Rengør spejlet i badeværelset, så det ikke bliver plettet.

Clean the mirror in the bathroom, so it does not become spotted.

Breakdown of Rengør spejlet i badeværelset, så det ikke bliver plettet.

• i: in
• blive: to become
• det: it
• så: so
• spejlet: the mirror
• ikke: not
• rengøre: to clean
• badeværelset: the bathroom
• plettet: spotted

Questions & Answers about Rengør spejlet i badeværelset, så det ikke bliver plettet.

What role does rengør play in this sentence?

Rengør is the imperative form of the verb at rengøre, meaning "to clean." It functions as a command, directly instructing someone to clean the mirror.

Why is there a comma before så in the sentence?

In Danish, commas are used to separate the main clause from subordinate or purpose/result clauses. Here, the comma clearly marks the transition to the clause så det ikke bliver plettet, which explains the intended outcome of cleaning the mirror.

What is the function of the clause så det ikke bliver plettet?

This clause serves as a purpose or result clause. It translates to "so that it doesn't get stained" and explains the reason behind the command—cleaning the mirror is meant to prevent it from becoming stained.

What does the passive construction bliver plettet indicate?

The phrase bliver plettet is a passive construction where bliver acts as an auxiliary verb meaning "becomes" or "gets," and plettet is the past participle of at plette ("to stain"). This construction emphasizes that the mirror should not end up stained as a result of neglect.

How are the definite nouns spejlet and badeværelset formed in Danish?

In Danish, nouns are often made definite by adding a suffix. The noun spejl (mirror) becomes spejlet ("the mirror"), and badeværelse (bathroom) becomes badeværelset ("the bathroom"). This suffix indicates that the speaker is referring to specific, known items.

How does this sentence structure compare to an English imperative sentence?

The sentence structure is quite similar to English imperatives. It begins with the command rengør (Clean) followed by the object spejlet (the mirror) and a locative phrase i badeværelset (in the bathroom). Then, a comma separates the main command from a subordinate clause introduced by så (so that), which explains the purpose of the command—mirroring the way purpose clauses are often constructed in English.