Questions & Answers about Vi lærer at danse.
Why do we use at before danse?
at is the infinitive marker in Danish, exactly like the word "to" in the English phrase "to dance". You use it before the base form of a verb (the infinitive) when it is connected to an action like lærer (learning).
Why does danse end in -e instead of -er like other verbs we've seen?
Because it is in the infinitive (dictionary) form. The main verb of the sentence, lærer (are learning), is in the present tense and gets the -er ending. The second verb follows at (to), so it stays in its base form, danse.
How do you pronounce the word at in this sentence?
Even though it is spelled at, the t is silent! It is simply pronounced like a short, soft "ah" sound (similar to the "a" in the English word "about").
The English translation says "are learning". Why don't we need extra words for "are" and "-ing"?
Danish does not have a continuous tense (like "are doing" or "is learning"). The single present tense word lærer covers both "learn" and "are learning".