At a bustling outdoor spice market, you will encounter exotic sights and aromas.
| We have arrived at the market to buy an exotic spice. | Vi er ankommet til markedet for at købe et eksotisk krydderi. |
Present Participles as Intensifiers
In Danish, present participles end in -ende (equivalent to English "-ing"). Besides functioning as adjectives, they are frequently used as degree intensifiers for other adjectives.
When acting as an intensifier, the participle sits directly before the adjective. Because it functions as an adverb here, it never changes its ending to match the noun.
For example, the verb blænde (to dazzle) becomes the participle blændende, which perfectly intensifies adjectives like farverig (colorful) or flot (beautiful).
| The many spices in the stalls are dazzlingly colorful. | De mange krydderier i boderne er blændende farverige. |
| The sacks at the market are dazzlingly beautiful. | Sækkene på markedet er blændende flotte. |
Sensory Intensifiers
Danish often pairs specific participles with certain adjectives to create vivid, established expressions.
rygende (smoking) is used with varm (hot) to mean "piping hot":
| The exotic curry in here is piping hot. | Den eksotiske karry herinde er rygende varm. |
brændende (burning) intensifies stærk (strong) for tastes and aromas:
| The aroma of the red pepper is burningly strong. | Duften af det røde peber er brændende stærk. |
skrigende (screaming) describes loud or extremely bright colors:
| The sack is screamingly yellow. | Sækken er skrigende gul. |
hvinende (squealing) is almost exclusively paired with sød (sweet) for scents or flavors so sugary they are almost piercing:
| The woman sells cinnamon with a piercingly sweet aroma. | Kvinden sælger kanel med en hvinende sød duft. |
| The cook thinks that the cake with cinnamon is piercingly sweet. | Kokken synes at kagen med kanel er hvinende sød. |