Breakdown of De mistede tilliden til hinanden.
de
they
til
to (preposition) / for (purpose) / at (an event or occasion) / at (good at something)
miste
to lose (possession)
hinanden
each other
Questions & Answers about De mistede tilliden til hinanden.
Why do we use the definite form tilliden instead of just tillid?
In English, you usually say 'lost trust' without 'the', but Danish often uses the definite article for abstract nouns when they refer to a specific feeling shared by the subjects. They lost the specific trust that existed between them.
Why is the preposition til used here when the English translation says 'in'?
Prepositions rarely translate one-to-one. In Danish, the noun tillid (trust) is strongly paired with the preposition til. You will always see fixed phrases like at have tillid til (to have trust in) and at miste tilliden til (to lose trust in).
How does hinanden work as a prepositional object in this sentence?
When an action or relationship is mutual, Danish uses the reciprocal pronoun hinanden (each other). Here, it acts as the object of the preposition til. Just like in English, the preposition comes right before the pronoun, grouping together at the end of the sentence as til hinanden.
Can I use hverandre instead of hinanden to mean 'each other' here?
You would be understood, but it would sound outdated or very formal. While older grammar rules sometimes preferred hverandre for groups of three or more people, modern Danish uses hinanden almost exclusively for 'each other', regardless of how many people are involved.