Breakdown of Min far er for stiv i ryggen til at danse.
være
to be
i
in
min
my
faren
the father
at
to
danse
to dance
til
to (preposition) / for (purpose) / at (an event or occasion) / at (good at something)
for
too
ryggen
the back
stiv
stiff
Questions & Answers about Min far er for stiv i ryggen til at danse.
How do we form the "too stiff to dance" structure in this sentence?
This sentence uses the pattern for + adjective + til at + infinitive. Here, we have for stiv (too stiff) followed by the consequence til at danse (to dance). Notice that in Danish, you must include til at before the infinitive verb in this structure, whereas English just uses the word to.
Why does the sentence say i ryggen (in the back) instead of using a possessive pronoun like i sin ryg (in his back)?
In Danish, when referring to parts of the body, it is very common to use the definite article (the -en or -et ending) instead of a possessive pronoun as long as it is obvious whose body part it is. Since we are talking about min far, it is clear whose back is stiff, so ryggen is the natural, idiomatic choice.
Could I put i ryggen at the end of the sentence?
No, because that would sound like the father is doing a dance inside the back! The phrase i ryggen specifies the adjective stiv, so it needs to stay right next to it. The entire phrase for stiv i ryggen acts as the condition, followed by the consequence til at danse.
Does stiv just mean physically stiff?
Yes, in this sentence stiv is the standard word for physical stiffness in muscles or joints. However, as a fun bonus fact for a B1 learner, stiv is also an extremely common slang word for being completely drunk!
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