Breakdown of Fjendskabet mellem de to grupper er gammelt.
være
to be
gammel
old
de
the (plural, before adjective)
to
two
gruppen
the group
mellem
between
fjendskabet
the enmity
Questions & Answers about Fjendskabet mellem de to grupper er gammelt.
How is fjendskab formed, and why does the spelling change from its base word?
The base word is en fjende (an enemy). By adding the suffix -skab, it becomes the abstract concept fjendskab (enmity or hostility). Notice that the final -e in fjende is dropped when the suffix is added, which is a standard spelling adjustment in Danish when combining words.
Fjende is an en-word, so why does it become fjendskabet with an -et ending?
Even though the root word fjende is common gender (an en-word), adding the -skab suffix almost always turns the new abstract noun into a neuter word (an et-word). Therefore, the enmity takes the neuter definite ending, becoming fjendskabet. A rare exception to this rule is en egenskab (a characteristic).
Why is the adjective gammelt spelled with a -t at the end here?
The adjective must agree with the noun it describes, which is fjendskabet. Because words ending in -skab are generally neuter (et-words), the adjective takes the neuter form, changing from gammel to gammelt.
Why does the sentence use de to grupper instead of saying to grupperne for the two groups?
In Danish, when a definite noun is modified by a numeral (like to) or an adjective, you cannot use the definite ending on the noun itself. Instead, you must use the free-standing definite article, which is de for plural nouns, followed by the modifier and the base plural noun.
Learn Fjendskabet mellem de to grupper er gammelt and more in Danish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free