Questions & Answers about De bad for de syge i kirken.
What verb is bad the past tense of?
It is the past tense of the irregular verb at bede. While bede often means to ask or request something, in a religious context or when followed by the preposition for, it means to pray.
How would the meaning change if the sentence used om instead of for (De bad om de syge)?
The meaning would change drastically. The phrase at bede om means to ask for or request. Saying De bad om de syge would mean they were literally asking to be handed the sick people, rather than praying on their behalf.
Why is syge used here without a following noun like mennesker (people)?
Just like in English, Danish can turn an adjective into a noun to describe a whole group of people. By using the plural definite article de and adding the plural -e ending to the adjective syg, de syge translates directly to the sick or the sick people.