Breakdown of Kjolen så smuk ud på skærmen, men pasformen var alt for dårlig i virkeligheden.
være
to be
i
in
dårlig
bad
kjolen
the dress
på
on / at / in (a language) / of (after nouns like end or start)
men
but
skærmen
the screen
smuk
beautiful
alt for
far too, much too
se ud
to look (appear)
virkeligheden
the reality
pasformen
the fit
Questions & Answers about Kjolen så smuk ud på skærmen, men pasformen var alt for dårlig i virkeligheden.
How does alt for change the meaning compared to just using for dårlig?
While for dårlig just means too bad, adding alt intensifies the phrase to mean way too bad or far too bad. Notice that alt for is a fixed intensifier that never changes its form, but the adjective following it (dårlig) still has to agree with the noun it describes, which in this case is the common-gender singular noun pasformen.
Why is the adjective smuk placed between så and ud?
To look or to appear is expressed with the phrasal verb at se ud. In a Danish main clause, the adjective describing the appearance is placed right between the conjugated verb (så) and the particle (ud). You will often see this sandwich structure with at se ud.
Why is virkeligheden in the definite form when English just says in reality?
In Danish, abstract concepts and general domains often take the definite suffix where English uses a bare noun. The phrase i virkeligheden is a very common fixed expression meaning in reality or in actual fact, and it always uses the definite -en ending.
How is the noun pasformen constructed?
It is a compound noun made from the verb root pas- (from at passe, meaning to fit) and the definite noun formen (the shape or the form). Together, they create the word for the fit of a piece of clothing.
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