Hans besked forklarede, at han endnu ikke er klar til at mødes.

to be

Breakdown of Hans besked forklarede, at han endnu ikke er klar til at mødes.

• klar: ready
• at: to
• han: he
• ikke: not
• at: that
• mødes: to meet
• beskeden: the message
• hans: his
• forklare: to explain
• endnu: yet

Questions & Answers about Hans besked forklarede, at han endnu ikke er klar til at mødes.

What function does the word at serve in this sentence?

The word at functions as a subordinating conjunction—it introduces the subordinate clause that explains what the message conveyed. In English, it corresponds to the word that in reported speech, linking the explanation to the main clause.

Why is Hans besked (Hans’ message) used as the subject performing the action forklarede (explained)?

In Danish it’s common to use abstract concepts like a message as the subject when referring to conveyed information. Although messages aren’t sentient, the construction personifies the message to indicate that it contained the explanation. This is similar to saying in English, “The report stated that…” where the report itself carries the information.

How is the negative construction with endnu ikke used here, and what does it imply?

The sequence endnu ikke translates to not yet. Its placement indicates that he currently is not ready to meet but leaves open the possibility that he may be ready in the future. This ordering is typical in Danish when expressing an ongoing state that might change.

What is the role of the reflexive verb mødes at the end of the sentence?

The verb mødes is the infinitive form of a reflexive verb meaning to meet (each other). In Danish, reflexive constructions are used to express actions that involve mutual participation, which is why no explicit subject for the meeting is mentioned—the action inherently involves two or more parties.

Why is there a comma after forklarede in the sentence?

In Danish punctuation, it is standard to place a comma before a subordinate clause introduced by at. The comma after forklarede marks the transition from the main clause to the subordinate clause that details what was explained, much like similar structures in English.