Questions & Answers about Han forventer at finde viljestyrke og disciplin.
Why does this sentence use the infinitive at finde instead of a full clause like at han finder?
Because the subject of the main verb (Han) is the exact same person doing the finding. In Danish, when the subject of the main clause and the dependent clause is the same, you should use an at-infinitive (at finde) rather than a full at-clause (at han finder). This is known as the subject co-reference constraint.
How would the sentence change if he expected someone else to find willpower and discipline?
If the subjects were different, you could not use the infinitive. You would be forced to use a full clause. For example, if he expected her to find it, the sentence would be Han forventer, at hun finder viljestyrke og disciplin. You only use the shorter infinitive phrase when the subjects match.
How is the compound word viljestyrke formed, and how do I know its gender?
It is made by combining vilje (will) and styrke (strength). In Danish compound nouns, the grammatical gender is always determined by the final word in the compound. Since styrke is a common-gender word (en styrke), the combined word is en viljestyrke.
Is disciplin pronounced with the same stress as in English?
No, while the 'sc' is pronounced as an 's' sound like in English, the stress pattern is different. In Danish, the stress in disciplin falls heavily on the final syllable (-plin), whereas in English the stress is typically on the first syllable.