• Dutch
  • Frisian
  • Saterfrisian
  • Afrikaans
Show all
Finite interrogative complement clauses
quickinfo

Afrikaans has two different finite interrogative complement clause types. The general finite interrogative, illustrated by example (1), takes the complementiser of if with verb-final word order, and shows limited formal variability. The specific finite interrogative, illustrated by example (2), starts with a wh-interrogative form (pronoun or adverb), but has two word order variants. The traditional form, used in the vast majority of cases in written Afrikaans, has verb-final word order, as illustrated by (2a). A variant that has become the dominant form in spoken Afrikaans uses the same word order as main-clause wh-interrogative clauses, with verb-second, as illustrated by (2b).

1
Ek wonder [of ek hulle ooit weer sal sien].
I wonder.PRS if.COMP I them ever again will.AUX.MOD see.INF
I wonder if I will ever see them again.
TK
2
a. Ek wonder [waar sy nou is].
I wonder.PRS where she now be.PRS
I wonder where she is now.
TK
b. Ek wonder [wat wil jou seuns eendag doen].
I wonder.PRS what want.to.AUX.MOD your sons one.day do.INF
I wonder what your sons want to do one day.
PCSA

Afrikaans also has non-finite specific interrogative clauses, illustrated by example (3). These complement clauses behave syntactically similar to other full infinitive complement clauses, except that the wh-form precedes the infinitive complementiser om for.

3
Jy wonder [hoe om by die R1 miljoen-kerf verby te stap].
you wonder.PRS how for.COMP at the R1 million-notch past PTCL.INF walk.INF
You wonder how to progress past the R1 million notch.
readmore

Finite interrogative complement clauses are described in the following sections, attending to general and specific interrogatives in each section:

References
    printreport errorcite