Breakdown of Han siger undskyld for at have glemt det.
han
he
det
it (neuter)
have
to have
glemme
to forget
sige
to say
at
to
undskyld
sorry; excuse me
for
for (preposition)
Questions & Answers about Han siger undskyld for at have glemt det.
Why does the Danish sentence say siger undskyld instead of using a single verb for "apologizes"?
Danish does have a single verb, undskylde, but the phrase at sige undskyld (literally "to say sorry") is incredibly common in everyday speech. Both are correct, but this phrasing sounds very natural.
Why do we use for at have here instead of a literal translation of "for having"?
Danish does not have an "-ing" form (gerund) that acts like a noun. When a preposition like for is followed by a verb, Danish uses at plus the infinitive. So "for having" becomes for at have.
Could I just say for at glemme det?
If you say for at glemme det, the meaning changes to "in order to forget it." The phrase for at often expresses purpose. By using the perfect infinitive at have glemt, it clearly means you are apologizing for something already done in the past.
Is there another common way to phrase this if I struggle with the perfect infinitive?
Yes! A very common alternative is to use a normal subordinate clause with fordi (because). You could say Han siger undskyld, fordi han har glemt det (He says sorry because he has forgotten it).
Learn Han siger undskyld for at have glemt det and more in Danish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free