Learn Hardcore Danish: Vejret er varmt, når solen skinner. - The weather is warm when the sun shines.

In Danish, når is used for events or conditions that occur more than once or generally in the present/future, whereas da is often used for something that happened only once in the past. Since we’re talking about a general condition (whenever the sun shines), når is appropriate.

Why is there a comma before når?

Danish uses a comma before dependent clauses introduced by words like når or at. It separates the main clause (Vejret er varmt) from the subordinate clause (når solen skinner). This is a standard punctuation rule in Danish grammar.

Why does solen have the definite article ending -en?

In Danish, the definite article is typically attached to the end of the noun. Sol (sun) becomes solen (the sun) when made definite. In this sentence, we’re talking about the sun specifically, so we use solen.

Is the word order after når always subject + verb in Danish?

Yes, in a subordinate clause introduced by når, the word order generally remains subject first (solen), followed by the verb (skinner). Unlike English, where the subject and verb can be inverted after “when,” Danish typically keeps the subject before the verb in these subordinate clauses.