Questions & Answers about Det passer ikke!
Why use passer instead of a word like sandt for "true"?
While you can say Det er ikke sandt! (That is not true!), Det passer ikke! is the most natural and frequent way to say "That's not right" or "That's a lie" in everyday conversational Danish. The verb at passe literally means "to fit," but here it means "to be correct."
Can I use the positive version, Det passer!, to say "That's true!"?
Yes, absolutely. If someone makes a statement and you want to confirm it, you can simply reply with Det passer! or Ja, det passer. It works perfectly as the exact opposite of this sentence.
What are some other common ways I will see the verb passe used?
At passe is a very versatile verb. Aside from meaning "to be correct," it commonly means "to fit" (like clothes: skoene passer). You will also see it paired with prepositions, such as at passe på (to take care of / to watch out) or at passe børn (to babysit / to look after children).
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