Kaffen dufter godt i køkkenet.

The coffee smells good in the kitchen.

Breakdown of Kaffen dufter godt i køkkenet.

• i: in
• godt: good
• køkkenet: the kitchen
• kaffen: the coffee
• dufte: to smell

Questions & Answers about Kaffen dufter godt i køkkenet.

Why does it say kaffen and not just kaffe?

Kaffen is the definite form meaning the coffee (a specific coffee—often “the coffee that’s brewing/that we have”).
Kaffe without the ending is the indefinite/mass noun coffee in general, and it’s more common in statements like Jeg drikker kaffe (I drink coffee).
In a sentence like this, Danish often prefers the definite when talking about a specific situation right now: Kaffen dufter godt.

What exactly does the -en in kaffen mean?

The -en is the common-gender definite suffix. Danish typically marks definiteness by attaching it to the noun:

• en kaffe = a coffee (indefinite, singular)
• kaffe-n = the coffee (definite, singular)

Is dufter present tense, and what is the infinitive?

Yes, dufter is present tense. The infinitive is at dufte (to smell / to smell nice).
Many Danish present-tense verbs end in -r: dufte → dufter.

Does dufte mean “to smell” in a neutral way, or “to smell good”?

At dufte usually has a positive or pleasant sense: to smell nice / to give off a pleasant smell.
For a neutral or potentially negative “smell,” Danish often uses at lugte.

Why is it godt and not god?

Because godt is functioning as an adverb here: smells well / smells good.
In Danish, many adverbs look like the neuter form of adjectives (often ending in -t):

• god (adjective) = good (common gender)
• godt (neuter/adverb) = good / well (as an adverb)

Is godt an adverb or an adjective in this sentence?

It’s best understood as an adverb describing how it smells: dufter godt = smells nice.
Even though it looks like an adjective form, the job it’s doing is adverbial.

What is the role of i køkkenet?

i køkkenet is a prepositional phrase meaning in the kitchen, describing where the smell is noticeable / where the coffee is smelling nice.

Why is it køkkenet (definite) and not et køkken?

Køkkenet means the kitchen—typically the kitchen in the current home/context. Danish often uses the definite form for familiar places: in the kitchen, in the living room, etc.
i et køkken would sound more like “in a (some) kitchen,” as in an unspecified kitchen.

Can I change the word order to start with the location?

Yes. Danish allows fronting, but then the verb must be in second position (V2 rule):

• Kaffen dufter godt i køkkenet.
• I køkkenet dufter kaffen godt.
  Notice that after fronting I køkkenet, the verb dufter comes immediately next, and the subject kaffen moves after the verb.

How would I negate this sentence?

Place ikke after the verb:

• Kaffen dufter ikke godt i køkkenet. = The coffee doesn’t smell good in the kitchen.

How would I ask it as a question?

Yes/no questions typically start with the verb:

• Dufter kaffen godt i køkkenet? = Does the coffee smell nice in the kitchen?
  You can also keep the location first (still V2):
• I køkkenet dufter kaffen godt? (more context-dependent / conversational)

What’s the difference between Kaffen dufter godt and Der dufter godt af kaffe?

• Kaffen dufter godt focuses on the coffee itself: the coffee smells nice.
• Der dufter godt af kaffe focuses on the general smell in the area: it smells nice of coffee / it smells pleasantly like coffee here.
  That second pattern (der dufter … af …) is very common for “It smells like …” in Danish.

Any pronunciation pitfalls in Kaffen dufter godt i køkkenet?

Common ones:

• dufter: the u is like a Danish “oo” but more fronted; the -er ending is often reduced.
• godt: the d is typically very soft (often not a clear English d), and t is crisp.
• køkkenet: ø is a front rounded vowel (not English uh/oh), and the kk indicates a short vowel before it.