Breakdown of Udvalget har besluttet at bygge en ny skole.
en
a / an (common)
have
to have
ny
new
skolen
the school
at
to
bygge
to build
beslutte
to decide (make a decision)
udvalget
the committee
Questions & Answers about Udvalget har besluttet at bygge en ny skole.
Why does the sentence use besluttet here instead of bestemt?
While both verbs translate to "decided", beslutte usually implies a formal, deliberate, or weighed decision-making process, which makes perfect sense for a committee. Bestemme is more often used for everyday personal choices, determining facts, or exercising authority.
What is the literal meaning of udvalget, and how does it differ from komiteen?
Udvalg literally means "out-selection" (from ud + valg). It is typically used for a board or sub-committee whose members are specifically selected from a larger parent group, like a city council, to handle specific tasks. En komite is a more general loanword for a committee.
Why isn't there a comma before at bygge? I thought Danish requires commas before at.
In Danish, you generally place a comma before at when it introduces a full subordinate clause containing its own subject and verb (for example, if the sentence were Udvalget har besluttet, at de vil bygge en ny skole). Because at bygge is simply an infinitive phrase, no comma is used.
Could we use the verb vedtaget in this context instead?
Yes, and it would sound very natural for a committee! At vedtage means "to pass" or "to adopt" a proposal. If the sentence used vedtaget, it would strongly emphasize that the decision to build the school was formally voted on and passed.
Learn Udvalget har besluttet at bygge en ny skole and more in Danish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free