Learn Hardcore Danish: Hvorfor låser far døren, mens vi stadig er i huset? - Why does father lock the door while we are still in the house?

Danish main clauses follow the V2 rule. In wh-questions, the finite verb stays in second position, right after the question word: Hvorfor + låser + far …. Writing Hvorfor far låser … is ungrammatical.

Why is it "mens vi stadig er ..." and not "mens vi er stadig ..."?

In subordinate clauses (introduced by mens), the order is Subject–Adverb–Verb: vi stadig er. In a main clause it’s Vi er stadig .... So mens vi er stadig ... is wrong.

Can I write "mens at vi ..."?

Not in standard Danish. Use mens vi. Imens vi also occurs (more colloquial). mens at is considered nonstandard.

What’s the difference between "mens," "når," and "da"?

mens = while (simultaneous actions)
når = when (habitual or future)
da = when (single event in the past)

Why isn’t "far" capitalized?

Kinship nouns like far and mor are lowercase in Danish, even when they mean “Dad/Mom,” unless they start the sentence. Mid‑sentence: Kommer du, far?

Do I need to say "min far" instead of just "far"?

No. In family contexts, Danes often use bare far/mor to mean “my dad/mom.” If it’s someone else’s father, add a possessive: din far, hans far, hendes far.

Could I use "faren" instead of "far"?

Faren = “the father” (a specific one already known in the context). Far here means “Dad” (the speaker’s). Switching to faren changes the meaning.

Why is it "døren" with -en? How do definites work?

Danish uses a suffixed article for definites: dør → døren (“the door”). A separate article is used with adjectives: den låste dør (“the locked door”).

Is the comma before "mens" required?

It’s optional under the modern “new comma” system and mandatory under the “grammatical comma.” Both systems are accepted; many writers keep the comma: ..., mens ...

Why "låser" and not "lukker"?

låse (døren) = lock the door (with a lock/key)
låse op = unlock
lukke (døren) = close the door (may remain unlocked) Here låser is the right verb.

Does "låser" change with the subject (like English -s)?

No. Present tense takes -r for all persons: jeg/du/han/vi låser.

Can I omit the object and say "Hvorfor låser far, mens ..."?

You can, but it becomes vague (“Why is Dad locking/closing up?”). With a specific door, keep døren.

Is "i huset" the same as "hjemme" or "inde i huset"?

i huset = in the house (physically inside)
inde i huset = explicitly “inside the house”
(er) hjemme = at home (not tied to the physical interior) Don’t use på huset here (“on the house” is different).

Where should "stadig" go in other sentences?

Main clause: verb in 2nd position, adverb after the verb: Vi er stadig i huset.
Subordinate clause: subject–adverb–verb: ..., at vi stadig er i huset.

Is "Hvorfor er det, at far låser døren ..." acceptable?

Yes, it’s a cleft sentence. It’s grammatical but more formal/emphatic. The simple Hvorfor låser far døren ...? is most natural.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

Hvorfor: hv- sounds like v; final r is soft.
låser: å like “aw”; unstressed -er is a schwa.
døren: ø is a front rounded vowel; -en is weak.
huset: u is a pure [u]; -et ends with a schwa.

Is "stadigvæk" or "endnu" better than "stadig" here?

stadig = default “still.”
stadigvæk = “still” with extra emphasis/colloquial flavor.
endnu is common in negatives/comparatives (ikke endnu = “not yet”); in positive “still” it’s less typical here.