Breakdown of Han virker meget venlig.
han
he
meget
very; much, a lot
venlig
friendly
virke
to seem; to work (of a machine)
Questions & Answers about Han virker meget venlig.
I thought virker meant "works". Why does it mean "seems" here?
The verb at virke has two very common meanings in Danish. It can mean "to work" or "to function" (like a machine or a plan), but it also means "to seem" or "to appear". In this sentence, because it describes an impression of a person, "seems" is the correct meaning.
Could I use synes instead of virker to say "seems"?
Not directly in this structure. Synes means "think" or "have the opinion that" based on personal experience. For example, Jeg synes, han er venlig means "I think he is friendly". Virker is used when someone gives off a certain impression, exactly like "seems" or "appears" in English.
Why is it venlig and not venligt or venlige?
Adjectives in Danish must match the noun or pronoun they describe. Since han (he) represents a singular person (which takes the common gender, like en words), the basic form venlig is used. If you were describing a neuter noun, you would add a -t, and for plural subjects (like "they"), you would add an -e to make it venlige.
Do I pronounce the "g" at the end of venlig?
No, the g is completely silent. The ending -lig in Danish is very common (it is related to the English ending "-ly") and is pronounced like an "ee" sound. So, venlig sounds more like "ven-lee".
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