Hvis vores aftale går galt, bliver det en udfordring at finde en ny tid.

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Breakdown of Hvis vores aftale går galt, bliver det en udfordring at finde en ny tid.

• blive: to become
• at: to
• det: it
• ny: new
• hvis: if
• tiden: the time
• finde: to find
• vores: our
• aftalen: the appointment
• gå galt: to go wrong
• udfordringen: the challenge

Questions & Answers about Hvis vores aftale går galt, bliver det en udfordring at finde en ny tid.

How is the sentence structured in terms of clauses, and how does that compare to English conditionals?

The sentence is divided into a subordinate clause and a main clause. The subordinate clause is Hvis vores aftale går galt (if our appointment goes wrong) and the main clause is bliver det en udfordring at finde en ny tid (it becomes a challenge to find a new time). Similar to English, Danish uses the “if” clause to state a condition, but in Danish the subordinate clause is placed at the beginning and is followed by a comma before the main clause.

What is the function of the conjunction hvis in this sentence?

Hvis is the Danish equivalent of the English if. It introduces the conditional aspect of the sentence, setting up the situation that must occur (our appointment going wrong) for the main clause (the ensuing difficulty in finding a new time) to take effect.

Why is the dummy pronoun det used in the main clause, as in bliver det en udfordring…?

In Danish, much like the English word it in similar constructions, det serves as a dummy or expletive subject. It’s used when the true subject (in this case, the challenge of finding a new time) comes later in the sentence. This helps maintain the proper sentence structure by ensuring that the main clause always has a subject immediately following the verb.

Why is the infinitive marker at used before the verb finde?

The marker at in Danish functions the same way as to does in English when forming the infinitive. Consequently, at finde translates to to find. This is a standard grammatical requirement in Danish to clearly indicate the base form of the verb.

What is the purpose of the comma after Hvis vores aftale går galt?

The comma is used to clearly separate the subordinate condition from the main clause. In Danish, placing a comma after a subordinate clause not only enhances readability but also ensures that the sentence’s structure—specifically the transition from the condition to its result—is unmistakably clear.