"Om" vs. "Hvis"
While hvis translates to "if" for conditional statements (e.g., "If it rains..."), you must use the subordinating conjunction om ("if" or "whether") for indirect yes/no questions. These usually follow phrases like "I don't know," "Did she ask," or "I wonder."
| Did she ask if you knew the secret? | Spurgte hun om du kendte hemmeligheden? |
| We do not know if the thief had hidden the treasure. | Vi ved ikke om tyven havde skjult skatten. |
Expressing Uncertainty
Indirect questions with om are used to express uncertainty or guessing. You will frequently see om paired with verbs like at gætte (to guess) or the phrase at tvivle på (to doubt).
| Can you guess if the mystery is dangerous? | Kan du gætte om mysteriet er farligt? |
| I doubt whether the story is fake. | Jeg tvivler på om historien er falsk. |
Wondering
To say "to wonder" in Danish, use the reflexive verb phrase at undre sig over, often followed by an om clause.
| He wonders if the mystery has a solution. | Han undrer sig over om mysteriet har en løsning. |
| The girl wondered if the ghost had lived in the castle. | Pigen undrede sig over om spøgelset havde boet på slottet. |
| I would like to know if you are hiding the evidence. | Jeg vil gerne vide om du skjuler beviset. |
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