Hvis solen skinner, opholder jeg mig gerne udenfor hele eftermiddagen.

If the sun is shining, I like to stay outside all afternoon.

Breakdown of Hvis solen skinner, opholder jeg mig gerne udenfor hele eftermiddagen.

• jeg: I
• solen: the sun
• skinne: to shine
• hvis: if
• mig: myself
• udenfor: outside
• opholde: to stay
• eftermiddagen: the afternoon

Questions & Answers about Hvis solen skinner, opholder jeg mig gerne udenfor hele eftermiddagen.

Why does the sentence begin with Hvis solen skinner instead of placing solen first?

In Danish, starting a sentence with Hvis (meaning if) is common when introducing a condition. The clause Hvis solen skinner is a subordinate clause that sets up the condition for what follows. Placing Hvis first emphasizes the conditional nature of the statement.

What does opholder jeg mig gerne mean, and why do we use mig here?

Opholder jeg mig literally translates to I stay (myself) in English. Danish uses a reflexive construction sometimes to describe one’s own location or presence. Jeg is the subject (I), and mig is the reflexive pronoun (myself). Gerne means gladly or willingly, so together it expresses that you happily stay somewhere.

Why is udenfor used and not another word like udendørs?

Both mean outside, but udenfor is very commonly used in everyday speech to indicate being in the open air or not inside a building. Udendørs can sound a bit more formal or emphasize doing something in an outdoor area rather than indoors.

What is the function of hele eftermiddagen?

Hele eftermiddagen means the entire afternoon. It specifies the duration of the action. Hele means whole/entire, and eftermiddagen is a definite noun form meaning the afternoon. It tells us how long you stay outside under that condition.

Can gerne be placed elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes. In Danish, adverbs can often move around, but the most common position is after the main verb in a simple clause. For example, you could say Jeg opholder mig gerne udenfor or Jeg opholder mig udenfor gerne, but the first version sounds more natural and typical in everyday Danish.