Learn Hardcore Danish: Solen skinner varmt på græsset i haven. - The sun shines warmly on the grass in the garden.

In Danish, nouns usually take a suffix to indicate the definite article. Instead of adding a word like the before the noun, you add -en (for common gender words) or -et (for neuter words). So 'Sol' (sun) becomes 'Solen' (the sun).

Why is 'skinner' the verb used for the sun?

'Skinner' is the Danish verb meaning 'shines' when referring to light. It literally describes how the sun is emitting light. It's the standard way of saying 'The sun is shining.'

How is 'varmt' functioning in this sentence?

'Varmt' is an adverbial form related to the adjective 'varm' (warm). It describes how the sun is shining, rather than describing the sun itself. It answers the question 'in what manner does the sun shine?', so it appears as 'varmt'.

Why do we use 'på græsset' but 'i haven'?

'På' often means 'on' in contexts where something covers or falls onto a surface, like sunlight on the grass. 'I' usually means 'in', indicating being inside or within a space—here, the garden. So 'på græsset' (on the grass) shows location upon a surface, and 'i haven' (in the garden) shows the area in which the grass is located.

Do Danish adjectives and adverbs always come after the verb like this?

Not always. Danish word order generally follows the pattern of subject + verb + adverb + object, but there are variations. When you're specifying how something is done, the adverb often comes after the verb. In this case, 'Solen skinner varmt' follows that typical pattern where 'varmt' directly modifies 'skinner.'

Is the sentence order flexible if I want to emphasize something else?

Some rearrangements are possible, but Danish has fairly strict rules about keeping the subject and verb in close proximity. Shifting 'varmt' or 'på græsset i haven' around is possible for emphasis, but you have to keep the verb at the second position in main clauses. So if you move an adverbial phrase to the front, the verb would still come second, like 'I haven skinner solen varmt på græsset.'

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