Vinduet bruges til at lukke kulden ude.

to

Breakdown of Vinduet bruges til at lukke kulden ude.

• vinduet: the window
• kulden: the cold
• at: to
• bruges: to be used
• ude: out

Questions & Answers about Vinduet bruges til at lukke kulden ude.

Why is vinduet in the definite form instead of vindue?

In Danish, nouns take the definite article by adding a suffix instead of a separate word. Et vindue becomes vinduet, meaning the window. Here, it's clear we're talking about a specific window, hence the definite form.

What does bruges represent in this sentence?

Bruges is the present tense passive form of at bruge (to use). In Danish, the passive is often formed by adding -s to the verb, so bruger (active) becomes bruges (passive).

Why is til at used before lukke?

Til at + infinitive in Danish often indicates purpose or function. It can be compared to using to in English with an infinitive. By saying bruges til at lukke, you express what the window is used to do.

What part of speech is kulden?

Kulden is the definite form of kulde (cold). While kulde is the indefinite noun meaning cold, kulden means the cold.

Why say lukke kulden ude instead of something like holde kulden ude?

Both are possible in Danish. At lukke kulden ude literally means to close the cold out, implying a more active shutting out. At holde kulden ude could be interpreted as to keep the cold out, which also makes sense. The choice often comes down to speaker preference or the exact nuance you want to convey.

Could we say Vinduet bliver brugt til at lukke kulden ude instead?

Yes, bliver brugt is another, slightly more explicit way to form the passive. Vinduet bruges and Vinduet bliver brugt both mean The window is used, but bruges is a more direct passive form while bliver brugt is a passive constructed with bliver + past participle. Both are correct in everyday Danish.