die sukses is des te soeter.
He worked hard, and the success is all the sweeter.
Word by Word: He has hard worked, and the success is of-the the sweeter.
- Hoe gouer jy begin, des te beter.
The sooner you start, the better.
Word by Word: How sooner you begin, of-the the better.
- Destyds het ons op 'n plaas gewoon.
Back then we lived on a farm.
Word by Word: At-that-time have we on a farm lived.
- Ons kan desnoods môre terugkom.
We can come back tomorrow if need be.
Word by Word: We can if-need-be tomorrow back-come.
- Dit het gereën, maar desondanks het die wedstryd voortgegaan.
It rained, but the match went ahead in spite of that.
Word by Word: It has rained, but despite-that has the match continued.
- 's Lands wyse, 's lands eer.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Word by Word: The land's way, the land's honour.
A fixed saying; 's is the old genitive of the article.
Common Mistakes
Using des to make a new possessive.
Dit is die huis des onderwysers.Dit is die onderwyser se huis.Des survives only in fixed phrases. For ordinary possession, use se or van: die huis van die onderwyser.
Using des te without a comparative.
Die sukses is des te goed.Die sukses is des te beter.Des te means all the ... and must be followed by a comparative form ending in -er, or meer or minder.
Capitalizing 's at the start of a sentence.
'S Lands wyse, 's lands eer.'s Lands wyse, 's lands eer.Like 'n, the shortened 's stays lowercase at the start of a sentence. The next word takes the capital letter.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Old genitives survive in fixed phrases.
Related Patterns
- soggens/saansIn the Morning and Evening: Soggens and Saans
Time words that grew out of the old genitive 's oggens and 's aands.
Level 2 - ten/terFixed Phrases with Ten and Ter
Ten and ter are old dative forms kept in fixed phrases, just as des keeps the genitive.
Level 5 - hoe ... hoeThe More ..., The More
The everyday pattern for the more ..., the more; hoe ..., des te is its formal twin.
Level 3 - Comparative -er
Des te is always followed by a comparative.
Level 2 - Literary and Biblical Afrikaans
Religious and literary language keeps phrases such as die dag des oordeels.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice Old Genitives: des, 's in Bubblegum
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