Breakdown of Banken sætter renten op.
banken
the bank
renten
the interest rate
sætte op
to raise (prices); to put up
Questions & Answers about Banken sætter renten op.
Why is the word for interest rate renten? Is it related to paying rent?
No, it is a classic double false friend! En rente strictly means financial interest, such as the rate on a loan or savings account. If you want to talk about paying rent for an apartment, the Danish word is en husleje. Furthermore, if you mean interest as in a hobby or personal curiosity, the word is en interesse.
Could I keep the verb and particle together and say Banken sætter op renten?
No, Danish syntax does not allow that here. When a phrasal verb like at sætte op takes a noun as a direct object, the object must go between the main verb and the short directional word (the particle). It will always be sætter renten op, never sætter op renten.
Are there other verbs I could use instead of sætter op to mean raises?
Yes, a very common and slightly more formal alternative is hæver (from at hæve, meaning to raise or elevate). Saying Banken hæver renten means exactly the same thing and is the standard phrasing you will hear in financial news.
How does Danish distinguish between the bank raises the rate (in general) and the bank is raising the rate (right now)?
It does not do this through the verb form, because Danish lacks a continuous tense. The simple present tense (sætter) is used for both general facts and ongoing actions. You have to rely on context or add an explicit time marker like i øjeblikket (at the moment) to emphasize that the action is currently happening.
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