Breakdown of Det er kvinden fra stueetagens barnevogn som står i den fælles gang.
være
to be
kvinden
the woman
det
it (neuter)
i
in
fra
from
den
the (common, before adjective)
stå
to stand
som
who, which, that (relative pronoun)
stueetagen
the ground floor
barnevognen
the pram
fælles
shared
gangen
the hallway
Questions & Answers about Det er kvinden fra stueetagens barnevogn som står i den fælles gang.
Why is the possessive -s attached to stueetagens instead of kvinden?
This is the group genitive in action. The pram belongs to the entire phrase kvinden fra stueetagen (the woman from the ground floor). In Danish, just like in English, when a whole group of words possesses something, the possessive -s is added to the very last word of that group.
How is the word stueetagens built?
It combines stue (ground level, or living room) and etage (floor). Since it refers to a specific ground floor, it gets the definite ending -n to make stueetagen. Finally, the group genitive -s is added to the very end.
Why doesn't the adjective fælles get an -e ending after the definite word den?
Normally, adjectives take an -e ending when used with a definite article like den. However, Danish adjectives that naturally end in -s, such as fælles (shared or common), are exceptions. They never change their form to match gender, number, or definiteness.
Why does the Danish sentence use står instead of a direct translation for the English word is?
Danish prefers to be specific about an object's physical position. Because a pram rests on its wheels and has an upright stance, Danish uses står (stands) rather than a simple verb for being. If you were talking about a flat object resting on the ground, you would use ligger (lies) instead.
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