toe (In Stories)

Telling Stories: Toe and the Present

Level 3

Toe = then. The verb comes right after it: Toe kom die man in. Stories are often told in the present tense: en toe sê hy ...

How It Works

1. Toe = then. Toe moves the story forward. Like any word at the start, it puts the verb in second place:

  • Toe kom die man in. (Then the man comes in.)
  • En toe sê hy vir my ... (And then he says to me ...)

2. The story present. Many stories and jokes are told in the present tense, even about the past: Gister staan ek by die bushalte, en toe ry die bus net verby! The past tense with het is also fine: Toe het hy die deur oopgemaak.

3. Toe = when. Do not mix this up with toe meaning "when", which starts a clause and sends the verb to the end:

  • Toe ek daar aankom, staan hy voor die deur. (When I arrived, he was standing at the door.)

The clause after the comma then starts with its verb, as after any clause at the start.

4. En toe? A listener often asks En toe? (And then what?) to hear more.

Tip: the present tense makes a story feel like it is happening now. Just keep the story easy to follow.

Examples (6)

  1. Toe kom die man in en groet almal.

    Then the man came in and greeted everyone.

    Word by Word: Then comes the man in and greets everyone.

    Toe means then, so the verb kom follows right away.

  2. Gister staan ek by die bushalte, en toe ry die bus net verby!

    Yesterday I was standing at the bus stop, and then the bus just drove past!

    Word by Word: Yesterday stand I at the bus stop, and then drives the bus just past!

    The present tense makes the story lively.

  3. Toe ek daar aankom, staan hy voor die deur.

    When I arrived there, he was standing at the door.

    Word by Word: When I there arrive, stands he in front of the door.

    Here toe means when, so aankom goes to the end.

  4. Die telefoon lui, en toe is dit my ma.

    The phone rang, and then it was my mom.

    Word by Word: The telephone rings, and then is it my mom.

  5. Toe het hy die deur oopgemaak.

    Then he opened the door.

    Word by Word: Then has he the door opened.

    The past tense works with toe too.

  6. En toe? Wat het toe gebeur?

    And then? What happened then?

    Word by Word: And then? What has then happened?

Common Mistakes

  • Not putting the verb right after toe (then).

    En toe die man sê vir my: "Goeiemôre!"
    En toe sê die man vir my: "Goeiemôre!"

    Toe meaning then is a word at the start of the clause, so the verb comes next: toe sê die man.

  • Keeping normal word order after toe meaning when.

    Toe ek kom daar aan, staan hy voor die deur.
    Toe ek daar aankom, staan hy voor die deur.

    Toe meaning when starts a subordinate clause, so the whole verb aankom goes to the end.

How It Connects

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toe (In Stories)Level 3Telling Stories: Toe and the Present

Learn This First

In stories, toe moves the action forward and triggers inversion.

Words in This Pattern