Vinduet er vigtigt for at holde kulden ude.

The window is important for keeping the cold out.

Breakdown of Vinduet er vigtigt for at holde kulden ude.

• være: to be
• vinduet: the window
• kulden: the cold
• at: to
• holde: to keep
• vigtigt: important
• ude: out

Questions & Answers about Vinduet er vigtigt for at holde kulden ude.

Why is the word vinduet in the definite form rather than et vindue?

In Danish, we often use the definite form when referring to a specific, already known object. In this sentence, we’re talking about the window in particular, so vinduet (the window) makes sense instead of et vindue (a window).

Why do we say er vigtigt instead of er vigtig?

In Danish, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Vinduet is a neuter-gender noun (the -et ending indicates neuter), so the adjective must also take the neuter form vigtigt rather than vigtig (the common-gender form).

How does for at holde kulden ude work grammatically?

The phrase for at is used to indicate purpose in Danish. It’s similar to saying in order to in English. So for at holde kulden ude means in order to keep the cold out.

Could we say for at holde kulden udenfor instead?

You could say udenfor, but it usually means “outside” in a more general sense. Holde kulden ude is more idiomatic and natural in Danish for describing the action of preventing cold air from coming inside.

Why do we use kulden instead of kulde?

When you talk about the cold in a specific context (like the cold weather outside), you put it in the definite form kulden. Using kulde would be more generic, referring to coldness as a concept rather than the particular cold outside.