Katten sover ofte i en solstråle på gulvet.

The cat often sleeps in a ray of sunshine on the floor.

Breakdown of Katten sover ofte i en solstråle på gulvet.

• katten: the cat
• i: in
• en: a
• på: on
• gulvet: the floor
• ofte: often
• sove: to sleep
• solstrålen: the ray of sunshine

Questions & Answers about Katten sover ofte i en solstråle på gulvet.

Why does the sentence start with "Katten" in the definite form rather than "En kat"?

In Danish, when we introduce something for the first time, we usually use the indefinite form (en kat). However, if the speaker assumes the listener already knows which cat they are talking about (perhaps a specific cat in the house), then the definite form (katten) is used. It’s similar to using “the cat” in English.

Why is the word "ofte" placed right after the verb "sover"?

Danish generally places short adverbs, like ofte (meaning “often”), right after the main verb in a standard statement. This word order is typical in Danish and might sound slightly different to English speakers, but it’s the normal convention in everyday written and spoken Danish.

Why do we say "i en solstråle" and not "på en solstråle"?

In Danish, i often denotes being inside or within something, while på often denotes on top of a surface. A solstråle (sunbeam) is more like a space or beam that the cat is “in,” rather than something the cat is on top of. Hence, we use i.

Why is it "en solstråle" and not "et solstråle"?

Nouns in Danish are divided into two grammatical genders: common gender (n-words) and neuter gender (t-words). Solstråle happens to be a common gender noun, so it takes the indefinite article en (en solstråle) rather than et. There isn’t always a logical reason why something is an n-word or t-word; it often just needs to be memorized.

What is the difference between "på gulvet" and "i gulvet"?

På gulvet means the cat is located “on the floor,” which is the usual way to describe something resting on a surface. I gulvet would imply being inside the floor (like beneath the surface), which generally doesn’t make sense in this context.