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Questions & Answers about Ordbogen er nyttig.
What does ordbogen mean and how is the definite article shown in it?
Ordbogen means "the dictionary". In Danish, the definite article is not a separate word but is attached to the noun as a suffix. The base word is ordbog (dictionary) and adding -en turns it into ordbogen, indicating the definite form.
What does nyttig mean in this sentence?
Nyttig is an adjective that means "useful". In the sentence, it describes the subject ordbogen, so the whole sentence translates as "The dictionary is useful."
Why is the verb er used, and what does it represent?
Er is the present tense form of the verb "at være" (to be). It functions just like "is" in English, linking the subject (ordbogen) with the predicate adjective (nyttig).
How does the word order in "Ordbogen er nyttig" compare to English sentence structure?
The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Adjective order, similar to English. In both languages, the sentence places the subject first, followed by the linking verb and then the adjective that describes the subject.
How is the definite form of a noun typically formed in Danish, as seen with ordbogen?
In Danish, the definite form is created by adding a suffix to the noun rather than using a separate word. For common gender nouns, -en is added (as in ordbog becoming ordbogen), and for neuter nouns, -et is usually added.