Breakdown of Jeg er spændt på resultatet.
jeg
I
resultatet
the result
være spændt på
to be excited about, curious about
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Danish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Jeg er spændt på resultatet.
Why does the sentence use på after spændt?
In Danish, the adjective spændt (excited or anxious) is heavily tied to the preposition på when you are excited about or for something. Prepositions rarely translate word-for-word, so it is highly recommended to learn spændt på as a fixed pair.
The translation says "excited to see", but there are no words for "to see" in the Danish sentence. Why?
The Danish sentence literally means "I am excited for the result." In Danish, it is very natural to just be spændt på a noun. In English, it often sounds more natural to add an action like "to see" or "to hear". You could say Jeg er spændt på at se resultatet, but the shorter version is perfectly common and natural.
Could I use begejstret instead of spændt to mean "excited" here?
It would change the meaning. While both translate to "excited", they have different nuances. Spændt implies anticipation or suspense because you do not know the result yet. Begejstret means enthusiastic or thrilled, which you would use after you get a good result!
Does spændt have a more literal meaning?
Yes, spændt literally means "tense" or "tight" (coming from the verb at spænde, meaning to tighten or fasten). When applied to your mood, this "tension" translates to being filled with suspense or eagerly anticipating an outcome.