Negating Infinitives
To negate an infinitive, Danish places ikke directly before the infinitive marker at, similar to the English "not to". The structure is always ikke at + [infinitive verb].
| I promise not to forget to fasten the helmet. | Jeg lover ikke at glemme at spænde hjelmen. |
| It is important not to break the speed limit. | Det er vigtigt ikke at overtræde fartgrænsen. |
| She tries not to lose attention. | Hun prøver ikke at miste opmærksomheden. |
Connecting Positive and Negative Actions
When connecting phrases with conjunctions like og (and) or både... og (both... and), use at for the positive action and ikke at for the negative action.
| We ask you to fasten the seatbelt and not to distract the driver. | Vi beder jer om at spænde sikkerhedsselen og ikke at distrahere chaufføren. |
| The boy promises both to wait and not to cross the road. | Drengen lover både at vente og ikke at krydse vejen. |
| It is wise to use the safety equipment and not to work alone. | Det er klogt at bruge sikkerhedsudstyret og ikke at arbejde alene. |
Expressing Purpose: In Order Not To
To express "in order not to", place ikke in the middle of the phrase for at ("in order to"), creating for ikke at.
| She reads the instruction in order not to break the rule. | Hun læser instruktionen for ikke at overtræde reglen. |
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