Breakdown of De skændes jo nok om arven alligevel.
de
they
om
about (concerning)
skændes
to argue
jo
you know (modal particle, shared knowledge)
Questions & Answers about De skændes jo nok om arven alligevel.
How do the modal particles jo and nok work together in this sentence?
Individually, jo implies an obvious fact or something the listener already knows, while nok adds a layer of assumption or probability. Clustered together as jo nok, they create a nuanced attitude: it translates to something like 'as we can both probably guess' or 'it is highly likely, and we both know it.'
Why are jo and nok placed in this specific order?
In Danish, when clustering modal particles, there is a natural hierarchy. Jo almost always comes first because it establishes the baseline attitude of shared knowledge. Other particles like nok, vel, or da follow it to add specific nuances like probability or doubt. They both sit right after the finite verb skændes because they are central adverbs in a main clause.
Why does the verb skændes end in an -s? Is it passive?
No, it is not passive here. Skændes is a reciprocal s-verb, which means it describes an action two or more people do to each other. Even though it has the -s ending that is often used for the passive voice, it has an active meaning: 'to argue with each other'. You do not need to add a word like hinanden (each other) because the verb itself already covers it.
Could we put alligevel at the beginning of the sentence instead?