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Indefinite articles ‘a’ and ‘an’ Exercises in Afrikaans language

Student exploring language histories in quiet library setting.

In Afrikaans, the indefinite articles "a" and "an" do not exist. Instead, Afrikaans uses the word "’n," which is equivalent to the English indefinite articles "a" and "an." Unlike in English, where the choice between "a" and "an" depends on whether the following word begins with a consonant or vowel sound, "’n" is used universally in Afrikaans regardless of the initial sound of the subsequent word. This simplifies the learning process, as there is only one form to remember. Despite this simplification, it is crucial to understand how "’n" functions within the structure of Afrikaans sentences. "’n" is typically used to introduce a non-specific noun, similar to its English counterparts "a" and "an." For example, "’n hond" means "a dog" and "’n appel" means "an apple." Mastering the use of "’n" is essential for forming accurate and natural-sounding sentences in Afrikaans. This page offers a variety of grammar exercises designed to help you practice and perfect your use of "’n" in different contexts.

Exercise 1

1. She bought *'n* apple from the market (fruit). 2. He saw *'n* elephant at the zoo (large animal). 3. They found *'n* old book in the attic (adjective for age). 4. She is reading *'n* interesting article (adjective for curiosity). 5. He needs *'n* pen to write (writing instrument). 6. They are planning *'n* trip to the mountains (journey). 7. She received *'n* gift for her birthday (present). 8. He is wearing *'n* jacket because it's cold (clothing item). 9. They are having *'n* party this weekend (celebration). 10. She is eating *'n* sandwich for lunch (food item).

Exercise 2

1. I saw *'n* kat in die tuin (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'a'). 2. Hy het *'n* appel geëet (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'an'). 3. Sy het *'n* nuwe boek gekoop (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'a'). 4. Ons het *'n* hond gesien (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'a'). 5. Sy het *'n* oulike baba (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'a'). 6. Hulle het *'n* interessante storie vertel (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'an'). 7. Ek het *'n* lekker koek gebak (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'a'). 8. Hy het *'n* nuwe kar gekoop (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'a'). 9. Sy het *'n* mooi rok gedra (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'a'). 10. Ons het *'n* groot huis gesien (indefinite article in Afrikaans for 'a').

Exercise 3

1. Hy het *'n* appel geëet. (He ate a fruit.) 2. Daar is *'n* boek op die tafel. (There is an object on the table.) 3. Sy het *'n* hond gesien. (She saw an animal.) 4. Hulle het *'n* nuwe huis gekoop. (They bought a new object.) 5. Ek het *'n* vraag vir jou. (I have a question for you.) 6. Ons het *'n* vergadering môre. (We have a meeting tomorrow.) 7. Dit is *'n* mooi dag vandag. (It is a beautiful day today.) 8. Hy het *'n* idee gehad. (He had an idea.) 9. Sy dra *'n* rooi rok. (She is wearing a red object.) 10. Hulle het *'n* motor gekoop. (They bought a vehicle.)