Marken ligger ved siden af huset.

the house

Breakdown of Marken ligger ved siden af huset.

• marken: the field
• ligge: to be located
• ved siden af: next to

Questions & Answers about Marken ligger ved siden af huset.

Why do we say Marken (definite form) instead of en mark (indefinite form)?

In Danish, if you want to specify a particular field that both you and the listener already know about, you use the definite form Marken (which literally means the field). The indefinite form en mark (a field) would be used if you're talking about a field in a general sense, without specifying which one.

Why is the verb ligger used here instead of er?

Danish often uses ligger (literally lies) to describe the location or position of something, especially if it is resting or situated. Saying Marken er ved siden af huset (the field is next to the house) wouldn’t be incorrect, but ligger adds the nuance of lying in that location.

Is there a difference between ved siden af and other ways to say "next to"?

Ved siden af is the most common way to say next to or beside in Danish. Other expressions, like tæt på (close to) or nær (near), convey slightly different meanings but are sometimes used in similar contexts. Ved siden af is quite precise for indicating something is directly alongside.

Why do we need af at the end of ved siden af?

The expression ved siden af is a fixed phrase in Danish. Literally, it breaks down into ved (by/at) + siden (the side) + af (of). Together, these words make up the idiomatic phrase for next to/beside, so the af is simply part of that entire phrase rather than carrying a separate meaning on its own.