Questions & Answers about Fuglene flyver fra træerne.
How does the word fuglene break down to mean the birds?
The basic word for a bird is en fugl. To say birds, you add -e to make fugle. To say the birds (definite plural), you add the suffix -ne to the plural form, giving you fuglene.
Why does træerne have an r in the middle, but fuglene does not?
It depends on the basic plural form of the word. The plural of et træ (a tree) is træer (trees), which ends in -r. We add the definite plural suffix -ne directly to that, making træerne. Since the plural of bird (fugle) has no -r, neither does fuglene.
Since the subject is plural, why doesn't the verb flyver change?
Danish verbs are delightfully simple! Unlike English, Danish verbs never change to match who or what is doing the action. You use the exact same present tense form (flyver) whether it is one bird flying or a whole flock.
How do I pronounce the -ne ending on these plural words?
The e at the end of the -ne suffix is pronounced as a soft, relaxed sound, much like the a in the English word about. It sounds roughly like nuh, not like a sharp nee.