Breakdown of Det gælder om at holde hovedet koldt.
kold
cold
hovedet
the head
holde
to hold, to keep / to take (a break)
det gælder om at
the key is to, it's all about (doing)
Questions & Answers about Det gælder om at holde hovedet koldt.
What does Det gælder om mean here, since gælder normally means applies or is valid?
Det gælder om is a fixed phrase meaning the point is, the key is, or it is a matter of. Even though gælder alone often means applies or is valid, adding om turns it into this very common idiom for expressing what is crucial in a situation.
Why does the sentence use the definite noun hovedet instead of a possessive pronoun like dit (your)?
When referring to body parts, Danish often uses the definite form (the head) instead of a possessive pronoun (your head). This is especially true in general statements or fixed idioms like this one, where it is obvious whose body part is involved.
Why is the adjective koldt spelled with a t at the end?
Koldt describes the state of the noun hovedet, which is a neuter (et) word. Because it acts as a complement describing the head, the adjective must agree with the neuter gender of et hoved, so we add the -t.
The English translation says cool, so could I use køligt instead of koldt?
While køligt does mean cool in a literal sense, the fixed Danish idiom requires koldt (cold). Saying holde hovedet køligt would be perfectly understood but sounds unnatural to a native ear.
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