Katten ser fuglen i haven.

The cat sees the bird in the garden.

Breakdown of Katten ser fuglen i haven.

• katten: the cat
• i: in
• haven: the garden
• se: to see
• fuglen: the bird

Questions & Answers about Katten ser fuglen i haven.

Why do we say katten, fuglen, and haven instead of using the indefinite forms?

In Danish, the definite article is added as a suffix to the noun:
• kat + -ten = katten (the cat)
• fugl + -en = fuglen (the bird)
• have + -n = haven (the garden)

This is how Danish typically forms the definite version of nouns.

Why is the word order Katten ser fuglen i haven and not something else?

Danish generally follows Subject–Verb–Object order, just like English. So we have:
• Subject: Katten
• Verb: ser
• Object: fuglen
• Prepositional phrase (place): i haven

Although you can sometimes shift elements around for emphasis, this standard order (SVO) is the most common.

Can we use kigger or kigger på instead of ser in this sentence?

Ser usually means sees or watches, while kigger på can mean looks at. In many contexts, kigger på implies a more deliberate action of looking, whereas ser can be more neutral. Both can work, but ser is simpler and directly translates to sees.

Is the preposition i only used for in or inside, or can it have other meanings?

While i often translates to in in this context (i.e., the cat sees the bird in the garden), it can also mean into, inside, or even during depending on context. For place-related uses, i generally corresponds to in or at in English.

Does i haven necessarily mean that both the cat and the bird are in the garden?

No. I haven describes where the bird is located in this sentence. It shows that the bird is in the garden. The cat might or might not be in the garden as well—this is not explicitly stated. The cat sees the bird, wherever the cat may be physically.