Breakdown of Jeg troede at vi skulle planlægge julefrokosten i dag.
jeg
I
vi
we
skulle
to have to / must / to be going to
i dag
today
Questions & Answers about Jeg troede at vi skulle planlægge julefrokosten i dag.
Why is skulle used here instead of just putting the verb in the past tense?
This is an example of the future in the past (fremtid i datid). Because the main verb (troede) is in the past, an action that was expected to happen after that point is expressed with a past-tense modal verb. We use skulle plus the infinitive planlægge to mean 'were supposed to plan'.
Could I use ville instead of skulle in this sentence?
Yes, but it changes the nuance. Skulle implies a prior agreement, schedule, or obligation ('we were supposed to'). Using ville (vi ville planlægge) would mean 'we wanted to plan' or simply state a past intention without the same sense of a set arrangement.
Why use troede for 'thought' instead of tænkte?
In Danish, at tro is used when expressing a belief or assumption that can be either true or false (like assuming the planning was happening today). At tænke is used for the literal act of using your brain to think (like pondering a problem or having a specific thought in your head).
Why does julefrokosten end in -en?
The -en is the definite article attached to the end of the noun, making it 'the Christmas lunch'. Even though it is a long compound word, it takes standard noun endings. Since the speaker is referring to a specific, shared event that both people know about, the definite form is required.