Ontkenning(Negatives) in Afrikaans: The Double Nie, Rules and Exercises

Two nie’s: one after the verb, one at the very end

The first nie comes straight after the verb. The second nie goes at the very end of the sentence.

Only ONE nie when the first one is already last

If the first nie already lands at the end of the sentence, you stop there. Afrikaans never says nie nie back to back.

Quick test: write the sentence with one nie. If nothing comes after it, you’re done. If there are words after it, add a second nie at the end.

Where the first nie goes with het … ge-, objects and time words

With het … ge- (past tense): the first nie usually comes after het, and the second after the ge- verb at the end.

Pronouns and “the” objects (hom, haar, dit, die boek) usually come before the first nie. Objects without “the” (vleis, koffie, ’n boek) come after it.

Time words (vandag, gister, môre, vanaand) come before the first nie.

Swap in the negative word

Some words have their own negative partner. You swap the word, and the sentence still gets a nie at the end. Don’t add an extra nie next to the negative word: it already does that job.

With nóg … nóg you usually don’t need a final nie, although some teachers accept or prefer one. Ask yours.

Notice the single-nie rule still works here: Ek kom ook. → Ek kom ook nie. (nothing after it, so one is enough).

Commands: moenie … nie

To tell someone not to do something, start with moenie (one word) and end with nie. The verb goes just before the final nie.

Questions in the negative

Questions follow exactly the same rules. If the nie ends up last, one is enough.

Two clauses: the second nie closes its own clause

When a sentence has a comma or a second clause, the second nie goes at the end of the clause that is negative, before the comma. It doesn’t jump to the end of the whole sentence.

Each negative clause gets its own nie’s. In a clause with omdat, as, wanneer the verbs move to the end, so the second nie comes after them: omdat hy nie geleer het nie.