Word
Forskerne lavede et forsøg med mus.
Meaning
The researchers did an experiment with mice.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Forskerne lavede et forsøg med mus.
et
a / an (neuter)
lave
to make; to do (an activity)
musen
the mouse
med
with; by (bus, train) / of, to (the meaning or point of something)
Questions & Answers about Forskerne lavede et forsøg med mus.
Why do we use lavede here instead of a word like gjorde for "did"?
In Danish, you use at lave (to make or do) in the set phrase at lave et forsøg (to do an experiment). While at gøre also means "to do," it is used more for abstract actions or changes in state, whereas at lave is used when producing a tangible result or carrying out a specific structured activity like a scientific trial.
Does et forsøg mean "an experiment" or "an attempt"?
It can mean both! It comes from the verb at forsøge (to try or attempt). In scientific contexts, et forsøg is the standard word for an experiment or trial (like dyreforsøg for animal testing), though you will also sometimes see the loanword et eksperiment.
What is the singular form of mus, and why doesn't it have a plural ending here?
The singular is en mus. This is a zero-plural noun, meaning the indefinite plural is exactly the same as the singular: mus (mice). You only add an ending when it becomes definite, which would be musene (the mice).
How is the plural definite forskerne formed from the singular en forsker?