Solen forsvinder langsomt i horisonten.

the sun

Breakdown of Solen forsvinder langsomt i horisonten.

• forsvinde: to disappear
• horisonten: the horizon
• i: on
• langsomt: slowly

Questions & Answers about Solen forsvinder langsomt i horisonten.

Why is the verb forsvinder used here, and what tense is it?

Forsvinder is the present tense form of the verb meaning to disappear. Danish uses the same form of the verb for both the simple present (e.g., "disappears") and the present continuous (e.g., "is disappearing"), so forsvinder can indicate an ongoing action similar to is disappearing in English.

Why is the adverb langsomt used, and how do you form adverbs in Danish?

Langsomt means slowly and is an adverb describing how the sun disappears. In Danish, many adverbs are formed by adding -t to the adjective (e.g., langsom + -t = langsomt). This is similar to adding -ly in English (slow > slowly).

Why does the sentence use the definite form horisonten instead of the indefinite horisont?

Horisonten translates to the horizon, whereas horisont is a horizon. In this context, the sentence is talking about a specific horizon—often the only one in view—so it makes sense to use the definite form.

Why do we say i horisonten and not på horisonten?

In Danish, i (in) is used to describe something disappearing into or in the horizon, emphasizing that the sun is gradually vanishing from sight. Saying på horisonten would imply on the horizon, which isn’t the usual way to describe the sun setting.

Can we use other verbs like går ned instead of forsvinder in this sentence?

Yes, you can say Solen går langsomt ned i horisonten (The sun slowly goes down on the horizon). However, forsvinder stresses the idea that the sun is gradually vanishing from view, while går ned simply describes the sun going down. Both are correct but convey a slightly different nuance.