Jeg læser ved siden af min hund.

I read next to my dog.

Breakdown of Jeg læser ved siden af min hund.

• jeg: I
• hunden: the dog
• læse: to read
• ved siden af: next to
• min: my

Questions & Answers about Jeg læser ved siden af min hund.

Why do we need af in the phrase ved siden af min hund?

In Danish, ved siden af is treated as a set phrase meaning beside or next to. You can’t drop af here, because ved siden on its own doesn’t typically function as beside. Sticking to ved siden af is the conventional way to indicate the position next to something.

Is there a difference between using ved siden af and simply ved to express being next to something?

Yes. Ved can mean by or at, which might not always imply that something is directly beside you. Ved siden af is more specific—it clearly states the position next to or alongside someone or something.

What does læser mean here, and can it also mean anything else in Danish?

In this sentence, læser means I am reading. It also can mean studying when referring to being enrolled in a specific area of study (e.g., Jeg læser medicin = I study medicine). Context will usually make it clear which meaning is intended.

Why is min hund placed at the end of the sentence rather than before ved siden af?

Danish follows a typical word order where the subject (Jeg), verb (læser), and any adverbial expressions (like ved siden af min hund) come after. Here, ved siden af min hund functions as a prepositional phrase describing where you read. It naturally appears after the verb and any objects (if present).

How is læser pronounced in Danish?

The Danish æ vowel is similar to the short “a” in cat, but slightly more open, and the r at the end isn’t rolled strongly. It’s often heard as “LEH-suh” or “LEH-sɛr,” depending on the accent. Pronunciation can vary regionally, but you’ll usually hear a soft ‘r’ sound at the end.