Word
Han har begået en forbrydelse.
Meaning
He has committed a crime.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about Han har begået en forbrydelse.
Since at gå (to walk) often uses er in the present perfect, why does begået use har?
Even though begå is built on the verb gå, it is a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object (here, en forbrydelse). In Danish, verbs that take an object always use har as their auxiliary verb, whereas er is reserved for intransitive verbs of motion or change of state.
What is the past tense of at begå?
It follows the exact same irregular pattern as its root verb at gå. It becomes begår in the present, begik in the past, and har begået in the present perfect.
Besides a crime, what other common things do you begå in Danish?
Just like in English, it is used for negative actions or misdeeds. A very common phrase is at begå en fejl. Notice that English speakers say to make a mistake, but in Danish you must commit a mistake.
Is the word forbrydelse connected to the Danish verb for breaking?
Yes. The core of the noun is the verb at bryde (to break). The prefix for- often gives a word a negative twist or implies doing something wrongly. A forbrydelse is essentially a wrongful breaking of the rules or the law.