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Jeg smiler, når jeg ser månen gennem vinduet.

Jeg smiler, når jeg ser månen gennem vinduet.
I smile when I see the moon through the window.

Breakdown of Jeg smiler, når jeg ser månen gennem vinduet.

jeg
I
se
to see
når
when
månen
the moon
vinduet
the window
gennem
through
smile
to smile
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Questions & Answers about Jeg smiler, når jeg ser månen gennem vinduet.

Why is there a comma before når?

In Danish, you typically put a comma before a subordinate clause introduced by words like når, at, fordi, som, etc. Here, når jeg ser månen gennem vinduet is a subordinate clause, so Jeg smiler, når ... takes a comma.

What exactly does når mean here, and how is it different from da?

Når is used for something that happens repeatedly or generally (a habitual/whenever meaning): I smile whenever I see...
Da is normally used about a single event in the past: I smiled when I saw... (that one time).
So når fits because it sounds like a general situation.

Why do we say Jeg smiler (present tense) instead of something like Jeg smilende?

Danish normally uses the simple present to describe habits and general truths: Jeg smiler = I smile / I’m smiling (depending on context).
A form like smilende is an adjective/participle meaning smiling (e.g., en smilende mand = a smiling man), not the normal way to form the verb phrase I smile.

Why is jeg repeated: når jeg ser ...? Can it be omitted?

No—Danish requires an explicit subject in each clause. Since når jeg ser ... is its own clause, it needs its own subject jeg.

Why is the word order når jeg ser and not når ser jeg?

Because når introduces a subordinate clause, and Danish subordinate clauses have subject before the finite verb (no V2 inversion).
So it’s når jeg ser ... (subordinate) rather than ser jeg ... (main clause word order).

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

Yes: Når jeg ser månen gennem vinduet, smiler jeg.
When a subordinate clause comes first, the main clause follows normal Danish V2 rules—meaning the verb comes before the subject: smiler jeg (not jeg smiler).

Why is it månen (the moon) with -en?

Måne is a common-gender noun, and the definite singular is formed by adding -n/-en:

  • en måne = a moon
  • månen = the moon
    For natural unique things like the moon, Danish usually uses the definite form: månen.
Why is it vinduet (the window) and not et vindue?

Vindue is neuter (et-word). The definite singular adds -t/-et:

  • et vindue = a window
  • vinduet = the window
    In this sentence, it likely means a specific, context-known window (e.g., the one in your room), so definite vinduet is natural.
Does gennem mean the same as igennem?

Often yes in everyday Danish: both can mean through.
A common guideline:

  • gennem often sounds a bit more formal/neutral and is very common in writing.
  • igennem can feel a bit more concrete/emphatic (passing all the way through) in some contexts.
    In gennem vinduet, gennem is a very normal choice.
Is ser just see, or could it also mean look at?

at se primarily means to see (perceive with your eyes). It can sometimes overlap with to look in English, depending on context.
If you specifically mean look at / watch, Danish often uses at kigge (på) or at se på.
Here, ser månen is fine because it’s about seeing the moon (whether intentionally or simply noticing it).

Why is there no word for at (as in “when I see...”)?

English uses when I see... without to, and Danish does the same: når jeg ser...
The Danish infinitive marker at is used with infinitives (e.g., at se = to see), but here ser is a conjugated verb, not an infinitive.

How do you pronounce smiler, når, månen, and vinduet (roughly)?

Approximate guidance (Danish pronunciation varies by region):

  • smiler: roughly SMEE-luh (the final -er is often a reduced vowel sound)
  • når: roughly nor (with a long vowel; the å is like an “aw/oh” sound depending on accent)
  • månen: roughly MOH-nən (second syllable reduced)
  • vinduet: roughly VIN-doo-et (often with a very light final syllable)

If you want, I can give IPA for each word too.