This is the 343rd most frequent Afrikaans word.
lees
"Lees" means "read" in English.
Here, 'lees' is used to describe interpreting or understanding the state of an indicator, such as a light signal.
Die lig lees as rooi, so ons moet wag.
The light reads as red, so we must wait.
In this sentence, 'lees' is used metaphorically, meaning to 'analyze' or 'assess' a situation.
Hy lees die situasie fyn om beter besluite te neem.
He carefully reads the situation to make better decisions.
Here, the word 'lees' is used in its most common sense, meaning 'to read', indicating the action of reading written material.