Word
Forfatteren hævder at opvæksten var faktisk meget hård.
Meaning
The author claims that the upbringing was actually very hard.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Forfatteren hævder at opvæksten var faktisk meget hård.
være
to be
faktisk
actually
at
that
meget
very; much, a lot
Questions & Answers about Forfatteren hævder at opvæksten var faktisk meget hård.
Why is the word order var faktisk instead of faktisk var in the at-clause?
Normally, subordinate clauses in Danish put central adverbs like faktisk before the verb. However, after verbs of saying or thinking like hævder (claims), the at-clause can optionally use main clause word order. This is called an assertive at-clause, and it follows the V2 rule where the verb comes second, placing var before faktisk.
Could I still use the standard subordinate clause word order here?
Yes, you can absolutely say ... at opvæksten faktisk var meget hård. Using the standard word order is always grammatically correct. Choosing the main clause word order just adds a bit more focus to the statement, making it sound almost like a direct quote of the author's claim.
What kind of verbs allow this special word order in the at-clause?
Verbs that express a statement, belief, or realization allow this exception. Common examples include siger (says), mener (thinks/opines), tror (believes), påstår (claims), and ved (knows). Because these verbs introduce a strong assertion, the following clause is allowed to stand on its own feet structurally.
Why is it hård and not hårdt?