aan die + Infinitive

Ongoing States: Aan Die Slaap

Level 4

Die baba is aan die slaap. (The baby is asleep.) Aan die + verb shows that something is going on.

How It Works

1. The pattern. A form of wees + aan die + the infinitive: Die water is aan die kook. (The water is boiling.) The verb comes last, with no object and no te.

2. Where you meet it.

  • Fixed phrases: aan die slaap (asleep), aan die brand (on fire), aan die gang (going, underway), aan die rol (rolling)
  • Change over time: Die pryse is aan die styg. (Prices are rising.) Die getal toeriste is aan die toeneem. (The number of tourists is growing.)

3. Getting into a state. With raak or kom, the pattern means starting the state: Ek het voor die TV aan die slaap geraak. (I fell asleep in front of the TV.) Die kar wil nie aan die gang kom nie. (The car won't start.)

4. Aan die or besig om te? Is besig om te is the more general way to say that something is in progress, and it takes objects freely: Hy is besig om sy kos te eet. (He is eating his food.) Aan die suits processes and states that simply go on. To show how someone does something, see sit/staan/lê en + verb: Sy sit en lees. (She is sitting and reading.)

Tip: Separable verbs stay in one piece after aan die: aan die toeneem.

Examples (6)

  1. Die baba is aan die slaap.

    The baby is asleep.

    Word by Word: The baby is at the sleep.

  2. Die huis is aan die brand.

    The house is on fire.

    Word by Word: The house is at the burn.

  3. Die pryse is aan die styg.

    Prices are rising.

    Word by Word: The prices are at the rise.

  4. Die water is aan die kook.

    The water is boiling.

    Word by Word: The water is at the boil.

  5. Ek het voor die TV aan die slaap geraak.

    I fell asleep in front of the TV.

    Word by Word: I have before the TV at the sleep got.

    Raak + aan die slaap means falling asleep.

  6. Die getal toeriste is aan die toeneem.

    The number of tourists is growing.

    Word by Word: The number tourists is at the increase.

    Toeneem is separable, but after aan die it stays in one piece.

Common Mistakes

  • Using aan die with an object.

    Hy is aan die eet sy kos.
    Hy is besig om sy kos te eet.

    Aan die does not take an object. For an action with an object, use is besig om te.

  • Splitting a separable verb after aan die.

    Die getal toeriste is aan die neem toe.
    Die getal toeriste is aan die toeneem.

    After aan die the verb is an infinitive, so the separable verb stays in one piece.

How It Connects

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

aan die + InfinitiveLevel 4Ongoing States: Aan Die Slaap

Learn This First

Aan die + infinitive describes an ongoing state, like is besig om te.

Words in This Pattern