Iskrystallen er smuk i sneen.

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Breakdown of Iskrystallen er smuk i sneen.

• være: to be
• sneen: the snow
• iskrystallen: the ice crystal
• smuk: beautiful

Questions & Answers about Iskrystallen er smuk i sneen.

Why does Iskrystallen end with -en?

In Danish, the definite article is often added as a suffix to the noun. The word iskrystal is the indefinite form (an ice crystal), while iskrystallen is the definite form (the ice crystal).

Why do we say er smuk and not er smukke?

When an adjective comes after the verb (a predicative position), it usually retains its base form without the extra -e. So we say iskrystallen er smuk (the ice crystal is beautiful). If the adjective were used before the noun (an attributive position), such as “the beautiful ice crystal,” we would say den smukke iskrystal.

Why is it i sneen instead of just i sne?

Just like with iskrystallen, the noun sne (snow) is also in the definite form sneen (the snow). Placing i before sneen indicates that something is literally in or within the snow, rather than just referring to snow in general.

Could we say Iskrystallen i sneen er smuk, and would it mean the same thing?

Yes, Iskrystallen i sneen er smuk still conveys a similar idea. However, the original sentence Iskrystallen er smuk i sneen more directly focuses on the fact that the ice crystal is beautiful, while adding i sneen at the end provides context about its location. The word order difference is subtle and mostly affects emphasis.

Is Iskrystallen used here because it’s already introduced, or can it be the first mention?

In Danish, using the definite form (iskrystallen) can imply that the speaker treats it as a specific entity. It might be something already known or simply highlighted. While you could introduce it in indefinite form and then move to definite form later, starting with iskrystallen is also acceptable to immediately specify “the ice crystal.”