Learn Hardcore Danish: Jeg savner min ven, når jeg sidder i haven. - I miss my friend when I sit in the garden.

In Danish, you often place a comma before conjunctions like når ("when") and at ("that") to mark the start of a subordinate clause. This comma clarifies that everything after når belongs to a dependent clause rather than the main clause.

Why do we use savner instead of mangler?

Savner expresses that you miss someone or something emotionally. Mangler means you lack something physically or functionally, like missing a key to your house. In this sentence, you're longing for your friend, so savner is the correct verb.

What is the difference between sidder and sidde?

Sidder is the present tense form of the verb (equivalent to "am sitting" in English). Sidde is the infinitive form ("to sit"). In the sentence, you're describing the action as it’s happening now, so you use sidder.

How do you pronounce savner?

It’s roughly pronounced like SAO-w-nuh. The v sound is quite soft, and the r at the end is also subtle but can still be heard in Standard Danish pronunciation.

Why do we say min ven and not something else?

Min is the possessive pronoun for common-gender nouns in singular form (like ven). If you were talking about multiple friends, you’d use mine (e.g., mine venner). For one friend, it has to be min ven.

Can you explain the difference between når and da in Danish?

Both can mean "when," but når is used for present or future events and for general truths or repeated situations. Da is usually used for a specific event in the past. Here, you’re describing a general routine or recurring situation ("when I sit in the garden"), so you use når.