Learn Hardcore Danish: Mødet i stuen er vigtigt. - The meeting in the living room is important.

In Danish, the article often goes at the end of a noun for the definite form. So mødet literally means the meeting, whereas et møde means a meeting. Since the sentence is most likely referring to a specific meeting, the definite form mødet is used.

Why do we say i stuen and not i en stue?

Stuen is the definite form of stue (living room). This implies a specific living room—probably the one everyone already knows about, like “the living room in use.” If you used i en stue, it would mean “in a living room” in a more general or indefinite sense.

Why is it er vigtigt and not er vigtig?

Danish adjectives can change depending on whether the noun is common (n-words like mødet is not, but for example en bog is) or neuter (t-words like et møde). Mødet is a neuter noun, so when the adjective describes it, you typically add a -t ending to the adjective. Thus, vigtigt is the neuter form of vigtig.

Could the sentence be Mødet er vigtigt i stuen instead?

You can say it that way, but it would slightly change the emphasis. Mødet i stuen er vigtigt foregrounds the fact that the meeting that specifically takes place in the living room is important. Mødet er vigtigt i stuen makes it sound more like you’re commenting on where the meeting is important (in the living room), rather than identifying which meeting.

Is the word order strict in Danish here, or can it change?

Danish word order is generally Subject–Verb–Object (SVO). In the main clause here, Mødet i stuen (subject) er (verb) vigtigt (complement), so it follows typical Danish word order. However, Danish allows some flexibility, as long as you keep the main elements (subject and verb) in order, and you don’t violate the “verb second” rule in other types of clauses.