Intet varer evigt.

Intet is an indefinite pronoun here, meaning nothing.

In this sentence, it stands alone as the subject:

• Intet = nothing
• varer = lasts
• evigt = forever / eternally

So intet is not describing a noun; it is itself the noun-like word.

A learner may also meet related forms such as:

• ingen = no / nobody / none
• intet = nothing
• ingenting = nothing

In this sentence, intet is a neat, compact, slightly formal/literary way to say nothing.

Because varer is the present tense of the verb at vare.

• at vare = to last
• varer = lasts / is lasting

Danish present tense is often formed by adding -r to the infinitive:

• at tale → taler
• at bo → bor
• at vare → varer

So:

• Intet varer evigt = Nothing lasts forever

If you used vare, it would be the infinitive form, which does not work here as the main finite verb of the sentence.

Here evigt functions as an adverb, meaning eternally or forever.

It comes from the adjective evig:

• evig = eternal
• evigt = eternally / forever

In Danish, many adverbs are formed from adjectives by adding -t:

• hurtig → hurtigt
• langsom → langsomt
• evig → evigt

So in Intet varer evigt, evigt tells us how something lasts.

Yes, absolutely.

Both are natural:

• Intet varer evigt
• Ingenting varer evigt

The difference is mostly one of style and tone:

• intet can sound a bit more compact, formal, or literary
• ingenting is often more everyday and conversational

Both mean the same thing in this sentence.

Because Danish does not need the kind of do-support that English uses.

In English, we often use do/does/did in negatives and questions:

• Do you know?
• He does not know.

Danish usually forms sentences more directly:

• Han ved det ikke = He does not know it
• Ved du det? = Do you know it?

So in Intet varer evigt, Danish simply uses:

• subject: intet
• verb: varer
• adverb: evigt

There is no extra helper verb like English does.

This sentence uses the normal Danish main-clause order:

• Subject + finite verb + adverbial
• Intet + varer + evigt

That is the most straightforward order.

Danish is a V2 language, which means the finite verb usually comes in the second position in main clauses. So if another element comes first, the subject may move after the verb. For example, with a time expression first, you could get patterns like:

• I dag varer intet evigt = Today nothing lasts forever

But in the basic sentence, Intet varer evigt is the standard order.

Intet behaves as a singular idea, even though in English nothing refers to the absence of all things.

So Danish uses a singular verb form with it:

• Intet varer evigt

That is exactly what you would expect.

Also, Danish verbs do not change form for person and number the way English does very slightly:

• English: I last / he lasts
• Danish: jeg varer / han varer would use the same present form varer if the verb made sense in context

So the verb form stays the same anyway, but intet is understood as a singular pronoun.

A careful approximation is:

• Intet ≈ IN-ted or IN-teð depending on accent and how carefully someone speaks
• varer ≈ VAH-er or VAI-er depending on pronunciation style
• evigt ≈ AY-vit or EYE-vigt

A more important learner point is this:

• Danish pronunciation is often less phonetic than spelling suggests
• final consonants and unstressed syllables may sound softer or reduced
• native pronunciation can vary by region and speaking style

If you want to sound natural, it is best to learn this sentence by listening to native audio rather than relying only on spelling.

Yes, but the nuance changes slightly.

• Intet varer evigt = Nothing lasts forever
• Intet varer for evigt = Nothing lasts forever

Both are possible and natural.

Very broadly:

• evigt is shorter and more idiomatic in this exact proverb-like statement
• for evigt can feel a bit more explicit, like for eternity

So Intet varer evigt is the more elegant, fixed-expression version.

Yes, it is a very recognizable and natural sentence. It works both as:

• a literal statement
• a general truth
• a proverb-like comment

Because it is short and balanced, it sounds quite memorable—much like the English sentence.

It can be used seriously, philosophically, sadly, or even reassuringly depending on context:

• bad times do not last forever
• good things also do not last forever
• everything changes

Yes.

It can be:

1. A pronoun — standing alone

   • Intet varer evigt = Nothing lasts forever

2. An adjective/determiner — before a noun

   • intet problem = no problem
   • intet håb = no hope

So the same word can either stand by itself or come before a noun, depending on the sentence.

Because the negation is already built into intet.

• intet already means nothing
• so you do not need ikke

Compare:

• Intet varer evigt = Nothing lasts forever
• Det varer ikke evigt = It does not last forever

In the first sentence, the negative idea is contained in the subject intet.
In the second, the subject is det, so the separate negative word ikke is needed.

Yes, you may hear that in speech:

• Ikke noget varer evigt

It is understandable and colloquial, but compared with the original sentence:

• Intet varer evigt sounds cleaner and more elegant
• Ingenting varer evigt sounds very natural and common
• Ikke noget varer evigt sounds more conversational and less polished

So if you are learning this sentence as a set phrase, Intet varer evigt is an excellent version to remember.