Hvis min computer går i stykker, bliver jeg meget nervøs.

Breakdown of Hvis min computer går i stykker, bliver jeg meget nervøs.

jeg
I
min
my
blive
to become
meget
very
hvis
if
computeren
the computer
nervøs
nervous
gå i stykker
to break
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Questions & Answers about Hvis min computer går i stykker, bliver jeg meget nervøs.

Why does the sentence start with Hvis, and what kind of clause is that?
Hvis means if and introduces a conditional subordinate clause: Hvis min computer går i stykker (If my computer breaks down). In Danish, this if-clause often comes first, followed by the main clause.
Why is there a comma after stykker?

In Danish it’s standard to put a comma between a subordinate clause and the main clause when the subordinate clause comes first:

  • Hvis …, bliver jeg … So the comma marks the boundary between the two clauses.
Why is the word order bliver jeg and not jeg bliver?

Because when something other than the subject comes first (here, the whole Hvis-clause), Danish uses V2 word order in the main clause: the finite verb must be in the second position.
So after Hvis …, the verb comes first in the main clause:

  • …, bliver jeg meget nervøs.
    Not: …, jeg bliver … (that would break the V2 rule).
What does går i stykker literally mean, and why is it used here?

Literally, går i stykker is like goes into pieces, but it’s an idiom meaning breaks / breaks down / stops working (for objects, machines, etc.).
It’s very common Danish for things malfunctioning:

  • Min telefon gik i stykker. = My phone broke.
Why is it går (present tense) and not a future form?

Danish often uses the present tense to talk about the future, especially after Hvis:

  • Hvis X sker … = If X happens …
    You can add kommer til at for “is going to,” but it’s usually unnecessary here.
What’s the role of bliver in bliver jeg meget nervøs?

bliver is the verb to become (or to get in the sense of “to become”).
So bliver jeg meget nervøs is I become/get very nervous, focusing on a change of state triggered by the condition.

Could you also say er jeg meget nervøs instead of bliver jeg meget nervøs?

Yes, but it changes the nuance:

  • bliver jeg meget nervøs = I become nervous (change happens then)
  • er jeg meget nervøs = I am nervous (describes your state, less focus on the change)
    In this conditional, bliver is usually the more natural choice.
Why is it min computer and not mit computer?

Because computer is common gender (en computer), so you use:

  • min (common gender)
    mit is used with neuter nouns (et-words), and mine is plural.
Why is it en computer (common gender)? Is that fixed?
Yes—standard Danish treats it as en computer (common gender). Gender is largely lexical in Danish, so it’s something you usually have to learn with the noun.
What does meget modify, and where does it go in the sentence?

meget means very and modifies the adjective nervøs. It typically goes right before the adjective:

  • meget nervøs = very nervous
Does nervøs change form depending on gender or number?

As an adjective, nervøs would normally have forms like:

  • common gender: nervøs
  • neuter: nervøst
  • plural/definite: nervøse
    But after bliver jeg …, you’re describing jeg (“I”), so you use the base form: nervøs.
How would pronunciation challenges show up in this sentence?

Common tricky points:

  • Hvis: the h is silent for many speakers; often sounds like vis.
  • bliver: often reduced in speech, something like bli’er.
  • nervøs: stress on the last syllable: ner-VØS (with Danish ø).
Can I swap the clauses around: Jeg bliver meget nervøs, hvis min computer går i stykker?

Yes, that’s completely natural. If you start with the main clause, you don’t get inversion:

  • Jeg bliver meget nervøs, hvis min computer går i stykker.
    Both versions mean the same; the choice is mostly about what you want to emphasize first.