Jeg læser en bog, når solen skinner.

I read a book when the sun shines.

Breakdown of Jeg læser en bog, når solen skinner.

• jeg: I
• en: a
• læse: to read
• bogen: the book
• solen: the sun
• skinne: to shine
• når: when

Questions & Answers about Jeg læser en bog, når solen skinner.

Why do we use en instead of et before bog?

In Danish, nouns can be classified as either common gender (n‑words) or neuter (t‑words). Bog (book) is a common gender noun, so you use the indefinite article en rather than et.

Why is the word order Jeg læser en bog, når solen skinner correct in Danish?

The standard Danish sentence structure is Subject – Verb – Objects/Complements, and the subordinate clause når solen skinner typically comes after the main clause. Placing når solen skinner at the end is completely natural in Danish. In a main clause (without inversion), you would say Jeg læser at the start, then follow it with the object en bog, and finally you add the subordinate clause når solen skinner.

What is the difference between når and hvis in Danish?

når means when and is used to talk about something that happens whenever a condition is met or in recurring situations. hvis means if and is used to introduce a condition that might or might not happen. Here, når is chosen because it expresses a recurring event: you read a book whenever the sun shines.

Can I move når solen skinner to the front of the sentence?

Yes, you can say Når solen skinner, læser jeg en bog. However, if you move the subordinate clause to the start, you must remember inversion in the main clause. That’s why it becomes læser jeg instead of jeg læser.

How do you pronounce læser in Danish?

Pronunciation can vary slightly by region, but in standard Danish, læser is pronounced somewhat like LEH-sah, where the æ is similar to the a in cat (but slightly shorter), and the r is a soft Danish r pronounced in the back of the throat.