Breakdown of Han dumpede til eksamen.
han
he
til
to (preposition) / for (purpose) / at (an event or occasion) / at (good at something)
eksamenen
the exam
dumpe
to fail (an exam)
Questions & Answers about Han dumpede til eksamen.
"Dumpede" looks like the English word "dumped". Is it a false friend here?
Yes, in an educational context, at dumpe means to fail a test or class. If you want to say he passed the exam, you would use the verb at bestå instead.
Why do we use the preposition til instead of i or på?
In Danish, til is used when you are attending an organized event or occasion. An exam is treated as an event you attend, just like til fest (at a party) or til bryllup (at a wedding).
Why is there no article on eksamen? Shouldn't it be eksamenen (the exam)?
You will often see Danish drop the definite article in set phrases about general events or institutions. Til eksamen functions like the English phrases "at school" or "in court," treating the exam as a general activity rather than focusing on a specific test paper.
Can I drop til and just say Han dumpede eksamenen?
Yes, you can! Both han dumpede til eksamen and han dumpede eksamenen are commonly used. Using til simply frames the exam slightly more as an event that he attended and failed at.