Word
Den gamle skrædder finder målebåndet for at måle hoften.
Meaning
The old tailor finds the tape measure in order to measure the hip.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Den gamle skrædder finder målebåndet for at måle hoften.
finde
to find
den
the (common, before adjective)
gammel
old
for at
in order to (+ infinitive) / so that (+ clause)
Questions & Answers about Den gamle skrædder finder målebåndet for at måle hoften.
The current lesson is about stating measurements with 'på'. How would we use that structure if the tailor finds the hip is 100 centimeters?
You would use the lesson's pattern and say en hofte på 100 centimeter (a hip of 100 centimeters). While this sentence shows the verb at måle (to measure), you use the preposition på when attaching the final numeric measurement, age, or amount directly to a noun.
Why does the sentence use for at måle instead of just at måle?
For at translates to 'in order to' and expresses the specific purpose behind an action. B2 learners often confuse this with til at, which is used to describe an object's general function (e.g., målebåndet er til at måle med - the tape measure is for measuring). Because the tailor is performing an action with an intention, for at is required here.
Why is the adjective gamle used instead of gammel?
Because it follows the independent definite article Den (The). In Danish, adjectives must take their definite form (usually adding an -e) when preceded by a definite article, possessive pronoun, or demonstrative. The word gammel is slightly irregular, dropping its 'e' and a 'm' to become gamle.
How does the compound noun målebåndet break down?
It is a combination of the infinitive verb at måle (to measure) and the definite noun båndet (the tape or ribbon). Combining an infinitive verb directly with a noun to describe what the object is used for is a very common way to build vocabulary in Danish.