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Manden tilsætter altid ekstra peber til sin karry.

Manden tilsætter altid ekstra peber til sin karry.
The man always adds extra pepper to his curry.
From Lesson 396:Participle intensifiers·Danish

Questions & Answers about Manden tilsætter altid ekstra peber til sin karry.

Why use tilsætter here instead of tilføjer?
Both verbs mean 'adds', but they are used in different contexts. Tilsætter is specifically used when adding a physical ingredient to a mixture, like spices to a dish or sugar to a cake. Tilføjer is used when adding something abstract, like a comment to a conversation or an extra point to a text.
Why does altid come directly after the verb tilsætter?
In a Danish main clause, the conjugated verb must be in the second position (the V2 rule). Central adverbs like altid (always), aldrig (never), or ikke (not) are placed immediately after this conjugated verb. If this were a subordinate clause, altid would jump in front of the verb.
What would it mean if the sentence used hans instead of sin?
If the sentence said til hans karry, it would mean the man is adding pepper to some other man's curry. Sin is a reflexive possessive pronoun that points back to the subject of the third-person clause, clarifying that he is seasoning his own food.
Why isn't there an article attached to peber?
Peber (which is an et-word: et peber, peberet) is used here as an uncountable mass noun. Just like in English, when you are talking about an unspecific amount of a substance rather than an individual item, you drop the article.

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