Breakdown of Drengen vil selv bære tasken.
drengen
the boy
tasken
the bag
ville
want to / will
selv
oneself / myself / yourself / etc. (emphatic)
bære
to carry / to wear
Questions & Answers about Drengen vil selv bære tasken.
Why is selv placed between the two verbs?
In Danish main clauses, emphatic words like selv often come right after the first conjugated verb (vil). This gives us the common pattern: modal verb + selv + infinitive verb (bære).
Does selv here mean "himself" or "by himself"?
It can mean both! Depending on the situation, selv shows that the boy insists on being the one to do it ("himself"), or it shows he wants to do it without anyone's help ("by himself").
Why is the verb bære used instead of the present tense bærer?
Because it follows the modal verb vil (wants to). Modal verbs in Danish are followed by the dictionary (infinitive) form of the main verb. So you drop the present tense -r and use bære.
Wait, doesn't vil mean "will"?
It is a classic false friend for English speakers! While vil can sometimes express the future, its most common meaning in Danish is "want to" or "wants to".
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