na
The Afrikaans word for 'to' (in the sense of movement towards a destination) is na.
na is a preposition used to indicate movement in the direction of a destination or a specific point, such as cities, countries or locations.
Meaning: in the direction of, and arriving at (prep)
Which one should you use?
While English uses 'to' for both destinations and for marking verbs, na is only used for movement towards a destination. For example, you would use na to say 'to the house', but you would not use it to express the infinitive 'to' in verbs like 'to eat'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In a sentence, na is used with nouns to indicate a destination or direction.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use na to express the infinitive 'to' in verbs (for example, saying 'na walk' instead of using the bare verb or 'om te'). In Afrikaans, the infinitive is typically expressed by the absence of a particle or by using om te.
Did you know?
- In Afrikaans, the word na can also be used to mean 'after' when referring to time, such as saying 'after ten' (na tien).
- While na indicates movement toward a place, the word toe is often used instead when the destination is a common location like 'home' (huis toe).
- The word na is a cognate of the Dutch word naar, reflecting the deep linguistic roots Afrikaans shares with 17th-century Dutch.
Examples in context
- Ek het na Boston gereis.I travelled to Boston.This example shows how to use na when traveling to a specific place like Boston.Tatoeba #13458334 by Pietpetoors, translation #13457509 by araneo
- Ek sal moet terugkom na jou.I'm going to have to get back to you.This example demonstrates using na to indicate returning to a person.Tatoeba #2786741 by Diablofire, translation #2539479 by CK
- Ek sal terugkom na jou oor Tom.I'll get back to you about Tom.This example shows how to use na when getting back to someone regarding a specific topic.Tatoeba #2788237 by Diablofire, translation #2541960 by CK
- Ek gaan na die werk toe.I am going to work.
- Hy ry tot by die winkel.He drives to the shop.
- Ek ry stad toe.I'm driving towards the city.
- Ons vat die trein na die see.We're taking the train to the beach.
- Ek moet dorp toe gaan.I have to go to town.
- 42 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nicola and Pieter are discussing their plans for the weekend.
- NicolaGaan jy na die winkels môre?Are you going to the shops tomorrow?
- PieterJa, ek gaan na die stad toe.Yes, I am going to the city.
- NicolaKan ek saam met jou ry na die stad?Can I ride to the city with you?
- PieterNatuurlik, ek haal jou om agt op.Of course, I will pick you up at eight.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
