is te + Infinitive
Te Koop, Te Huur
Die huis is te koop. (The house is for sale.) The subject is the thing that can be bought, rented or seen.
How It Works
1. Passive meaning. In Die huis is te koop, the house does not buy anything. It is there to be bought. The pattern is is + te + infinitive, with nothing between te and the verb.
2. Signs and adverts.
- Te koop: for sale
- Te huur: for rent
- Die kaartjies is by die deur te koop. (The tickets are on sale at the door.)
3. What can or cannot be done. The same pattern says what can be done, often in negatives:
- Hy is nie te vertrou nie. (He can't be trusted.)
- Hy is nêrens te sien nie. (He is nowhere to be seen.) See êrens/nêrens.
4. With daar is. After daar is, te + infinitive says what there is to do: Daar is baie te sien in Kaapstad. (There is a lot to see in Cape Town.)
5. Two different te's. Before an adjective, te means too: Die huis is te duur. (The house is too expensive.) Before an infinitive, as here, it simply marks the infinitive. See te/genoeg.
Compare: the normal passive uses word + ge- form (passive with word): Die huis word verkoop means the house is being sold.
Examples (6)
- Die huis is te koop.
The house is for sale.
Word by Word: The house is to buy.
- Hierdie kamer is te huur.
This room is for rent.
Word by Word: This room is to rent.
- Hy is nêrens te sien nie.
He is nowhere to be seen.
Word by Word: He is nowhere to see not.
- Hy is nie te vertrou nie.
He can't be trusted.
Word by Word: He is not to trust not.
- Die kaartjies is by die deur te koop.
The tickets are on sale at the door.
Word by Word: The tickets are at the door to buy.
- Daar is baie te sien in Kaapstad.
There is a lot to see in Cape Town.
Word by Word: There is much to see in Cape Town.
After daar is, te + infinitive says what there is to do.
Common Mistakes
Adding om.
Die huis is om te koop.Die huis is te koop.Om ... te means in order to. This fixed passive pattern uses te alone.
Forgetting the closing nie after nêrens.
Hy is nêrens te sien.Hy is nêrens te sien nie.Nêrens is a negative word, so the sentence must end with nie.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Is te + infinitive says something can or must be done.
Related Patterns
- te/genoegToo and Enough: Te and Genoeg
Te before an adjective means too, a different use of te.
Level 2 - Passive: word + ge-The Passive: Word + Ge-
The normal passive, for an action that is happening.
Level 3 - êrens/nêrensSomewhere and Nowhere
Nêrens te sien nie uses nêrens and needs a closing nie.
Level 2 - daar isThere Is and There Are
Daar is + te + infinitive says what there is to do.
Level 1 - skyn/blyk teSeem and Turn Out: Skyn and Blyk
Other patterns where a verb takes te without om.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice is te + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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