baie
Very: Baie
Baie means very before an adjective (baie mooi) and many or a lot of before a noun (baie mense).
How It Works
Very. Before an adjective or an adverb: baie mooi (very beautiful), baie koud (very cold), Sy sing baie goed (she sings very well).
Many, much, a lot of. Before a noun, for things you can count and things you cannot: baie mense (many people), baie boeke (a lot of books), baie water (a lot of water), baie tyd (much time).
A lot. After a verb, with nothing following: Sy lees baie (she reads a lot). With hou van, baie goes before van: Ek hou baie van jou.
Much, before a comparison. baie groter (much bigger); see comparative -er.
Thank you very much. Baie dankie is the everyday way to say thank you very much.
Baie is not te. Te means too, more than you want: Die tee is te warm means you cannot drink it yet. Die tee is baie warm just says it is very hot.
Not very, not much. With nie ... nie: Dit is nie baie ver nie (it is not very far), Ons het nie baie tyd nie (we don't have much time).
Examples (6)
- Baie dankie!
Thank you very much!
Word by Word: Very thanks!
- Die kos is baie lekker.
The food is very tasty.
Word by Word: The food is very tasty.
Before an adjective, baie means very.
- Daar was baie mense by die partytjie.
There were a lot of people at the party.
Word by Word: There was many people at the party.
Before a noun, baie means many.
- Sy lees baie.
She reads a lot.
Word by Word: She reads much.
After a verb, baie means a lot.
- Ek hou baie van jou.
I like you a lot.
Word by Word: I hold much of you.
- Ons het nie baie tyd nie.
We don't have much time.
Word by Word: We have not much time not.
Common Mistakes
Putting baie at the end, as with English a lot.
Ek hou van jou baie.Ek hou baie van jou.With hou van, baie goes before van.
Using te when you mean very.
Die baadjie is te warm en ek hou daarvan.Die baadjie is baie warm en ek hou daarvan.Te means too, which is a problem. To say the jacket is very warm and you like it, use baie.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Baie is used with adjectives to mean very, and with nouns to mean many.
Related Patterns
- Adjectives Used as Adverbs
Baie also strengthens adverbs: Sy sing baie mooi.
Level 1 - hou vanLiking: Hou Van
Baie van means like a lot: Ek hou baie van jou.
Level 1 - te/genoegToo and Enough: Te and Genoeg
Te means too, not very.
Level 2 - party/sommige/'n paarSome and a Few
Other words for amounts: some and a few.
Level 2 - Comparative -er
Baie before a comparative means much: baie groter.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice baie in Bubblegum
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