Questions & Answers about Han besvimer når han ser blod.
Why is når used here instead of da for the English word "when"?
In Danish, når is used for things that happen repeatedly (meaning "whenever") or in the future, while da is strictly for a single event in the past. Because he faints every time he sees blood, this is a recurring event, so når is the correct choice.
If I start the sentence with the phrase Når han ser blod, how does the word order change?
If you start the sentence with the subordinate clause, the main clause must follow the V2 (verb-second) rule. The entire phrase Når han ser blod counts as the first position, so the verb besvimer must come immediately after it, making it: Når han ser blod, besvimer han.
Is besvimer a reflexive verb? Do I need to say han besvimer sig?
No, besvimer (to faint or pass out) is not a reflexive verb in Danish. You simply use the subject and the verb without a reflexive pronoun, just like in English: han besvimer.
Why is there no article before the word blod?
Like in English, mass nouns (uncountable nouns like water, sand, or blood) do not take an indefinite article when speaking generally. You are saying he faints when he sees blood in general, so it is just blod.