waar (Relative)

Relative Waar for Places

Level 3

Waar starts a relative clause about a place: die dorp waar ek gebore is (the town where I was born).

How It Works

1. Where, after a place. Use waar after a noun for a place, such as a town, shop, room or country:

  • die dorp waar ek gebore is (the town where I was born)
  • die winkel waar sy werk (the shop where she works)

2. The verb goes to the end. Just like a wat clause, a waar clause sends its verb to the end: die huis waar ons gewoon het.

3. After a name. Waar also adds extra information about a named place. Put commas around it: Kaapstad, waar my suster woon, is baie mooi. (Cape Town, where my sister lives, is very beautiful.)

4. Waar + preposition. For a place you can also use waar + preposition: die huis waarin ons woon (the house in which we live). Plain waar is the everyday choice.

5. Not for times. English sometimes uses where for a time or situation. In Afrikaans, use toe for a past moment or waarop for a day: die dag toe ek jou ontmoet het or die dag waarop ek jou ontmoet het (the day I met you).

Examples (5)

  1. Dit is die dorp waar ek gebore is.

    This is the town where I was born.

    Word by Word: It is the town where I born am.

  2. Ken jy die winkel waar sy werk?

    Do you know the shop where she works?

    Word by Word: Know you the shop where she works?

  3. Dis die huis waar ons vroeër gewoon het.

    That's the house where we used to live.

    Word by Word: It's the house where we earlier lived have.

  4. Kaapstad, waar my suster woon, is baie mooi.

    Cape Town, where my sister lives, is very beautiful.

    Word by Word: Cape Town, where my sister lives, is very pretty.

    Commas set off extra information about a named place.

  5. Die restaurant waar ons geëet het, was vol.

    The restaurant where we ate was full.

    Word by Word: The restaurant where we eaten have, was full.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the verb in second place.

    die dorp waar ek is gebore
    die dorp waar ek gebore is

    Waar starts a relative clause, so its verb goes to the end.

  • Using wat for a place where something happens.

    Dit is die winkel wat sy werk.
    Dit is die winkel waar sy werk.

    She works in the shop, not works the shop. For a place where something happens, use waar.

  • Using waar for a time.

    Ek onthou die dag waar ek jou ontmoet het.
    Ek onthou die dag toe ek jou ontmoet het.

    Waar is for places. For a moment in the past, use toe or waarop.

How It Connects

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waar (Relative)Level 3Relative Waar for Places

Learn This First

Relative waar describes a place, much like relative wat describes a thing.

Words in This Pattern

waar