Phrasebook

MP3 About the book

91 [ninety-one]

Subordinate clauses: that 1

91 [een en negentig]	Bysinne met dat 1

Choose how you want to see the translation:

How does the brain learn grammar?

We begin to learn our native language as babies. This happens automatically. We are not aware of it. Our brain has to accomplish a great deal when learning, however. When we learn grammar, for example, it has a lot of work to do. Every day it hears new things. It receives new stimuli constantly. The brain can't process every stimulus individually, however. It has to act economically. Therefore, it orients itself toward regularity. The brain remembers what it hears often. It registers how often a specific thing occurs. Then it makes a grammatical rule out of these examples. Children know whether a sentence is correct or not. However, they don't know why that is. Their brain knows the rules without having learned them. Adults learn languages differently. They already know the structures of their native language. These build the basis for the new grammatical rules. But in order to learn, adults need teaching. When the brain learns grammar, it has a fixed system. This can be seen with nouns and verbs, for example. They are stored in different regions of the brain. Different areas of the brain are active when processing them. Simple rules are also learned differently than complex rules. With complex rules, more areas of the brain work together. How exactly the brain learns grammar hasn't been researched yet. However, we know that it can theoretically learn every grammar rule…

Downloads are FREE for personal use, public schools or non-commercial purposes.
LICENSE AGREEMENT | Please report any errors or incorrect translations here!
Imprint | © Copyright 2007 - 2025 Goethe Verlag Starnberg and licensors.
All rights reserved. Contact

Perhaps the weather will get better tomorrow.	D_e w_e_ w_r_ m_r_ m_s_i_n b_t_r_ Die weer word môre miskien beter. D__ w___ w___ m___ m______ b_____ Die weer word môre miskien beter. ___ ____ ____ ____ _______ ______ Die weer word môre miskien beter.
How do you know that?	H_e w_e_ u d_t_ Hoe weet u dit? H__ w___ u d___ Hoe weet u dit? ___ ____ _ ____ Hoe weet u dit?
I hope that it gets better.	E_ h_o_ d_t d_t b_t_r w_r_. Ek hoop dat dit beter word. E_ h___ d__ d__ b____ w____ Ek hoop dat dit beter word. __ ____ ___ ___ _____ _____ Ek hoop dat dit beter word.

He will definitely come.	H_ k_m b_s_i_. Hy kom beslis. H_ k__ b______ Hy kom beslis. __ ___ _______ Hy kom beslis.
Are you sure?	I_ j_ s_k_r_ Is jy seker? I_ j_ s_____ Is jy seker? __ __ ______ Is jy seker?
I know that he’ll come.	E_ w_e_ d_t h_ k_m_ Ek weet dat hy kom. E_ w___ d__ h_ k___ Ek weet dat hy kom. __ ____ ___ __ ____ Ek weet dat hy kom.

He’ll definitely call.	H_ s_l b_s_i_ b_l_ Hy sal beslis bel. H_ s__ b_____ b___ Hy sal beslis bel. __ ___ ______ ____ Hy sal beslis bel.
Really?	W_r_l_k_ Werklik? W_______ Werklik? ________ Werklik?
I believe that he’ll call.	E_ g_o d_t h_ s_l b_l_ Ek glo dat hy sal bel. E_ g__ d__ h_ s__ b___ Ek glo dat hy sal bel. __ ___ ___ __ ___ ____ Ek glo dat hy sal bel.

The wine is definitely old.	D_e w_n i_ s_k_r o_d_ Die wyn is seker oud. D__ w__ i_ s____ o___ Die wyn is seker oud. ___ ___ __ _____ ____ Die wyn is seker oud.
Do you know that for sure?	W_e_ j_ d_t v_o_ j_u s_e_? Weet jy dit voor jou siel? W___ j_ d__ v___ j__ s____ Weet jy dit voor jou siel? ____ __ ___ ____ ___ _____ Weet jy dit voor jou siel?
I think that he is old.	E_ v_r_o_d d_t d_t o_d i_. Ek vermoed dat dit oud is. E_ v______ d__ d__ o__ i__ Ek vermoed dat dit oud is. __ _______ ___ ___ ___ ___ Ek vermoed dat dit oud is.

Our boss is good-looking.	O_s b_a_ i_ a_n_r_k_i_. Ons baas is aantreklik. O__ b___ i_ a__________ Ons baas is aantreklik. ___ ____ __ ___________ Ons baas is aantreklik.
Do you think so?	D_n_ j_ s_? Dink jy so? D___ j_ s__ Dink jy so? ____ __ ___ Dink jy so?
I find him very handsome.	E_ d_n_ d_t h_ b_i_ a_n_r_k_i_ i_. Ek dink dat hy baie aantreklik is. E_ d___ d__ h_ b___ a_________ i__ Ek dink dat hy baie aantreklik is. __ ____ ___ __ ____ __________ ___ Ek dink dat hy baie aantreklik is.

The boss definitely has a girlfriend.	D_e b_a_ h_t b_s_i_ ’_ m_i_i_. Die baas het beslis ’n meisie. D__ b___ h__ b_____ ’_ m______ Die baas het beslis ’n meisie. ___ ____ ___ ______ __ _______ Die baas het beslis ’n meisie.
Do you really think so?	D_n_ j_ w_r_l_k s_? Dink jy werklik so? D___ j_ w______ s__ Dink jy werklik so? ____ __ _______ ___ Dink jy werklik so?
It is very possible that he has a girlfriend.	D_t i_ h_e_ m_o_t_i_ d_t h_ ’_ m_i_i_ h_t_ Dit is heel moontlik dat hy ’n meisie het. D__ i_ h___ m_______ d__ h_ ’_ m_____ h___ Dit is heel moontlik dat hy ’n meisie het. ___ __ ____ ________ ___ __ __ ______ ____ Dit is heel moontlik dat hy ’n meisie het.

Phrasebook

How does the brain learn grammar?

Menu

Links

Download our App