Jeg købte mælk og æbler i butikken, før jeg begyndte at lave aftensmad.

I bought milk and apples in the shop before I started to make dinner.

Breakdown of Jeg købte mælk og æbler i butikken, før jeg begyndte at lave aftensmad.

• jeg: I
• og: and
• i: in
• at: to
• købe: to buy
• før: before
• aftensmaden: the dinner
• begynde: to begin
• lave: to make
• mælken: the milk
• butikken: the shop
• æblet: the apple

Questions & Answers about Jeg købte mælk og æbler i butikken, før jeg begyndte at lave aftensmad.

What does købte mean, and what is its base form?

Købte is the past tense form of the verb købe, which means to buy. In this sentence, it indicates that the action of buying has been completed.

How do the words mælk and æbler translate into English?

Mælk translates to milk, and æbler means apples. The conjunction og connects them, so the phrase mælk og æbler means milk and apples.

What is the meaning of the phrase i butikken?

The phrase i butikken means in the store. Butikken is the definite form of butik, which translates to store or shop, indicating the location where the shopping occurred.

How is the sequence of events expressed in this sentence?

The sentence uses the word før, which means before, to show the order of events. It indicates that the action of buying (Jeg købte…) happened before the action of beginning to cook dinner (før jeg begyndte at lave aftensmad).

Why is the construction begyndte at lave aftensmad used, and what does the at signify?

In Danish, verbs like begynde (to begin) are commonly followed by at plus the infinitive form of another verb. In begyndte at lave aftensmad, begyndte is the past tense of begynde, and at lave means to make (or to prepare) dinner. The use of at is required to link the two actions smoothly.

Why is there a comma before før in the sentence?

The comma before før separates the main clause from the subordinate clause. In Danish, it is standard to use a comma to clearly indicate the start of a subordinate clause, in this case introduced by før (meaning before), which helps in expressing the time relationship between the two actions.