Jeg skriver på hvidt papir.

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Breakdown of Jeg skriver på hvidt papir.

• på: on
• skrive: to write
• papiret: the paper
• hvid: white

Questions & Answers about Jeg skriver på hvidt papir.

Why is hvidt used instead of hvid in this sentence?

In Danish, papir is a neuter-gender noun (et papir). When using adjectives with neuter-gender nouns in the indefinite singular form, you must add a -t to the basic adjective. Hence, we say hvidt papir rather than hvid papir.

Why do we say på hvidt papir instead of på et hvidt papir?

In Danish, using the article (et) here would suggest something very specific, like a certain piece of white paper. By leaving it out, the sentence means writing on an unspecified white piece of paper or just white paper in general. It’s a common way to express indefinite objects or materials.

Can på mean something besides on?

Yes. The Danish preposition på can mean on, in, or at, depending on context. In this sentence, it specifically means on (the surface of the paper). However, in other contexts, på might convey different nuances, such as location (e.g., på arbejde, meaning at work).

Is Jeg always capitalized in Danish like I in English?

No, the Danish pronoun jeg is not capitalized in the middle of a sentence unless it starts the sentence. In English, I is capitalized wherever it appears, but in Danish, jeg follows normal capitalization rules, so it’s only capitalized at the beginning of a sentence.

Are there other color forms I need to keep in mind?

Yes. For singular common-gender nouns, you generally use hvid, and for neuter singular nouns, you use hvidt, as we have here. For plural nouns (any gender), the form is hvide. Keep an eye on each noun’s gender and number to choose the correct form of the color adjective.