Smid skraldet i skraldespanden, før du forlader køkkenet.

Throw the trash in the trash can before you leave the kitchen.

Breakdown of Smid skraldet i skraldespanden, før du forlader køkkenet.

• i: in
• køkkenet: the kitchen
• før: before
• du: you
• smide: to throw
• skraldet: the trash
• skraldespanden: the trash can
• forlade: to leave

Questions & Answers about Smid skraldet i skraldespanden, før du forlader køkkenet.

What does the imperative Smid mean, and how is it used in the sentence?

Smid is the imperative form of the verb at smide, which means "to throw." In this sentence, it serves as a command telling someone to throw something—in this case, the trash. It’s similar to saying "throw" in English commands.

Why is the word skraldet used instead of just skrald, and what does it signify?

In Danish, nouns are made definite by adding a suffix. Skrald means "trash" or "garbage," and by adding -et, it becomes skraldet, which translates to "the trash." This suffix attaches the definite article directly to the noun.

How is the phrase i skraldespanden structured, and what does it mean?

The phrase i skraldespanden breaks down into the preposition i (meaning "in") and skraldespanden. Here, skraldespanden is a compound noun meaning "the trash can" (formed from skrald and spand with the appropriate definite article suffix). It tells you where the action of throwing should take place.

What is the role of før du forlader køkkenet, and how is it constructed grammatically?

Før du forlader køkkenet is a subordinate clause that means "before you leave the kitchen." It is introduced by før (meaning "before") followed by the subject du (you), the verb forlader (leave), and køkkenet (the kitchen). This clause specifies a condition or time frame for the action described in the main command.

Why do words like køkkenet and skraldespanden have suffixes like -et and -en, and what does that indicate?

In Danish, definite nouns are created by attaching a suffix directly to the noun. For neuter nouns, -et is often used (køkkenet means "the kitchen"), while common gender nouns typically take -en (in skraldespanden, note that spand is common gender, hence the suffix -en despite the compound nature). This system eliminates the need for separate definite articles before the noun.

How does the overall word order and punctuation in this sentence work, particularly with the use of the comma?

The sentence starts with a clear imperative command (Smid skraldet i skraldespanden), followed by a subordinate clause (før du forlader køkkenet) that provides additional timing information. The comma before the subordinate clause functions to separate the main command from the condition, much like English uses a comma to demarcate an introductory or conditional phrase. This structure is common in Danish to clearly signal when extra information or instructions follow the main statement.