The Prepositions 'i' and 'på'
Describing where something is located in Danish usually comes down to choosing between the two most common prepositions of position: i and på.
As a general rule, i means "in" (inside a container or an enclosed space), and på means "on" (on a surface).
You will also notice that Danish frequently uses the verb at ligge (to lie) for things that are resting horizontally, rather than just saying that they "are" there.
Institutions and Public Places
When talking about public buildings and institutions, Danish often prefers på where English might use "at" or "in". For example, you use på with biblioteket (the library) and hospitalet (the hospital).
Rooms and Standing Objects
Most rooms in a house use the preposition i, such as i stuen (in the living room) or i køkkenet (in the kitchen). However, badeværelset (the bathroom) is a common exception; in Danish, you say på badeværelset.
For objects that are upright or have a base, and for people who are on their feet, Danish uses the verb at stå (to stand) instead of "to be".
Open Spaces and Combinations
Open city spaces also take på, such as på torvet (on the square). Once you know the correct prepositions, you can easily string them together to specify exactly where something is situated!
