Jeg bruger vand til at vaske.

I use water to wash.

Breakdown of Jeg bruger vand til at vaske.

• jeg: I
• vandet: the water
• bruge: to use
• at: to
• vaske: to wash

Questions & Answers about Jeg bruger vand til at vaske.

Why is bruger used here? Is it the standard way to say use in Danish?

Yes, bruger is the simple present tense of the verb at bruge, which corresponds to to use in English. It’s a very common verb for expressing the idea of using something in Danish.

Why do we see til at vaske after vand? How does this structure work?

In Danish, til at + infinitive often indicates the purpose for which something is used. So til at vaske literally means for washing or to wash. This construction shows why you are using water.

Could I say Jeg bruger vand for at vaske instead of til at vaske?

While for at can sometimes mean in order to, in this context the more natural phrasing is til at vaske. For at vaske can be understood, but it isn’t the most idiomatic way to express I use water to wash.

Is vand here indefinite or definite? Why don’t we use an article?

Vand is used in its indefinite form, which is simply vand without an article. Danish doesn’t usually use an indefinite article with uncountable nouns (like water), so you won’t see et vand in this context.

Is vaske in the infinitive form, and why do we use this form?

Yes, vaske is the infinitive. After til at, you typically use the infinitive to indicate the verb’s basic form. It helps clarify the purpose or intended action (here, the action is to wash).