Jeg kan ikke forstå bogen uden hjælp.

I cannot understand the book without help.

Breakdown of Jeg kan ikke forstå bogen uden hjælp.

• jeg: I
• bogen: the book
• forstå: to understand
• uden: without
• hjælpen: the help
• den: the
• ikke: not
• kunne: to be able to

Questions & Answers about Jeg kan ikke forstå bogen uden hjælp.

What does ikke mean in this sentence?

Ikke translates to not in English, and it’s used here to make the verb negative. It’s placed after kan to specify that the speaker cannot understand something.

Why do we say uden hjælp instead of uden at hjælp or something similar?

In Danish, uden means without, and it’s used directly before a noun when indicating the absence of something. We don’t insert at (which functions like “to” in English) before nouns. Uden at is typically used with verbs (e.g., uden at spise = without eating).

Is there a specific reason why ikke is placed between kan and forstå?

Danish typically places ikke after the finite verb. The sentence structure is usually: subject + finite verb + ikke + the rest. Since kan is the finite verb here, ikke naturally follows it.

Can I switch the order and say Jeg kan forstå ikke bogen uden hjælp?

That would sound very unnatural in Danish. The correct order is Jeg kan ikke forstå. Danes almost always place ikke right after the first verb in a sentence, so switching them would break the usual word order.

How do I pronounce hjælp in Danish?

It sounds somewhat like yelp in English, but with a more open a-like vowel. You’ll pronounce the initial h softly, then the j merges into the vowel so it becomes one fluid sound. You might think of it a bit like hyelp but quicker and smoother.