Vi undgår standbyforbruget ved at slukke helt for elapparatet.

Undgår is the present tense of at undgå (to avoid).

In Danish, the present tense is usually formed by adding -r to the infinitive:

• at undgå = to avoid
• undgår = avoid / are avoiding

So Vi undgår ... means We avoid ...

Unlike English, Danish verbs do not change for person:

• jeg undgår
• du undgår
• vi undgår

They all use the same present-tense form.

Danish very often combines nouns into one compound word.

standbyforbruget can be broken down like this:

• standby = standby
• forbrug = consumption / power use
• -et = the

So:

• standbyforbrug = standby consumption / standby power use
• standbyforbruget = the standby consumption

This kind of compound noun is extremely common in Danish. English often writes these as two or more words, but Danish usually joins them into one.

The ending -et is the definite article attached to the noun.

In Danish, instead of putting the before the noun, you often add it to the end:

• et forbrug = a consumption / a usage
• forbruget = the consumption

Because standbyforbrug is a neuter noun, the definite singular ending is -et.

So standbyforbruget literally means the standby consumption.

Ved at is a common way to express by doing something.

So:

• ved at slukke ... = by switching off ...

This pattern is:

• ved at + infinitive

Examples:

• Man lærer ved at øve sig. = You learn by practicing.
• Han sparede penge ved at cykle. = He saved money by cycling.

In your sentence, ved at slukke helt for elapparatet explains how the standby consumption is avoided.

The verb slukke often takes for when talking about turning off electricity, lights, appliances, etc.

So:

• slukke for lyset = turn off the light
• slukke for fjernsynet = turn off the television
• slukke for elapparatet = turn off the electrical appliance

This is just the normal verb pattern: slukke for noget.

In this sentence, helt adds the idea of completely, so:

• slukke helt for elapparatet = switch the appliance completely off

Helt means completely or entirely here.

It emphasizes that the appliance is not just left in standby mode, but is fully switched off.

So the difference is roughly:

• slukke for elapparatet = turn off the appliance
• slukke helt for elapparatet = turn the appliance completely off

That fits the idea of avoiding standby power use.

Yes, Danish adverbs can sometimes move around, but some positions sound more natural than others.

In this sentence, slukke helt for elapparatet sounds very natural.

You may also see similar variations in other contexts, but the placement here is good because helt closely modifies the action of switching off.

For a learner, it is safest to remember this chunk as:

• slukke helt for noget

Elapparatet means the electrical appliance/device.

It is another compound noun:

• el = electricity / electrical
• apparat = device / appliance
• -et = the

So:

• et elapparat = an electrical appliance
• elapparatet = the electrical appliance

As with standbyforbruget, Danish prefers one combined word where English might use two.

Because Danish usually marks definiteness by adding an ending to the noun instead of using a separate word.

Compare:

• et elapparat = an electrical appliance

• elapparatet = the electrical appliance

• et forbrug = a consumption / usage
• forbruget = the consumption / usage

This is one of the biggest differences from English. In many ordinary cases, Danish uses a suffixed definite article rather than a separate word like the.

Yes. Standby is a common loanword in Danish, especially in technical or everyday energy-use contexts.

So expressions like these are normal:

• standby
• standbyforbrug
• standbyforbruget

Danish often takes an imported word and combines it with native Danish words in compounds.

Yes. This is the normal word order for a main clause.

The basic pattern is:

• subject + verb

So:

• Vi undgår ... = We avoid ...

After that comes the object:

• standbyforbruget

And then the phrase explaining how:

• ved at slukke helt for elapparatet

So the sentence structure is basically:

• Vi = subject
• undgår = verb
• standbyforbruget = object
• ved at ... = adverbial phrase explaining means

They are different verbs.

• slukke = switch off / extinguish
• lukke = close / shut

Examples:

• slukke lyset = switch off the light
• lukke døren = close the door

So in this sentence, slukke is correct because we are talking about stopping power use, not physically closing something.

Grammatically, elapparatet is singular definite: the appliance.

So the sentence refers to a specific appliance, or to an appliance in a general instructional way where Danish uses the singular.

This is very common in explanatory or instructional language. English can do something similar:

• We avoid standby consumption by switching the appliance off completely.

So even though it is singular, the sentence may still express a general principle.