Word
Samfundet skal hjælpe den enkelte.
Meaning
Society has to help the individual.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Samfundet skal hjælpe den enkelte.
hjælpe
to help
skulle
to have to / must / to be going to
samfundet
the society
den enkelte
the individual (each single person)
Questions & Answers about Samfundet skal hjælpe den enkelte.
Why is samfundet in the definite form when the English translation just says 'Society'?
In Danish, nouns referring to broad concepts or institutions in a general sense usually take the definite form. While English says 'Society', Danish requires the definite suffix in samfundet. You will also see this with other general concepts like naturen (nature) or livet (life).
Could I use bør instead of skal in this sentence?
You could, but it changes the tone. Skal translates to 'must' or 'has to', indicating a strong obligation or a strict political demand. If you use bør (ought to or should), it softens the sentence into a moral recommendation rather than an absolute requirement.
How does den enkelte work grammatically to mean 'the individual'?
The word enkelte is actually the adjective enkelt (single or individual) functioning as a noun. Because it is preceded by the definite article den, it takes the definite adjective ending -e. Using an adjective as a noun is a common Danish way to refer to a specific type of person.
Why not just use the noun individet instead of den enkelte?
You absolutely can use individet, and it is grammatically correct. However, den enkelte is highly idiomatic in Danish sociology and politics. It is the standard phrase used when contrasting a single person with the broader community (fællesskabet) or society (samfundet).