Jeg spiser aftensmad i aften.

I eat dinner tonight.

Breakdown of Jeg spiser aftensmad i aften.

• jeg: I
• spise: to eat
• aftensmaden: the dinner
• i aften: tonight

Questions & Answers about Jeg spiser aftensmad i aften.

Why is the present tense verb “spiser” used even though the sentence refers to a future event?

In Danish, the present tense is often employed to denote future plans or scheduled events when a clear time indicator is present. The phrase i aften (“tonight”) tells you that the action is set to occur later, even though the verb spiser (eats) appears in the present tense.

What is the structure of the sentence and how does it compare to typical English word order?

The sentence follows a standard Danish sentence structure: Subject (Jeg) → Verb (spiser) → Object (aftensmad) → Time expression (i aften). This is similar to English, where you might say “I am eating dinner tonight,” though English often uses an auxiliary for the future, unlike Danish which relies on context and time expressions.

What does the word aftensmad mean, and how is it used in this sentence?

Aftensmad means “dinner” or “evening meal.” It is used without an article, which is typical in Danish when referring to meals. In this sentence, it is the object of the verb spiser, indicating what is being eaten.

What role does the prepositional phrase i aften play in the sentence?

The phrase i aften directly translates to “in evening,” but it functions as an adverbial time marker meaning “tonight.” It clearly specifies when the action (eating dinner) will occur, helping to frame the present tense as referring to a near-future event.

How does Danish express future events without a distinct future tense?

Danish often uses the present tense to imply future events when a time reference is included. In this sentence, the present tense spiser combined with the time phrase i aften effectively communicates that the speaker has a planned action later that evening, substituting for what English might express with a future construction.