watter
Which
Put watter before a noun to ask which or what: Watter boek lees jy? (Which book are you reading?)
How It Works
Watter asks someone to pick one or more things from a group. It means which, and also English what when what comes before a noun (what colour, what time).
- Watter boek lees jy? (Which book are you reading?)
- Watter kleur is jou kar? (What colour is your car?)
- Watter bus gaan stad toe? (Which bus goes to town?)
Before a noun, not wat. English uses what both on its own and before a noun. Afrikaans uses wat on its own (Wat lees jy?) but watter before a noun (Watter boek lees jy?).
One form. Watter does not change for plural nouns: Watter skoene koop jy? (Which shoes are you buying?)
Word order. The whole group, watter + noun, comes first, and the verb comes second: see questions with a question word. A preposition goes in front of the group: In watter straat woon jy? (Which street do you live in?)
Watter een. To ask which one without repeating the noun, say watter een: Watter een wil jy hê? In relaxed speech you may also hear watse in place of watter. In old, formal and church language you will meet welke.
Examples (6)
- Watter boek lees jy?
Which book are you reading?
Word by Word: Which book read you?
- Watter bus gaan stad toe?
Which bus goes to town?
Word by Word: Which bus goes town to?
- Watter kleur is jou kar?
What colour is your car?
Word by Word: Which colour is your car?
English says what colour, but Afrikaans uses watter before a noun.
- In watter straat woon jy?
Which street do you live in?
Word by Word: In which street live you?
The preposition goes in front of the whole group.
- Watter een wil jy hê?
Which one do you want?
Word by Word: Which one want you have?
- Watter skoene koop jy?
Which shoes are you buying?
Word by Word: Which shoes buy you?
Watter stays the same before a plural noun.
Common Mistakes
Using wat before a noun.
Wat kleur is jou kar?Watter kleur is jou kar?When what or which comes before a noun, Afrikaans uses watter.
Putting the subject before the verb after watter + noun.
Watter boek jy lees?Watter boek lees jy?Watter and its noun count as the question phrase. The verb comes right after that phrase.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Watter asks which one, and it is easy to mix up with wat.
Related Patterns
- Questions With a Question Word
Watter + noun takes the first place, and the verb comes second.
Level 1 - welkeWelke: Literary Which
Welke is an old, formal word for which.
Level 6 - hierdie/daardieThis and That
A which question is often answered with hierdie or daardie.
Level 1 - Indirect Questions
Watter can also start a question inside a longer sentence, with the verb at the end.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice watter in Bubblegum
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