The Continuous Aspect
Danish does not have a direct equivalent to the English "-ing" ending to show that an action is currently ongoing. To emphasize that something is happening right now, or is in the process of happening, Danish uses the verb være (to be) followed by ved at and the infinitive of the main verb.
Think of være ved at + infinitive as meaning "to be in the process of".
| The dilapidated factory is decaying. | Den faldefærdige fabrik er ved at forfalde. |
| The concrete on the wall is crumbling. | Betonen på muren er ved at smuldre. |
Ongoing Transitions
The være ved at construction is perfect for describing gradual physical changes, decay, or things slowly transforming over time.
| The steel in the bridge is probably rusting, right? | Stålet i broen er vel ved at ruste? |
| The moss is taking over the entire floor. | Mosset er ved at overtage hele gulvet. |
| The structure is collapsing. | Strukturen er ved at styrte sammen. |
Chaining Ongoing Actions
If two continuous actions are happening at the same time, you only need to use være ved at once. You can just link the following infinitives with og (and).
| The tower is cracking and crumbling. | Tårnet er ved at revne og smuldre. |
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