Breakdown of Han hjælper mig med dansk, og til gengæld hjælper jeg ham med engelsk.
jeg
I
han
he
og
and
dansk
Danish
Questions & Answers about Han hjælper mig med dansk, og til gengæld hjælper jeg ham med engelsk.
Why is the word order inverted to hjælper jeg in the second half of the sentence?
Danish is a V2 (verb-second) language, meaning the verb must be the second element in a main clause. After the conjunction og, the phrase til gengæld (in return) takes the first position in that clause. Therefore, the verb hjælper must come immediately after it, pushing the subject jeg to the third position.
How exactly is til gengæld used here?
It translates to 'in return' or 'in exchange'. The noun en gengæld means a return or repayment. It is a very common phrase used when making a trade-off or contrasting two things, similar to saying 'on the other hand'.
Why are the words dansk and engelsk written in lowercase?
Unlike in English, Danish nouns and adjectives for languages, nationalities, and days of the week are never capitalized unless they happen to be the first word of a sentence.
Is the preposition med always used when helping someone 'with' something?
Yes, the phrase at hjælpe en med noget (to help someone with something) is standard in Danish. It matches the English structure perfectly, whether you are helping with a language, a chore, or a project.