Making Tenses Easy in Afrikaans: Part 7 – The alternative meanings of "het" and "was"

 

In this lesson, you will learn the alternative meanings of “het” (have/ has) and “was” (wash) in Afrikaans and how to use them.

You will also learn how to use “wil” alongside “hê” in Afrikaans to say you “want to have” something.

Using “het” in the present tense.

The word “het” can also be used to mean “have” or “has” in the present tense.

English example	Afrikaans translation.
I have a dog.	Ek het ’n hond.
She has a pretty house.	Sy het ‘n mooi huis.

 

“Het” (have/ has) in the past tense.

When using “het“ (have/ has) in the past tense, you move it to the end of the sentence, where it becomes “gehad.”

Sentences with “gehad” also get a het at the start of the sentence, but this “het” does not indicate that it is past tense.

 

Present tense	Past tense
Ek het ’n hond.	Ek het ’n hond gehad.
Sy het ‘n mooi huis.	Sy het ’n mooi huis gehad.

 

“Het” (have/ has) in the future tense.

In the future tense, the word “het” moves to the end of the sentence and changes to “hê.”

 

Past tense	Present tense	Future tense
Ek het ’n oulike hond gehad.	Ek het ‘n oulike hond.	Ek sal ’n oulike hond hê.
Sy het blink skoene gehad.	Sy het blink skoene.	Sy sal blink skoene hê.

 

“Hê” (have/ has) when used with wil (want)

We can also use “hê” alongside “wil” to show that you “want to have” something. The word “hê” goes to the back of the idea (after the thing you want to have in the sentence).

Past tense	Present tense	Future tense
I wanted to have a bicycle.	I want to have a bicycle.	I will want to have a bicycle.
Ek wou ’n fiets hê.	Ek wil ’n fiets hê.	Ek sal ’n fiets wil hê.

 

The other meaning of “was” (wash).

The word “was” has more than one meaning. The word “was” can mean “was” or “wash”

“Was” (wash) doesn’t have any special rules and functions just like most other verbs in the different tenses.

Past tense	Present tense	Future tense
I washed my car.	I wash my car.	I will wash my car.
Ek het my kar gewas.	Ek was my kar.	Ek sal my kar was.

 

Click here to go to the next lesson:

Making Tenses Easy in Afrikaans: Part 8 – Verbs without "Ge" in the past tense

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