Word
Drengen lægger mappen på skrivebordet og mumler noget mærkeligt for sig selv.
Meaning
The boy puts the folder on the desk and mumbles something weird to himself.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Drengen lægger mappen på skrivebordet og mumler noget mærkeligt for sig selv.
og
and
drengen
the boy
skrivebordet
the desk
mappen
the folder
Questions & Answers about Drengen lægger mappen på skrivebordet og mumler noget mærkeligt for sig selv.
Why do we use for in for sig selv when the English translation is 'to himself'?
In Danish, the phrase for sig selv (literally 'for himself') is a fixed expression used when someone is doing something privately, in isolation, or under their breath. So, mumbling 'to yourself' or keeping a secret 'to yourself' uses for rather than til.
What does selv add to the phrase for sig?
Adding selv emphasizes the isolation of the action. While sig simply reflects back to the subject ('himself'), pairing it with selv in for sig selv strongly highlights that the boy is doing this action completely alone and not directing his mumbling at anyone else.
Why is the verb lægger used here instead of ligger?
This is a classic pair that often tricks learners. Lægger means 'puts' or 'lays' and requires a direct object because it describes a movement or action (he is physically moving mappen). Ligger describes a stationary state, which would be used if the folder was already resting on the desk.
Why does the adjective mærkeligt end with a -t in this sentence?