Breakdown of Han sætter sig i lænestolen alligevel.
han
he
i
in
sig
oneself / himself / herself / themselves
sætte
to place (set, cause to sit)
Questions & Answers about Han sætter sig i lænestolen alligevel.
Why does this sentence use sætter sig instead of sidder?
Sidder is intransitive and describes the state of already being seated. Sætter is a transitive verb, meaning it requires an object being placed. To describe the action of sitting down, Danish uses sætter with the reflexive pronoun sig, which literally means he sets himself in the chair.
Why do we use sig here instead of ham?
Sig is the reflexive pronoun for the third person singular. It shows that the subject is performing the action on themselves. If you said Han sætter ham, it would mean he is seating a completely different male person in the chair.
How is the word lænestolen formed?
It is a compound of the verb at læne (to lean) and the definite noun stolen (the chair). So a lænestol is literally a leaning chair, which is how Danish forms the word for an armchair or recliner.
Why is alligevel placed at the very end of the sentence?
Alligevel translates to anyway or nevertheless. Because it modifies the meaning of the whole situation rather than just the verb, it naturally belongs at the very end of the main clause. You could move it to the very front for heavy emphasis (Alligevel sætter han sig...), but placing it at the end is the most standard.