Jeg bruger ordbogen til at lære nye ord.

I use the dictionary to learn new words.

Breakdown of Jeg bruger ordbogen til at lære nye ord.

• jeg: I
• bruge: to use
• at: to
• ny: new
• lære: to learn
• ordet: the word
• ordbogen: the dictionary

Questions & Answers about Jeg bruger ordbogen til at lære nye ord.

What does bruger mean in this sentence?

Bruger is the present tense of the Danish verb at bruge, which means “to use.” In this sentence, it indicates that the subject is actively using something.

What does ordbogen mean, and why is it in this form?

Ordbogen translates to “the dictionary.” In Danish, nouns can appear in their definite or indefinite forms. Here, the definite form is used (with the suffix -en) to indicate a specific dictionary or the concept of a dictionary that the speaker is using.

Why is the preposition til used, and what function does it serve here?

The preposition til means “to” and is used to express purpose or intent in the sentence. It links the main clause to the infinitive phrase at lære, showing that the dictionary is being used to learn something.

What is the role of at lære in the sentence?

At lære is an infinitive phrase meaning “to learn.” The word at is the marker for the infinitive form in Danish, similar to the English “to.” This phrase explains the reason why the dictionary is being used.

How does nye ord illustrate Danish adjective-noun agreement?

Nye ord means “new words.” In Danish, adjectives like nye are used before the noun and agree with it in number and definiteness. Here, nye remains in its plural form to match ord (words), showing how adjectives modify nouns similarly to English, albeit with some differences in form.

How is the overall sentence structured, and how does its word order compare to English?

The sentence follows a logical structure: subject (Jeg), verb (bruger), object (ordbogen), followed by a purpose clause (til at lære nye ord). This order closely parallels English sentence structure—“I use the dictionary to learn new words.”— making it relatively straightforward for English speakers to understand.