Danish 14

Adjectives & Adverbs

Connectors & Conjunctions

Grammar: Adjectives & Adverbs in Danish

Adjective Inflection

Danish adjectives change form depending on the noun’s gender, definiteness, and number:

Predicative adjectives (following er, bliver, synes at være) follow the same pattern based on the subject noun:

• Subject is an en-noun → base form: maden er god
• Subject is an et-noun → add -t: det er hyggeligt, det er ulækkert
• Subject is plural → add -e: dåserne er tomme

Adverbs

Many adjectives double as adverbs in their neuter (-t) form when modifying a verb or another adjective:

• rigtig → acts as adverb meaning really: det er rigtig ulækkert
• godt → neuter of god, used as adverb: han kan godt se

Other adverbs are invariable (no inflection): tit, pludselig, nemlig, snart, meget, lidt, først, igen, pludselig

The key connector distinction to remember:

• når = when for repeated/general situations
• da = when for a specific moment in the past
• for = because (coordinating, joins two main clauses)
• fordi = because (subordinating, triggers inversion — verb moves)
• selvom = even though (always followed by subordinate clause)

Likely Exam Focus (Prøve i Dansk 2 / 3)

1. Adjective form fill-in — given a base adjective and a noun, choose the correct form (base / -t / -e) based on gender and definiteness
2. Connector cloze — fill in the correct conjunction (selvom, da, når, fordi, men, for) that logically links two clauses
3. Reading comprehension — identify the meaning of adverbs like nemlig, pludselig, godt and connectors from context
4. Danish word order after subordinator — after conjunctions like selvom, da, at, the verb does NOT invert (normal SVO order): selvom hans mor beder ham om det (not selvom beder hans mor)
5. Writing task — correctly use adjectives in descriptions (inflecting for gender/definiteness) and connect ideas with appropriate conjunctions

Anders på 20 flyttede hjemmefra for et år siden, og nu bor og studerer han i København. Hans forældre bor i Jylland, men han besøger dem tit, når han har ferie.

Anders is 20 years old and moved out a year ago. He now lives and studies in Copenhagen. His parents live in Jutland, but he visits them often during holidays.

Anders er på besøg hos sine forældre i påskeferien, for han synes, det er hyggeligt at være på ferie hos dem. Om aftenen sidder han tit på sit gamle værelse og spiller computer og drikker cola og spiser mad, slik og chips. Men han rydder ikke op efter sig.

påskeferien = Easter holiday

slik = candy

rydder op = tidy up

efter sig = after oneself

Anders is visiting his parents during the Easter holiday because he thinks it’s nice to be on holiday with them. In the evening, he often sits in his old room, playing computer games, drinking cola, and eating food, candy, and chips. But he doesn’t tidy up after himself.

De tomme slikposer og dåser lader han ligge over det hele. Hans mor siger til ham, at han skal smide dem ud. Men Anders gør det ikke, selvom hans mor beder ham om det. Han synes nemlig ikke, det er noget problem, at der er lidt rodet.

tomme = empty

dåser = cans

lader = let

smide ud = throw away

rodet = messy

The empty candy bags and cans are left all over the place. His mother tells him to throw them away. But Anders doesn’t do it, even though his mother asks him to. He doesn’t think it’s a problem that it’s a bit messy.

Da ferien er slut, tager Anders tilbage til København. Dagen efter ringer hans mor og fortæller, at der snart kommer en pakke til ham med posten. Det glæder Anders sig til. Et par dage efter henter han pakken på posthuset.

henter = pick up

When the holiday is over, Anders returns to Copenhagen. The next day, his mother calls and tells him that a package will soon arrive for him in the mail. Anders is looking forward to it. A few days later, he picks up the package at the post office.

Da han kommer hjem og lukker den op, bliver han meget overrasket. Pakken er nemlig fyldt med gammelt skrald, bl.a. tomme coladåser og en gammel ostemad. Anders synes, det er rigtig ulækkert, og han tror først, at der er sket en fejl.

lukker den op = opens it

• lukker usually means “close,” but in this context, it is used with “op” to mean “open.”

overrasket = surprised

sket = happened

fejl = mistake/error

When he gets home and opens it, he is very surprised. The package is filled with old trash, including empty soda cans and an old cheese sandwich. Anders thinks it is really disgusting, and he initially believes that a mistake has been made.

Men så forstår han pludselig, at hans mor har sendt ham alt det skrald, som han ikke gad smide ud, da han var på besøg. Han kan godt se, at det ikke er okay, at hans mor har været nødt til at rydde op efter ham. Næste dag går han på posthuset igen og sender en pakke, som skal sendes til hans mor. I pakken er der en æske chokolade og et kort, hvor han undskylder og lover, at han vil gøre hele huset rent næste gang, han kommer på besøg.

pludselig = suddenly

har været nødt til = has had to

• literally translates to “has been necessary to,” but it is commonly used to express that someone had to do something.

æske = box

lover = promises

But then he suddenly realizes that his mother has sent him all the trash that he didn’t want to throw away when he was visiting. He can see that it’s not okay that his mother had to tidy up after him. The next day, he goes to the post office again and sends a package to his mother. In the package, there is a box of chocolates and a card where he apologizes and promises that he will clean the whole house next time he visits.