Breakdown of Hun var på arbejde. I mellemtiden lavede han mad.
være
to be
han
he
hun
she
i
in
maden
the food
lave
to make; to do (an activity)
på arbejde
at work
mellemtiden
the meantime
Questions & Answers about Hun var på arbejde. I mellemtiden lavede han mad.
Why is the word order lavede han instead of han lavede?
This is due to the V2 (verb-second) rule. The second sentence starts with the time phrase I mellemtiden (in the meantime). Because the verb must be the second main element in a Danish main clause, the verb lavede comes before the subject han.
Why do we use the preposition på in the phrase på arbejde?
In Danish, på arbejde is a fixed expression used when talking about being physically at your job or workplace. While English uses "at", Danish uses på (on) for this specific context.
How exactly does the word mellemtiden translate to "meantime"?
It is a compound word made up of mellem (between) and tiden (the time). So i mellemtiden literally means "in the between-time", which matches the English "in the meantime" perfectly.
Why does the sentence use lavede mad instead of a single specific verb for "cooked"?
The standard way to say "to cook" or "prepare a meal" in Danish is at lave mad, which literally means "to make food". Danish does have the verb at koge, but it specifically means "to boil" (like boiling water or potatoes), not the general act of cooking.
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