Isen smelter, når solen skinner.

The ice melts when the sun shines.

Breakdown of Isen smelter, når solen skinner.

• solen: the sun
• skinne: to shine
• når: when
• smelte: to melt
• isen: the ice

Questions & Answers about Isen smelter, når solen skinner.

Why is it Isen and not just is? What does the -en do?

Is means ice in general (uncountable, like “Ice melts…”). Isen is the ice (definite form), referring to specific ice in a situation.
Danish often expresses the by adding an ending to the noun:

• en is = an ice / an ice cream (rare in this meaning)
• isen = the ice
  So -en is the definite singular ending for common-gender nouns (en-words).

How do I know whether it’s isen or iset for “the ice”?

It depends on the noun’s grammatical gender. Danish has:

• common gender (en-words) → definite ending -en
• neuter gender (et-words) → definite ending -et

Is is a common-gender noun: en is → isen.
(You typically learn the gender with the indefinite article: en/et.)

What tense is smelter? Why not smelter ikke or smeltede?

Smelter is present tense. Danish present tense is often used for:

• general truths / habits: Isen smelter, når solen skinner.
• repeated situations: “Whenever the sun shines, the ice melts.”

Smeltede would be past tense, used for a specific past event: “The ice melted when the sun was shining.”

Why is it når and not da or hvis?

These three are commonly contrasted:

• når = when(ever) for repeated/general situations or future time: “Whenever/when the sun shines…”
• da = when for a single, completed past event: “When the sun shone (that one time)…”
• hvis = if (condition): “If the sun shines…”

So når fits a general rule: ice melts whenever the sun shines.

Why is the word order Isen smelter, når solen skinner and not …, når skinner solen?

In the main clause, Danish follows V2 word order: the finite verb is in position 2:

• Isen (1) smelter (2)

In the subordinate clause introduced by når, Danish uses subordinate clause word order, which is basically “normal” SVO:

• når solen skinner (subject solen before verb skinner)

Når skinner solen would be an inversion pattern you’d see in main clauses (e.g., Så skinner solen), not after a subordinator like når.

Is there any punctuation rule here? Do I have to use the comma?

Yes. In Danish it’s standard to place a comma before a subordinate clause:

• Isen smelter, når solen skinner.

Many Danes follow either:

• the grammatical comma (comma before subordinate clauses), or
• the pause comma style (still very often a comma here because there’s a clear break). In practice, this comma is expected and looks natural.

Why is it solen (definite) and not en sol?

Because we usually mean the sun as a unique, known thing. Danish treats it as definite:

• sol = sun (concept)
• solen = the sun

En sol would mean “a sun” (like a star), which is only used in special contexts (astronomy/sci-fi or comparing solar systems).

What does skinner literally mean, and what’s its base form?

The infinitive is at skinne = “to shine.”
skinner is present tense: “shines.”
So når solen skinner = “when/whenever the sun shines.”

Why is there no word for “the” in front of Isen and solen?

In Danish, definiteness is usually marked by a suffix on the noun rather than a separate word:

• is + -en → isen (“the ice”)
• sol + -en → solen (“the sun”)

Danish can use a separate definite word (den/det/de) but mainly when there’s an adjective:

• den kolde is = “the cold ice”
• solen (no adjective) = “the sun”

Could the sentence also start with the når-clause? What happens to word order then?

Yes, you can front the subordinate clause:

• Når solen skinner, smelter isen.

When something other than the subject comes first in the main clause (here, the whole Når… clause), Danish still needs V2, so the verb comes before the subject:

• … , smelter isen (verb smelter before subject isen)

Why does isen come after the verb in Når solen skinner, smelter isen?

Because in that version, the first position in the main clause is taken by Når solen skinner. Danish main clauses keep the verb in second position, so the verb must come right after that first element:

1. Når solen skinner
2. smelter
3. isen

That’s typical Danish inversion in main clauses.

Can I replace når with mens here?

Not with the same meaning.
mens means while, focusing on two actions happening at the same time:

• Isen smelter, mens solen skinner. = “The ice melts while the sun is shining.” (more about simultaneity)

når here expresses a general condition/recurrence:

• “Whenever the sun shines, the ice melts.”

Both can be grammatical, but the nuance changes.

Is Isen smelter a complete sentence on its own?

Yes. Isen smelter. is a complete main clause: subject + verb.
Adding , når solen skinner gives a time/condition clause explaining when it happens.

How would I make it negative?

You place ikke after the finite verb in a main clause:

• Isen smelter ikke, når solen skinner. = “The ice doesn’t melt when the sun shines.”

If you needed negation inside the subordinate clause, ikke typically comes before the verb there:

• …, når solen ikke skinner. = “…, when the sun isn’t shining.”

What’s the pronunciation pitfall for English speakers in isen smelter?

Common issues:

• isen: the final -en is often a reduced syllable (close to “uhn”).
• smelter: the -er ending is usually a reduced vowel sound, not a strong “er” like in many English accents. Also, Danish consonants can be softer than English; focus on rhythm and reduced endings rather than over-pronouncing each letter.

Does is ever mean “ice cream” in Danish? Would Isen smelter sound like “The ice cream melts”?

Yes, en is can mean an ice cream in everyday Danish. But Isen smelter, når solen skinner most naturally reads as the ice (e.g., on the ground/lake) melting due to sunlight. Context decides.
If you clearly meant “the ice cream,” you might add context words (e.g., min is = “my ice cream”) or a situation where that’s obvious.