Musikken lyttes til i en passiv tilstand.

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Breakdown of Musikken lyttes til i en passiv tilstand.

• en: a
• musikken: the music
• passiv: passive
• tilstanden: the state

Questions & Answers about Musikken lyttes til i en passiv tilstand.

Why does the sentence use lyttes til instead of just lyttes?

In Danish, lytte (to listen) is normally followed by the preposition til when you specify what is being listened to. So Musikken lyttes til literally means “The music is being listened to.” Dropping til would sound incomplete or unnatural in Danish.

Why is Musikken at the beginning of the sentence instead of Der or something similar?

In Danish, you can start sentences with the object being discussed, especially if you want to emphasize it. Musikken at the start places focus on the music itself. It’s quite common for Danish sentences to begin with the object or subject you want to emphasize, followed by the verb.

What does i en passiv tilstand imply here?

I en passiv tilstand literally means “in a passive state.” It describes the way in which the music is being listened to—suggesting a relaxed or passive manner of absorbing the music rather than actively engaging with it. It doesn’t change the tense or voice of the verb; it’s an adverbial phrase adding context.

Could we say Musikken bliver lyttet til instead of Musikken lyttes til?

Yes. Bliver lyttet til is the periphrastic passive form and is perfectly acceptable. Musikken lyttes til is a shorter, more direct passive construction in Danish, while Musikken bliver lyttet til is an alternative that emphasizes the ongoing action but they’re both passive.

Why is the preposition til placed after lyttes?

In Danish, lytte is considered a phrasal verb when combined with til, much like listen to in English. The preposition til is an essential part of the verb phrase lytte til, so it naturally appears right after the verb in a simple passive construction.