Word
De nye studenter synger på gaden.
Meaning
The new graduates are singing in the street.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of De nye studenter synger på gaden.
de
they
ny
new
synge
to sing
på
on / at / in (a language) / of (after nouns like end or start)
Questions & Answers about De nye studenter synger på gaden.
Wait, doesn't studenter just mean "students"?
It's a classic false friend! In Danish, a student (plural studenter) specifically refers to a high school graduate who just passed their final exams (often seen celebrating in traditional white caps). If you are talking about general university or college students, you would use the word studerende.
Why is it De nye here instead of just nye?
Because the phrase is definite ("the new graduates"). When a definite noun has an adjective attached to it, Danish requires a standalone definite article in front. For plural nouns, that article is De. The adjective also takes the plural -e ending, giving us De nye studenter.
The English translation says "are singing". Why isn't there a word for "are" in the Danish sentence?
Danish doesn't have a direct equivalent to the English continuous tense (like "are singing" or "is doing"). The simple present tense synger covers both "sing" generally and "are singing" right now. The context usually makes it clear which one is meant.
Why does Danish use på gaden instead of i gaden for "in the street"?
Prepositions rarely translate perfectly word-for-word. In Danish, you conceptually think of being physically on top of the street's surface, so you say på gaden (literally "on the street") rather than using i (in).