Main clause negation (ikke)

Negation with "ikke"

To make a statement or question negative in Danish, use the word ikke (not).

Unlike English, which often requires helper verbs like "do" or "does" (as in "do not" or "does not"), Danish simply places ikke directly after the verb.

Word Order in Negative Statements

Because of the V2 rule, the verb stays in the second position in a standard main clause. The negation ikke follows immediately after it, taking the third position.

Negation in Questions

The exact same placement rule applies to questions: ikke always goes directly after the verb. If the question starts with a question word like hvem (who), the verb remains in the second position, and ikke follows right behind it.