vir + Person

Vir Before a Person

Level 2

Vir often stands before a person who receives something or who is the object of the verb: Gee dit vir my. (Give it to me.) Ek sien vir Jan. (I see Jan.)

How It Works

1. The person who receives something. With verbs of giving, telling and showing, the person usually takes vir, where English says to or nothing at all:

  • Gee dit vir my. (Give it to me.)
  • Sê vir hom ek kom. (Tell him I'm coming.)
  • Ek het die foto's vir my ouma gewys. (I showed the photos to my grandmother.)

2. Which comes first. When the person comes after the thing, vir is needed: Ek gee die boek vir haar. When the person comes first, vir may be used or left out: Ek gee (vir) haar die boek. See two objects in one sentence.

3. A person as the direct object. Vir can also stand before the person the verb acts on. Both forms are correct, and the one with vir is especially common in speech:

  • Ek sien vir Jan. or Ek sien Jan. (I see Jan.)
  • Sy help vir haar ma. or Sy help haar ma. (She helps her mother.)

4. Not with things. This use of vir is for people. With a thing as the object, leave it out: Ek lees die koerant. (I read the newspaper.) With vir, the sentence would mean something else, because vir also means for.

Tip: some verbs take vir as their fixed preposition, whatever the object is: Ek wag vir die bus. (I'm waiting for the bus.) Learn those with the verb; see verbs with fixed prepositions.

Examples (6)

  1. Ek sien vir Jan by die winkel.

    I see Jan at the shop.

    Word by Word: I see for Jan at the shop.

    Jan is the direct object. Ek sien Jan by die winkel is also correct.

  2. Sy help vir haar ma in die kombuis.

    She helps her mother in the kitchen.

    Word by Word: She helps for her mother in the kitchen.

  3. Gee dit vir my, asseblief.

    Give it to me, please.

    Word by Word: Give it for me, please.

    My receives the thing, so it takes vir.

  4. Sê vir hom ek kom later.

    Tell him I'm coming later.

    Word by Word: Say for him I come later.

  5. Ek het die foto's vir my ouma gewys.

    I showed the photos to my grandmother.

    Word by Word: I have the photos for my grandmother shown.

    The person comes after the thing, so vir is needed.

  6. Bel vir Thandi en vra of sy kom.

    Call Thandi and ask if she is coming.

    Word by Word: Call for Thandi and ask if she comes.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out vir when the person comes after the thing.

    Ek gee die boek haar.
    Ek gee die boek vir haar.

    When the receiver follows the thing, Afrikaans needs vir, just as English needs to.

  • Putting vir before a thing that is the object.

    Ek lees elke oggend vir die koerant.
    Ek lees elke oggend die koerant.

    Vir before an object is for people. With vir, it would mean that you read for the newspaper.

How It Connects

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

vir + PersonLevel 2Vir Before a Person

Learn This First

Vir can mark a person as the object of some verbs.

Words in This Pattern