Questions & Answers about Jeg viser Dem dokumentet på skærmen.
Why is Dem capitalized, and what does it mean here?
Dem is the formal/polite object form of De (you in a polite or respectful sense).
So in this sentence, Dem means you.
It is capitalized because traditional Danish spelling often capitalizes the formal pronouns De, Dem, Deres to distinguish them from other words and to mark politeness. In modern Danish, this style is less common than it used to be, but you will still see it, especially in formal writing or older-style polite language.
In everyday speech, most Danes would usually say dig instead:
- Jeg viser dig dokumentet på skærmen. = I’m showing you the document on the screen.
Is Dem still common in modern Danish?
Not very common in everyday conversation.
Modern spoken Danish usually uses du/dig even with strangers, customers, teachers, and so on. Using De/Dem can sound:
- very formal
- old-fashioned
- extra respectful
- sometimes distant
So this sentence has a distinctly formal tone.
Why is it viser and not some other form of the verb?