The Conjunction "Since" (siden)
To express that a situation started in the past and continues into the present, use the time conjunction siden (since). Just like in English, it bridges a past event with an ongoing reality, and it acts as a subordinating conjunction that introduces a dependent clause.
Main Clause First
Most commonly, you will start your sentence with the main clause (typically using the present perfect tense, such as "has changed" or "has become") and follow it with the siden clause.
| The neighborhood has changed a lot since we moved in. | Kvarteret har forandret sig meget siden vi flyttede ind. |
| The local community has become strong since the school opened. | Lokalsamfundet er blevet stærkt siden skolen åbnede. |
Starting with the "Siden" Clause
You can also put the siden clause at the very beginning of the sentence to emphasize when things changed.
When you do this, you must apply the V2 rule of Danish word order. The verb must be the second element in a main sentence. Because the entire siden clause counts as the first element, the main clause that follows must invert its subject and verb (verb first, then subject).
| Since the grocer painted the facade, it has looked new. | Siden købmanden malede facaden, har den set ny ud. |
| Since the butcher closed, the shop has become a café. | Siden slagteren lukkede, er butikken blevet en café. |
Tracking Neighborhood Changes
As you talk about local developments, from cobblestones to cafes, siden is the perfect tool to describe how your surroundings have evolved over the years.
| Have you followed the development since they started the construction? | Har I fulgt udviklingen siden de begyndte byggeriet? |
| He has followed the development since he moved into the neighborhood. | Han har fulgt udviklingen siden han flyttede ind i kvarteret. |