totdat

Until (Totdat)

Level 2

Totdat means until and sends the verb to the end: Wag hier totdat ek terugkom.

How It Works

1. Verb at the end:

  • Wag hier totdat ek terugkom. (Wait here until I come back.)
  • Ons het gedans totdat die musiek opgehou het. (We danced until the music stopped.)
  • Roer die sop totdat dit kook. (Stir the soup until it boils.)

Separable verbs such as terugkom and ophou join up again at the end (see separable verbs at the end).

2. Totdat or tot? Before a noun or a time, use the preposition tot: Ek werk tot vyfuur. (I work until five.) Tot môre! (See you tomorrow!) In everyday Afrikaans, tot on its own is also used before a clause (Wag tot ek terugkom), but totdat is always correct there.

3. Not until. English not ... until is usually expressed with eers (only then): Hy kom eers môre. (He isn't coming until tomorrow.) See al, nog and eers.

4. No extra nie. In standard writing, a totdat-clause does not take a nie of its own, even after a negative main clause.

Examples (6)

  1. Wag hier totdat ek terugkom.

    Wait here until I come back.

    Word by Word: Wait here until I back-come.

    The separable verb terugkom joins up again at the end.

  2. Ons het gedans totdat die musiek opgehou het.

    We danced until the music stopped.

    Word by Word: We have danced until the music stopped has.

  3. Roer die sop totdat dit kook.

    Stir the soup until it boils.

    Word by Word: Stir the soup until it boils.

  4. Bly in die bed totdat jy beter voel.

    Stay in bed until you feel better.

    Word by Word: Stay in the bed until you better feel.

  5. Die kinders het gespeel totdat dit donker geword het.

    The children played until it got dark.

    Word by Word: The children have played until it dark become has.

  6. Ons wag totdat almal hier is.

    We're waiting until everyone is here.

    Word by Word: We wait until everyone here is.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping main-clause order after totdat.

    Wag hier totdat ek kom terug.
    Wag hier totdat ek terugkom.

    Totdat sends the verb to the end, and the separable verb joins up again there.

  • Using totdat before a time.

    Ek werk totdat vyfuur.
    Ek werk tot vyfuur.

    Totdat needs a clause. Before a noun or a time, use the preposition tot.

How It Connects

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

totdatLevel 2Until (Totdat)

Learn This First

Totdat starts a subordinate clause, so its verbs go to the end.

Words in This Pattern

totdat