Breakdown of Han fik et job efter at have søgt arbejde i et år.
han
he
et
a / an (neuter)
i
in
have
to have
året
the year
jobbet
the job
at
to
få
to get, to receive / to have (children)
efter
after
søge arbejde
to look for work
Questions & Answers about Han fik et job efter at have søgt arbejde i et år.
Why is the preposition i used to translate the English word for in i et år?
In Danish, when you express the duration of an action (how long something lasts), you use the preposition i. English speakers are often tempted to use the Danish word for, but in time expressions, for is usually used to mean ago, as in for et år siden.
What is the difference between et job and arbejde in this sentence?
Et job is a countable noun meaning a specific position. Arbejde translates closely to the uncountable concept of work or employment. He got a specific position (et job) after looking for general work (arbejde).
Why is there an at in efter at have søgt?
When a Danish preposition like efter is followed directly by a verb in its dictionary form (the infinitive), you must include the infinitive marker at. Here, at connects efter to the helper verb have.
Could I use a normal clause like efter han havde søgt instead of efter at have søgt?
Yes, you absolutely can! Saying efter han havde søgt (after he had looked) is grammatically correct and very common. Using efter at have søgt (after having looked) is just a slightly more concise way to express the exact same timeline.
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