Excessive Degree: for ... til at
When you want to express that something is too extreme for a specific outcome—like a bridge being too narrow to cross—Danish uses a structure that closely mirrors English:
for + [adjective] + til at + [infinitive verb]
In this context, for translates to "too" (as in "too big"), and til at connects the adjective to the infinitive verb (acting as the "to" in "to do something").
| How narrow it is! The bridge is too narrow to cross. | Hvor er den smal! Broen er for smal til at krydse. |
| My father is too stiff in the back to dance. | Min far er for stiv i ryggen til at danse. |
Physical Limitations
This pattern is incredibly useful for describing physical limits using adjectives like skrøbelig (fragile) or spinkel (slender). Notice that the adjective still describes the subject of the sentence, while the infinitive verb explains the action that is being prevented.
| Such a glass is too fragile to send. | Sådan et glas er for skrøbeligt til at sende. |
| The girl is too slender to carry such a heavy box. | Pigen er for spinkel til at bære sådan en tung kasse. |
Abstract and Professional Limits
You can apply the exact same structure to abstract ideas, tasks, or professional traits using words like avanceret (advanced), striks (strict), or kvalificeret (qualified).
| What a task! The challenge is too big to solve alone. | Sikke en opgave! Udfordringen er for stor til at løse alene. |
| This machine is too advanced to repair. | Denne maskine er for avanceret til at reparere. |
| The boss is too strict to laugh. | Chefen er for striks til at grine. |
| We are looking for a competent employee, but she is too qualified to get this job. | Vi leder efter en kompetent medarbejder, men hun er for kvalificeret til at få dette job. |