Breakdown of Efterhånden som hun modnes, ændrer hendes livssyn sig.
hun
she
hendes
her
sig
oneself / himself / herself / themselves
ændre
to change
Questions & Answers about Efterhånden som hun modnes, ændrer hendes livssyn sig.
Why use efterhånden som instead of just da or når to mean 'as' or 'when'?
The phrase efterhånden som specifically emphasizes a gradual, ongoing process (literally 'gradually as'). Using når (when) would lose this sense of continuous development and make it sound more like a sudden event or a general condition.
Why does the verb modnes end in an -s? Is she being matured by someone else?
No, it has an active meaning here. At modnes (to mature or ripen) is an s-verb (often called a deponent verb). This means it always ends in -s but functions as an active verb rather than a passive one.
Why are the verb and subject swapped in the second half of the sentence (ændrer hendes livssyn)?
This happens because of the V2 (verb-second) rule. The entire first part of the sentence (Efterhånden som hun modnes) acts as a subordinate clause taking up position one. To keep the main sentence's verb in the second position, ændrer must come right after the comma, pushing the subject (hendes livssyn) into the third position.
What is the purpose of sig at the very end of the sentence?
In Danish, the verb at ændre typically means to change something else. When a subject undergoes a change itself, you must use the reflexive form at ændre sig. Since the subject here (hendes livssyn) is third-person, the correct reflexive pronoun is sig.