Breakdown of Helten hjælper familien, når de er i fare.
i
in
være
to be
når
when
hjælpe
to help
familien
the family
de
they
helten
the hero
faren
the danger
Questions & Answers about Helten hjælper familien, når de er i fare.
What does helten mean and why isn’t there a separate word for “the” before it?
Helten translates to the hero. In Danish, definite articles aren’t separate words; instead, they are attached as suffixes to the noun—in this case, -en turns helt (hero) into helten (the hero).
Why is familien singular in form but later referred to using the plural pronoun de?
Even though familien appears singular (with the suffix -en indicating “the family”), it represents a group of individuals. Danish often uses plural pronouns like de (they) to refer to collective nouns, emphasizing that the family consists of more than one person.
What does når de er i fare mean and what role does it play in the sentence?
Når means when, and når de er i fare translates to when they are in danger. This subordinate clause functions as a condition, explaining under which circumstances the hero helps the family.
Why is there a comma before når de er i fare in this sentence?
In Danish punctuation, it is standard to place a comma before a subordinate clause, such as one introduced by når, to clearly separate it from the main clause. This structure helps clarify the relationship between the condition and the main action.
How is the verb hjelper used in this sentence?
Hjelper is the present tense form of the verb at hjælpe (to help). It follows the typical subject–verb–object word order, with helten as the subject performing the action of helping familien.
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