Questions & Answers about Jeg vasker skærebrættet, så det bliver rent.
Why is there a comma before så?
In Danish, you normally put a comma before a subordinate clause. Here så means so that (purpose/result) and introduces a clause with its own subject and verb: så det bliver rent. That subordinate clause is therefore preceded by a comma.
Does så here mean then or so that?
Here it means so that / so (purpose or intended result): I wash the cutting board so that it becomes clean.
Danish så can also mean then, but in that meaning it’s typically more about sequence of events, and the structure/intonation differs.
Why is it det bliver rent and not det rent bliver?
Because så det bliver rent is a subordinate clause (introduced by så in the sense of so that). In Danish subordinate clauses, the basic order is:
- subject + adverbials (like ikke) + verb
So you get det bliver rent (subject det + verb bliver + complement rent).
Why is the pronoun det used here?