Forbered dig godt, før du rejser til den travle storby.

Prepare yourself well before you travel to the busy metropolis.

Breakdown of Forbered dig godt, før du rejser til den travle storby.

• til: to
• rejse: to travel
• før: before
• dig: yourself
• du: you
• storbyen: the metropolis
• travl: busy
• forberede: to prepare

Questions & Answers about Forbered dig godt, før du rejser til den travle storby.

What does the word dig mean in this sentence, and why is it used?

The word dig translates to yourself in English. It’s used here as a reflexive pronoun because the subject is both performing and receiving the action of the verb forbered (prepare). This construction indicates that you should prepare yourself.

Why is godt used instead of god in the phrase Forbered dig godt?

In Danish, godt is the adverbial form of the adjective god. Adverbs modify verbs, helping to describe how an action is performed. In this sentence, godt tells you to prepare yourself well. The adjective form god would be used to modify a noun rather than a verb.

What role does the word før play in the sentence, and what does it mean?

The word før means before and acts as a subordinating conjunction in this sentence. It connects the main clause Forbered dig godt with the subordinate clause du rejser til den travle storby, indicating that the preparation should occur prior to traveling to the busy city.

How is the noun phrase den travle storby constructed, and what does each element mean?

The noun phrase den travle storby is structured as follows: • den is the definite article, equivalent to the. • travle is an adjective meaning busy. • storby is a compound noun made from stor (big) and by (city). Together, the phrase means the busy big city or simply the busy city. The adjective travle comes before the noun, following standard Danish structure.

Why is there a comma before før, and what does that indicate in Danish punctuation?

In Danish punctuation, it is common to use a comma to separate the main clause from a subordinate clause. The comma before før helps signal that what follows is a separate clause specifying a condition or time frame (i.e., when you travel to the busy city). This separation makes the sentence easier to read and understand by clearly delineating the order of actions.