Breakdown of Jeg beder min nabo om at aflevere nøglen i morgen.
jeg
I
min
my
at
to
i morgen
tomorrow
naboen
the neighbor
nøglen
the key
bede om
to ask
aflevere
to hand in
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Questions & Answers about Jeg beder min nabo om at aflevere nøglen i morgen.
What does the phrase "om at" do here, and is it required after "bede"?
Danish uses the pattern bede nogen om at + infinitive to mean “ask someone to do something.” Here:
- om marks the object of the request.
- at aflevere is the infinitive action being requested. Without om, it’s ungrammatical: Use Jeg beder min nabo om at aflevere..., not Jeg beder min nabo at aflevere...
Can I use "spørger" instead of "beder"?
Not in this structure. Spørge means “to ask (a question),” while bede is “to request/ask (someone to do something).”
- Correct request: Jeg beder min nabo om at aflevere nøglen i morgen.
- If you want to use spørge, make it a question clause: Jeg spørger min nabo, om han/hun vil aflevere nøglen i morgen.
Does "i morgen" refer to when I ask, or when the key is delivered?
As written, i morgen modifies the action in the infinitive phrase. It means the neighbor should deliver the key tomorrow. You are asking now.
Can I move "i morgen" to the front, and does that change the meaning?
Yes. Placement changes the focus:
- Jeg beder min nabo om at aflevere nøglen i morgen. (Delivery tomorrow.)
- I morgen beder jeg min nabo om at aflevere nøglen. (Tomorrow I will ask. The asking happens tomorrow.)
Why is it "nøglen" (the key) and not "en nøgle" (a key)?
Danish marks definiteness with a suffix. Nøgle is common gender, so the definite form is nøglen (= “the key”). Use en nøgle only when the key is not specific or known in context.
How do I replace "nøglen" with a pronoun?
Use the common-gender object pronoun den:
- Jeg beder min nabo om at aflevere den i morgen. It’s den (common gender), not det (neuter).
Why is it "min nabo" and not "mit nabo"?
Nabo is a common-gender noun (en nabo), so you use min. Use mit only with neuter nouns (et-words). Plural would be mine naboer.
Where does negation go if I want to ask the neighbor not to deliver the key?
Place ikke before the infinitive:
- Jeg beder min nabo om ikke at aflevere nøglen i morgen. Avoid “om at ikke …” (wrong order).
Is the "om" here the same "om" that means "about"?
It’s the same word, but a different use. In this idiom, bede (nogen) om (at …) means “to request.”
- Jeg beder om nøglen = I ask for the key (object).
- Jeg beder (nogen) om at … = I ask (someone) to …
- Jeg spørger om nøglen = I ask about the key (seek information).
What’s the nuance difference between "aflevere", "levere", and "give"?
- aflevere: hand in/return/turn in to the rightful owner or an authority (natural with keys).
- levere: deliver (goods/services), more commercial/logistical.
- give: give (transfer possession as a gift/hand over), broader and more personal. Here, aflevere nøglen is the most idiomatic choice.
Can I say "for at" instead of "om at"?
No. For at introduces purpose (“in order to”), not a request.
- Jeg beder min nabo om at aflevere nøglen … (request)
- Jeg gør det for at hjælpe. (purpose)
Do I need a comma in this sentence?
No. It’s a main clause with an infinitive phrase. No comma is used. If you use a spørge-clause, you add a comma before the subordinate clause:
- Jeg spørger min nabo, om han kan aflevere nøglen i morgen.
Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts?
- beder: soft d (closer to English “th” in “the,” but continued), vowel lengthens; the r is light.
- nøglen: ø is a rounded front vowel (like French eu), and g is soft, often sounding like a y-glide.
- om at: the t in at is usually not released; it can sound like “ah.”
- aflevere: stress on -lev-; the v is soft (between v and w). Don’t over-pronounce final consonants.
How do I put the sentence in the past?
Use the past of bede (bad) or the perfect har bedt:
- Jeg bad min nabo om at aflevere nøglen i morgen. (I asked earlier; delivery is/was for tomorrow.)
- Jeg har bedt min nabo om at aflevere nøglen i morgen. (I have asked; still relevant now.)
Is there an alternative with a full clause after "bede om"?
Yes: bede om, at + finite clause.
- Jeg beder om, at min nabo afleverer nøglen i morgen. This is grammatically fine but more formal. The version with bede (nogen) om at + infinitive is more natural in everyday speech.
Should I ever say "til i morgen" here?
Not for scheduling the delivery. Til i morgen means “until tomorrow.”
- Jeg holder nøglen til i morgen = I’ll keep the key until tomorrow.
- Jeg beder min nabo om at aflevere nøglen i morgen = I’m scheduling the delivery for tomorrow.