Koppen står på bordet ved vinduet.

The cup is on the table by the window.

Breakdown of Koppen står på bordet ved vinduet.

• på: on
• bordet: the table
• vinduet: the window
• stå: to stand
• ved: by
• koppen: the cup

Questions & Answers about Koppen står på bordet ved vinduet.

Why is står used instead of something like er in this sentence?

In Danish, står literally means "stands." It’s common to use motion or position verbs such as ligger (lies), sidder (sits), or står (stands) to describe where something is located. Using er would be correct in meaning but less natural in everyday Danish, because Danes usually specify the physical position of the object.

What does ved mean in this context?

Ved often translates to "by" or "near" in English. In this sentence, it shows that the table is located next to the window, so ved vinduet means "by the window."

Could I say Koppen er på bordet ved vinduet instead?

Yes, technically you can say Koppen er på bordet ved vinduet, and it would still be understood. However, Danish tends to use specific verbs for position, so står sounds more natural and precise.

What is the word order rule here?

In Danish main clauses, the subject often comes first, followed by the verb, and then other elements. Here the subject is Koppen (the cup), the verb is står, and the rest of the sentence (på bordet ved vinduet) describes the location.

Does bordet have any other forms I should know about?

Like most Danish nouns, bord can appear in different forms. Bord is the indefinite singular, bordet is the definite singular, borde is the indefinite plural, and bordene is the definite plural. In this sentence, bordet is definite because we’re talking about a specific table.