Questions & Answers about Jeg tilbereder aftensmad, mens jeg står.
Why is tilbereder used here instead of a more common verb like laver?
Tilberede means to prepare food, so it is a fairly precise verb in this context. Lave is more general and often means make/do.
So:
- Jeg tilbereder aftensmad = I am preparing dinner
- Jeg laver aftensmad = also very natural, often I’m making dinner
In everyday speech, many Danes would probably say laver more often than tilbereder, but tilbereder is completely correct and slightly more specific or formal.
What does aftensmad literally mean, and is it always dinner?
Literally, aftensmad is made up of:
- aften = evening
- mad = food
So the literal sense is evening food. In normal English, this is usually translated as dinner or evening meal.
Whether it matches dinner or supper depends on the speaker’s variety of English and eating habits, but dinner is usually the safest translation.
Why is aftensmad written as one word?