Jeg drikker en vin til maden.

I drink a wine with the meal.

Breakdown of Jeg drikker en vin til maden.

• jeg: I
• en: a
• drikke: to drink
• vinen: the wine
• maden: the meal

Questions & Answers about Jeg drikker en vin til maden.

Why does the sentence use en vin instead of just vin?

In Danish, we often use the indefinite article en or et to indicate a single, countable item. Saying en vin emphasizes that it is one specific glass (or bottle) of wine rather than wine in general. If you said Jeg drikker vin, it would sound more like you're talking about drinking wine in general (without focusing on a specific portion).

Does en vin refer strictly to one glass or bottle, or can it be more general?

Typically, en vin suggests a single unit — often a single glass, but sometimes it can also refer to a single bottle. Nonetheless, in everyday conversation, it’s understood that you’re having wine with your meal. Context usually clarifies how much wine is actually being consumed.

What does til maden mean exactly?

Til maden literally translates to “with the meal” or “for the meal.” In Danish, til can indicate something that accompanies or is served with something else. So in this sentence, til maden tells us you’re having the wine along with the meal, as an accompaniment.

Could we say med maden instead of til maden?

You might sometimes hear med maden, but in Danish, til maden is much more common and idiomatic when talking about having a drink or side dish alongside a meal. Med maden is understandable, but it’s not the usual phrasing and might sound a bit off or too literal.

Is maden always used in the definite form like this when talking about meals?

Yes, when Danes refer to “the meal” in a general sense — like lunch or dinner you’re about to have — they often use the definite form maden (“the food” / “the meal”). If you were talking about food in a general sense, not a particular meal, you might use the indefinite form mad. But in a context like this, it’s normal to say til maden.