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Jeg lader vinduet stå på klem, så der kommer frisk luft ind.

Jeg lader vinduet stå på klem, så der kommer frisk luft ind.
I leave the window ajar, so fresh air comes in.
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Questions & Answers about Jeg lader vinduet stå på klem, så der kommer frisk luft ind.

Why does Danish use lader here—what exactly does jeg lader mean?

Jeg lader means I let / I leave (something in a state). In this sentence it’s the “allow/leave” meaning: you’re intentionally leaving the window in a certain position so something can happen (fresh air can come in).
Note that lade can also mean to charge (a battery) or to load, but the construction lade + object + infinitive is the clear “let/leave” pattern.

Why is it lader vinduet stå and not something like lader vinduet være?

Danish often uses “position verbs” to describe states:

  • stå = stand (upright/in position)
  • sidde = sit (be situated)
  • ligge = lie (be lying)

With doors/windows, Danish commonly uses stå to mean “be standing/left (in a position)” even though English wouldn’t say “stand.” So lade vinduet stå is a natural Danish way to say “leave the window (like that).”

Why is there no at before stå?

After lade (and a few similar verbs), Danish typically uses a bare infinitive (infinitive without at), like English:

  • Jeg lader vinduet stå = “I let/leave the window stand” Compare with verbs that do take at:
  • Jeg prøver at åbne vinduet = “I try to open the window”
What does på klem mean? Is it literal?

på klem is a fixed expression meaning ajar / slightly open (not fully closed, not wide open).
It’s idiomatic; you can’t usually translate klem word-for-word here. Just learn stå på klem (or være på klem) as a chunk.

Is stå på klem the only way to say “ajar”?

It’s one of the most common. Alternatives include:

  • lidt åben = “slightly open”
  • på glødt (less common/older or dialectal) = also “ajar” But på klem is very standard and widely understood.
Why is there a comma before så?

Because så here introduces a purpose/result clause meaning so that. Danish normally uses a comma before such subordinate clauses:

  • ..., så der kommer frisk luft ind. = “... so that fresh air comes in.”
Does så here mean “then”?

Not in this sentence. Here så functions like a conjunction meaning so that / in order that.
Så can also mean “then/so” in other contexts, but the structure ..., så + clause is very often “so that.”

Why does the clause say der kommer frisk luft ind—what is der doing?

Der is a common Danish “dummy subject” (similar to English there) used when introducing that something happens/exists:

  • der kommer frisk luft ind = “(there) comes fresh air in” → natural English: “fresh air comes in”

It helps Danish sound natural, especially when the real subject (frisk luft) comes after the verb.

Could you say så frisk luft kommer ind instead of using der?

Yes, it can be grammatical: så frisk luft kommer ind.
But så der kommer frisk luft ind is often more idiomatic/natural because Danish frequently uses der with this “something comes/appears/happens” type of clause.

Why is ind at the very end?

Ind is a directional adverb meaning in(wards). Danish often places such particles at the end of the clause:

  • kommer ... ind = “comes in” You’ll see the same pattern with other particles:
  • går ud (goes out), tager op (picks up), kommer tilbage (comes back)
What’s the difference between frisk luft and just luft?

Luft is simply “air.”
Frisk luft is “fresh air” (often implying outside air and a pleasant/healthy effect). It’s a very common collocation in Danish.

Why is it vinduet and not et vindue?

Vinduet is the definite form: the window. It implies a specific window that both speaker and listener can identify (e.g., the one in the room).
If it were any window in general, you might see et vindue.

How would this change in past tense?

Past tense of lade is lod:

  • Jeg lod vinduet stå på klem, så der kom frisk luft ind.
    (kom is past tense of kommer.)

Full principal parts:

  • at lade – lader – lod – har ladet