Word
Hvad enten det regner eller solen skinner, pløjer landmanden marken for sig selv.
Meaning
Whether it rains or the sun shines, the farmer ploughs the field by himself.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Hvad enten det regner eller solen skinner, pløjer landmanden marken for sig selv.
det
it (neuter)
marken
the field
eller
or
regne
to rain
Questions & Answers about Hvad enten det regner eller solen skinner, pløjer landmanden marken for sig selv.
Why do we use hvad enten ... eller here instead of just om for 'whether'?
In Danish, om translates to 'whether' or 'if' in indirect questions (like 'I do not know whether he is coming'). However, when you mean 'regardless of whether X or Y happens', you must use the alternative condition structure hvad enten ... eller.
Why is the word order pløjer landmanden instead of landmanden pløjer?
The entire phrase Hvad enten det regner eller solen skinner acts as a subordinate clause taking up the first position in the sentence. Because Danish strictly follows the V2 (verb-second) rule in main clauses, the main verb pløjer must immediately follow this condition, placing the subject landmanden after the verb.
Why does the sentence use sig in for sig selv rather than ham?
The reflexive pronoun sig refers back to the subject of the same clause, which is landmanden (the farmer). If the sentence said for ham selv, it would mean the farmer is ploughing the field for a different male person.
Could I say af sig selv instead of for sig selv to mean 'by himself'?
No, they have different meanings. for sig selv means 'by himself' in the sense of being alone or keeping to oneself. af sig selv means 'by itself' or 'automatically' without any outside help, which would not make sense for a farmer doing a physical chore.