Breakdown of Vi ville ikke have misset mellemlandingen hvis flyet ikke havde været forsinket.
være
to be
vi
we
have
to have
ikke
not
Questions & Answers about Vi ville ikke have misset mellemlandingen hvis flyet ikke havde været forsinket.
How is the past unreal conditional formed in this sentence?
It closely mirrors English. The main clause shows what would have happened using ville have (would have) + the past participle misset (missed). The hvis (if) clause describes the condition that didn't happen using the past perfect: havde været (had been).
Why does ikke come before the verb in the second half of the sentence?
This is a strict rule for Danish word order. The second half is a subordinate clause because it starts with hvis (if). In a main clause, central adverbs like ikke come after the first verb (like ville ikke in the first half). But in a subordinate clause, ikke must come before the first verb, resulting in hvis flyet ikke havde været forsinket.
Is misset borrowed from English, and how does it work in Danish?
Yes, Danish borrowed the English word "miss" to create the verb at misse. It conjugates like a normal Danish verb: misser (present), missede (past), and har misset (past participle). Keep in mind that at misse is only used for missing a transport or an opportunity; if you miss a person, you must use the verb at savne.
How do you break down the word mellemlandingen?