Verbs With Fixed Prepositions
Many verbs come with their own preposition: Ek wag vir die bus. (I'm waiting for the bus.) Sy dink aan haar ma. (She is thinking of her mother.)
How It Works
Common pairs.
- wag vir: wait for
- dink aan: think of, think about
- praat oor: talk about
- glo in: believe in
- kyk na: look at, watch
- luister na: listen to
- verlang na: miss, long for
- lag vir: laugh at
- sorg vir: take care of
- hou van: like (see hou van)
Same verb, different preposition. Sometimes the preposition changes the meaning: Ek dink aan jou. (I'm thinking of you.) but Wat dink jy van die film? (What do you think of the film?, asking for an opinion).
For it. Standard Afrikaans does not say aan dit or vir dit. Instead, dit + preposition becomes one word with daar: Ek dink daaraan. (I'm thinking about it.) Ons wag daarvoor. (We're waiting for it.) In these words vir becomes voor and met becomes mee. See daar + preposition.
Questions. For a person, put the preposition in front of wie: Vir wie wag jy? (Who are you waiting for?) For a thing, use waar + preposition: Waarvoor wag jy? (What are you waiting for?) Waaroor praat julle? (What are you talking about?)
Word order. The prepositional phrase stays in the middle of the sentence, before any verbs that go to the end: Ek het lank vir jou gewag. (I waited a long time for you.)
Examples (6)
- Ek wag vir die bus.
I'm waiting for the bus.
Word by Word: I wait for the bus.
- Sy dink baie aan haar ouma.
She thinks about her grandmother a lot.
Word by Word: She thinks much of her grandma.
- Waaroor praat julle?
What are you talking about?
Word by Word: Where-about talk you?
For a thing, the question word is waar + the preposition: waaroor.
- Ons luister graag na musiek.
We like listening to music.
Word by Word: We listen gladly to music.
- Ek verlang na jou.
I miss you.
Word by Word: I long to you.
- Kyk na hierdie foto!
Look at this photo!
Word by Word: Look to this photo!
Common Mistakes
Using dink van for thinking of someone.
Ek dink van jou.Ek dink aan jou.Dink aan means have someone or something in your thoughts. Dink van asks for an opinion: Wat dink jy van die film?
Using dit after the preposition.
Ek dink aan dit.Ek dink daaraan.In standard Afrikaans, dit + preposition becomes one daar-word: daaraan, daarvoor, daaroor.
Leaving the preposition at the end after wie.
Wie wag jy vir?Vir wie wag jy?With wie, the preposition goes in front. For a thing, use waarvoor instead: Waarvoor wag jy?
How It Connects
Learn This First
Some verbs always go with a fixed preposition, like hou van.
Related Patterns
- Adjectives With Fixed Prepositions
Adjectives also take fixed prepositions, such as bang vir.
Level 3 - daarmee/hiervoor/daaroorDaarmee, Hiervoor, Daaroor
Replaces dit after the preposition: daaraan, daarvoor.
Level 3 - daar ... meeSplitting Daar ... Mee
The daar-word can be split around the rest of the clause.
Level 3 - Preposition + wieRelative Wie After a Preposition
The same preposition + wie order used in relative clauses: die vrou vir wie ek wag.
Level 3 - waarmee/waarop/waarinRelative Waarmee, Waarop, Waarin
Waar + preposition also joins relative clauses about things.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Verbs With Fixed Prepositions in Bubblegum
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