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Questions & Answers about Katten varmer stolen.
Why is katten definite here instead of indefinite?
In Danish, you typically use the definite form of a noun (katten) when you are talking about a specific cat. If the sentence was talking about any cat in general, it would be the indefinite form en kat.
Why do we use varmer and not another form like varme?
Varmer is the present tense form of the verb at varme (to warm) in Danish. For a singular third-person subject (such as katten), the present tense form remains varmer. Danish verbs largely don’t change based on who or what the subject is – the present tense is generally the same for all subjects.
Is the word order important in Danish for a sentence like this?
Yes. In Danish, the basic word order in a declarative sentence is subject–verb–object. Here, the subject is katten (the cat), the verb is varmer (warms), and the object is stolen (the chair). So Katten varmer stolen follows the typical word order of Danish.
Could I say Katten varmer without specifying stolen?
You could, but it would be incomplete. Katten varmer just states that the cat is warming something, but doesn’t say what. In most contexts, you’d need to clarify what’s being warmed, which is why stolen (the chair) is included.