Havet er farligt, når vinden blæser stærkt.

to be

Breakdown of Havet er farligt, når vinden blæser stærkt.

• når: when
• havet: the sea
• vinden: the wind
• blæse: to blow
• farlig: dangerous
• stærkt: strongly

Questions & Answers about Havet er farligt, når vinden blæser stærkt.

Why does the sentence use Havet instead of Hav?

In Danish, adding -et at the end of Hav creates the definite form, so Havet means the sea. The language typically places the definite article as a suffix.

Why is er used instead of another verb like bliver?

Er is the simple present tense of at være (to be), indicating a general truth or state. Stating "Havet er farligt" describes an inherent characteristic of the sea under certain conditions, rather than something that is becoming dangerous.

What is the function of når in this sentence?

Når translates to when in English and is used for recurring or general situations. It indicates that the sea is dangerous whenever the wind blows strongly, rather than referring to a one-time event or a specific past time.

Is farligt an adjective or adverb here?

Farligt is the neuter singular form of the adjective farlig (dangerous). It agrees with havet (the sea), which is a neuter noun in Danish.

Why is vinden used with -en at the end?

Just like with Havet, vinden is the definite form of vind (wind). Adding -en makes it the wind. This is a standard way of forming definite nouns in Danish.