Læreren arbejder på sit kontor.

to work

Breakdown of Læreren arbejder på sit kontor.

• læreren: the teacher
• på: in
• kontoret: the office

Questions & Answers about Læreren arbejder på sit kontor.

Why is it Læreren and not just Lærer?

In Danish, the definite article (equivalent to the) is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word.

• en lærer = a teacher (indefinite, singular)
• læreren = the teacher (definite, singular)

So Læreren literally means the teacher.
You would only say Lærer by itself in things like job titles, headlines, or lists (e.g. Lærer søges = Teacher wanted), not in a normal sentence like this one.

Why does arbejder mean both works and is working?

Danish has only one present tense form, and it covers both the English simple present and present continuous.

• Læreren arbejder på sit kontor.
  = The teacher works in his/her office.
  = The teacher is working in his/her office.

Context decides whether it is a general habit or something happening right now. If you really want to stress that it is happening right now, you can add an adverb like lige nu (right now):

• Læreren arbejder lige nu på sit kontor.
  = The teacher is working in his/her office right now.

Why is the preposition på used? Why not something that literally means in or at?