Plural Sound Changes: briewe and dae

Level 2

f → w: brief → briewe, hof → howe · g drops: dag → dae, vlag → vlae, oog → oë

How It Works

f becomes w
A final f usually becomes w before the plural -e: brief → briewe (letters), hof → howe (courts), druif → druiwe (grapes), wolf → wolwe (wolves), golf → golwe (waves).

g after a vowel often drops
dag → dae, vlag → vlae, vraag → vrae, maag → mae, oog → oë, kroeg → kroeë, vlieg → vlieë. A few nouns ending in d after a long vowel or diphthong drop it the same way: tyd → tye.

When to write a deelteken
If the letters left behind would join the -e and be read as one sound, put a deelteken on the e: oë (oe alone would sound like the oe in boek), kroeë, vlieë. After a or aa no deelteken is needed: dae, vrae.

A kappie in a few words
In brug → brûe (bridges) and rug → rûe (backs), the g drops and the vowel takes a kappie.

The g does not always drop
After a consonant it stays: berg → berge. A few nouns add t instead, such as nag → nagte. See Irregular Plurals. When you meet a new noun ending in g, learn its plural with it.

Examples (6)

  1. Ek het vandag drie briewe gekry.

    I got three letters today.

    Word by Word: I have today three letters got.

  2. Die dae word korter.

    The days are getting shorter.

    Word by Word: The days become shorter.

  3. Die vlae wapper in die wind.

    The flags are flapping in the wind.

    Word by Word: The flags flap in the wind.

  4. Maak jou oë toe.

    Close your eyes.

    Word by Word: Make your eyes closed.

    Oë needs a deelteken. Without it, oe would sound like the oe in boek.

  5. Hy het twee vrae gevra.

    He asked two questions.

    Word by Word: He has two questions asked.

  6. Die brûe oor die rivier is oud.

    The bridges over the river are old.

    Word by Word: The bridges over the river are old.

    Brug loses its g in the plural, and the u takes a kappie.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping f before the plural -e.

    Ek het drie briefe gekry.
    Ek het drie briewe gekry.

    Before the plural -e, the f of brief becomes w.

  • Keeping the g in dag, as in Dutch or German.

    Die dage word korter.
    Die dae word korter.

    In Afrikaans the g of dag drops in the plural: dae.

  • Leaving out the deelteken in oë.

    Sy het blou oe.
    Sy het blou oë.

    Without the deelteken, oe is read as one sound, like the oe in boek. The deelteken shows two syllables.

How It Connects

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Plural Sound Changes: briewe and daeLevel 2

Learn This First

Some plurals change a sound as well as the spelling.

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Words in This Pattern

-e