Emphasizing the Direct Object
To emphasize what you are talking about rather than who is doing the action, move the object to the front of the sentence. This is especially useful when contrasting topics, like highlighting specific food allergies or dietary restrictions.
When you move the object to the front, follow the V2 rule. The verb must be the second element in the sentence, pushing the subject to the third position. This creates an Object - Verb - Subject word order.
| Object (Position 1) | Verb (Position 2) | Subject (Position 3) | Rest of sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allergien | kender | lægen | nok. |
| Nødderne | kan | pigen | ikke tåle på grund af allergien. |
| The allergy, the doctor probably knows. | Allergien kender lægen nok. |
| The nuts, the girl cannot tolerate because of the allergy. | Nødderne kan pigen ikke tåle på grund af allergien. |
| The lactose in the milk, he cannot tolerate. | Laktosen i mælken kan han ikke tåle. |
Emphasizing the Indirect Object
You can also put the indirect object—the receiver of the action, like "the guest" or "the boy"—at the front of the sentence.
The exact same V2 rule applies: the verb stays in the second position, followed immediately by the subject, and then the direct object.
| The guest, we give the shellfish to. | Gæsten giver vi skaldyret. |
| The boy with the allergy, we give the other bread to. | Drengen med allergien giver vi det andet brød. |
Diets and Preferences
This "fronting" structure is extremely common when pointing out what a vegan (veganeren), a vegetarian (vegetaren), or a picky eater (kræsen) will or won't eat.
Notice how the sentence adverb ikke (not) simply falls into place after the subject in these inverted sentences.
| The cheese, the picky boy does not eat. | Osten spiser den kræsne dreng ikke. |
| The vegetarian does not tolerate the lactose, so she changes the diet. | Laktosen tåler vegetaren ikke, så diæten ændrer hun. |