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Questions & Answers about Vinen er klar til at drikke.
Why does the sentence use “vinen” (the definite form) instead of “vin” (the indefinite form)?
In Danish, you use the definite form “vinen” when referring to the specific wine, rather than talking about wine in general. If you wanted to say “a wine,” you would use the indefinite “en vin.” Since the sentence implies it’s a particular wine that’s ready, “vinen” makes sense here.
How does “er klar til at drikke” work grammatically?
“Er klar til” means “is ready for,” and the phrase ends with the infinitive form “at drikke” (“to drink”). Danish often uses “til at + [infinitive]” to indicate readiness or suitability for an action. So together, “er klar til at drikke” literally says the wine is ready to be drunk.
Why don’t we say “er klar til at drikkes” if the wine is to be drunk by someone?
Although a passive form (“drikkes”) might look logical, in Danish you typically keep the verb in its standard infinitive form (“drikke”) after “til at.” Saying “klar til at drikkes” wouldn’t sound natural in everyday Danish, even though grammatically you might see passive forms in other contexts.
What’s the difference between “klar til at drikke” and “drikkeklar”?
They mean essentially the same thing: the wine is ready to drink. “Drikkeklar” is just a more condensed, compound way of saying “ready to drink.” You might see it on labels or casual descriptions, but “klar til at drikke” is more of a complete phrase.
Can I simply say “Vinen er klar” and leave out “til at drikke”?
Yes, you can, but “Vinen er klar” can sound incomplete. It might imply many things: maybe the wine is fully prepared, chilled, or stored properly. “Til at drikke” clarifies that it’s specifically ready to be consumed.