Jeg drikker kaffe, og så læser jeg avisen.

I drink coffee, and then I read the newspaper.

Breakdown of Jeg drikker kaffe, og så læser jeg avisen.

• jeg: I
• og: and
• læse: to read
• drikke: to drink
• kaffen: the coffee
• avisen: the newspaper
• så: then

Questions & Answers about Jeg drikker kaffe, og så læser jeg avisen.

Why is there a comma before og?

Because og is linking two full main clauses (each has its own subject and verb):

• Jeg drikker kaffe (subject jeg
  • verb drikker)
• (og) så læser jeg avisen (subject jeg
  • verb læser)
    In Danish, it’s standard to put a comma before og when it joins two independent clauses like this.

What does og så do here—why not just og?

Og så commonly means and then / and after that, marking the next step in a sequence.
Using only og would just mean and (simple addition), while og så highlights the order of actions.

Why is the word order så læser jeg and not så jeg læser?

Danish main clauses follow the V2 rule (the finite verb is in the second position). When så is placed first, the verb must come next:

• Så læser jeg avisen. (1st: så, 2nd: læser)
  So the subject jeg moves after the verb.

Does the V2 rule still apply even though this clause starts with og?

Yes. In og så læser jeg avisen, the clause effectively starts with så (after the conjunction og), so you still get V2 word order: så + verb + subject.

Could I also say Jeg drikker kaffe, og jeg læser avisen?

Yes, that’s grammatical and means I drink coffee, and I read the newspaper.
But it sounds more like two facts, not necessarily in sequence. Og så more clearly suggests first coffee, then the newspaper.

Could I drop så completely and say Jeg drikker kaffe og læser avisen?

Yes. Jeg drikker kaffe og læser avisen is very natural and often preferred in everyday speech because it’s compact. It can imply doing both as part of the same routine, and it may or may not emphasize sequence.

Why is it avisen and not en avis?

Avisen is the definite form: the newspaper. It often implies a familiar, habitual one (like “my usual paper”).
En avis is an (indefinite) newspaper, meaning any newspaper.

Why is there no article with kaffe (not en kaffe)?

In Danish, kaffe is often treated as a mass noun (like “coffee” in English), so you can say Jeg drikker kaffe = “I drink coffee.”
En kaffe is possible, but it typically means a (cup of) coffee in a café/order context.

What tense is being used here? Is it “I am drinking / I am reading”?

It’s the present tense (drikker, læser). Danish doesn’t have a dedicated “continuous” form like English, so the present can cover:

• habitual: “I drink / I read”
• current activity (depending on context): “I’m drinking / I’m reading”

How are the verbs conjugated—why drikker and læser?

Most Danish verbs add -r in the present tense:

• at drikke → jeg drikker
• at læse → jeg læser
  There’s no change by person (I/you/he/she all use the same present form).

Is så always “then”?

Often, but not always. Så can mean:

• then/after that (sequence): Jeg spiser, og så går jeg.
• so/therefore (result): Jeg var træt, så jeg gik hjem.
  In your sentence, with og så, it strongly reads as then/next.

Any pronunciation pitfalls in this sentence?

A few common ones for English speakers:

• jeg is often pronounced something like yai (not a hard “j”).
• læser has æ (an open vowel), and the d-less feel of Danish consonants can make it sound softer than expected.
• avisen is usually stressed on the last syllable: a-vi-SEN.