Breakdown of ”Vi glæder os til premieren,” udtaler stjernen på den røde løber.
vi
we
rød
red
den
the (common, before adjective)
på
on / at / in (a language) / of (after nouns like end or start)
Questions & Answers about ”Vi glæder os til premieren,” udtaler stjernen på den røde løber.
Why does the sentence say udtaler stjernen instead of stjernen udtaler?
In Danish, the V2 (verb-second) rule applies even when a direct quote comes first. The entire quote ”Vi glæder os til premieren” acts as the first element of the main sentence. Therefore, the reporting verb (udtaler) must be the second element, coming right before the subject (stjernen).
Why use udtaler here instead of just siger?
While siger simply means 'says', udtaler translates closer to 'states' or 'expresses'. It implies a formal or public statement made to the media, which fits perfectly for a celebrity giving an interview on the red carpet.
Why do we need os after glæder?
The phrase at glæde sig til is a fixed reflexive verb meaning 'to look forward to'. Since the subject is vi, the matching reflexive pronoun is os. Without a reflexive pronoun, the verb at glæde just means 'to please' or 'to make someone happy'.
Is til always the preposition used with at glæde sig?
Yes, when you mean 'looking forward to' a future event, you always pair it with til. If you instead use over, as in at glæde sig over, the meaning changes to 'being happy about' or 'appreciating' something that has already happened or is currently true.