Breakdown of Hun kan ikke lide usikkerheden om fremtiden.
hun
she
ikke
not
kunne lide
to like
om
about (concerning)
fremtiden
the future
usikkerheden
the uncertainty
Questions & Answers about Hun kan ikke lide usikkerheden om fremtiden.
How could I rewrite this using the abstract 'det + adjective + ved' structure from this lesson?
You could say Hun kan ikke lide det usikre ved fremtiden. Instead of using the definite noun usikkerheden (the uncertainty), you use the abstract structure det usikre (the uncertain thing), and the preposition changes from om to ved.
Why do we use om here for 'about', and does the preposition change if we use the abstract structure?
The word om is the standard preposition for 'about' a topic, which pairs perfectly with the noun usikkerheden. However, if you use the abstract phrase det usikre, you must use ved instead, because Danish phrasing requires us to say 'the uncertain thing by' something (det usikre ved fremtiden).
A quick refresher: why do we say kan ikke lide instead of just using a present tense verb for 'likes'?
In Danish, the verb at lide means 'to like' only when it is paired with the modal verb at kunne (can). Literally, this phrase translates to 'She can not like', which is the standard Danish way to express 'She does not like'.
How is the noun usikkerheden constructed?
The root is the adjective sikker (certain). Adding the prefix u- makes it usikker (uncertain), and the suffix -hed turns it into the noun usikkerhed (uncertainty). Finally, adding -en makes it definite: usikkerheden (the uncertainty).
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