Breakdown of Hvad skal vi gøre hvis strømmen går?
vi
we
hvad
what
skulle
to have to / must / to be going to
gå
to walk / to go / to go out, to fail (of power)
Questions & Answers about Hvad skal vi gøre hvis strømmen går?
Why is the word order hvis strømmen går and not hvis går strømmen?
Hvis (if) introduces a subordinate clause. In Danish subordinate clauses, the subject always comes right after the conjunction. So we use the normal subject-verb order here: the subject strømmen comes before the verb går.
Doesn't går usually mean 'walk' or 'go'? Why does it mean 'goes out' here?
Yes, at gå generally means to walk or go. However, Danish uses går all by itself to express that electricity stops working or a fuse blows. You just say strømmen går to mean 'the power goes out', without needing to add an extra word for 'out'.
Why is skal translated as 'should' instead of 'must'?
While skal often translates to 'must' for strong obligations, it is also the natural way to ask for advice or directions in Danish. Asking Hvad skal vi gøre? is the exact equivalent of asking 'What should we do?' or 'What shall we do?' in English.
Is a comma required before hvis?
In Danish grammar, placing a comma before a subordinate clause starting with hvis is technically optional, depending on which of the two official Danish comma systems you choose to follow. You will see sentences written both with and without the comma, and both are considered completely correct!