Hun danser så meget, at hele gruppen begynder at grine.

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Breakdown of Hun danser så meget, at hele gruppen begynder at grine.

• hun: she
• så: so
• hele: the whole

Questions & Answers about Hun danser så meget, at hele gruppen begynder at grine.

Why is så meget, at used here, and what exactly does this structure mean?

The pattern så …, at … in Danish expresses degree + result, just like “so … that …” in English.

• Hun danser så meget, at …
  = She dances so much that …

You can use it with:

• adjectives: Jeg er så træt, at jeg falder i søvn.
  I am so tired that I fall asleep.
• adverbs/verbs: Han løber så hurtigt, at hun ikke kan følge med.
  He runs so fast that she can’t keep up.

So så meget intensifies danser, and the at-clause gives the result of that intensity (the group starts laughing).

What is the function of the comma before at in this sentence?

In Danish, a comma is typically written between a main clause and a subordinate clause.

• Hun danser så meget, → main clause
• at hele gruppen begynder at grine. → subordinate/result clause

The comma marks the boundary between:

• what is happening (she dances so much)
• and the result (that the whole group starts laughing).

Modern Danish comma rules allow a bit of variation, but here the comma before at is very standard and natural.

There are two at’s in the sentence. Are they the same word, and what do they each do?