Breakdown of Agenten ankommer til basen i aften for at vi kan planlægge missionen.
vi
we
kunne
to be able to / can
til
to (preposition) / for (purpose) / at (an event or occasion) / at (good at something)
i aften
tonight
Questions & Answers about Agenten ankommer til basen i aften for at vi kan planlægge missionen.
Why is it for at vi kan planlægge and not just for at planlægge?
Because the person doing the action changes. The agent is the one arriving, but we are the ones planning. When the subjects are different, you must use for at meaning 'so that' followed by a full subordinate clause (vi kan planlægge), rather than an infinitive.
How does the word order work in the for at clause?
The phrase for at acts as a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause. This means it follows the standard subordinate word order where central adverbs come before the verb. For example, if you wanted to say 'so that we cannot plan', ikke would go immediately after the subject and before the verb: for at vi ikke kan planlægge.
Why does the sentence use til basen instead of på basen or ved basen for 'at the base'?
In English you arrive 'at' or 'in' a place, but in Danish, the verb ankommer (arrives) pairs with the preposition til (to) when expressing the destination you are traveling towards.
Could I use så at instead of for at here?
Yes, in modern Danish, så at or just så can also be used to mean 'so that' when expressing purpose. However, for at strongly emphasizes the specific intention or goal of the action, which fits perfectly with an agent planning a mission!