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Lad billetten ligge i lommen, så du ikke mister den.

Lad billetten ligge i lommen, så du ikke mister den.
Leave the ticket in your pocket, so you don’t lose it.

Breakdown of Lad billetten ligge i lommen, så du ikke mister den.

i
in
den
it
så
so
ikke
not
lommen
the pocket
du
you
billetten
the ticket
miste
to lose
lade ligge
to leave
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Questions & Answers about Lad billetten ligge i lommen, så du ikke mister den.

Why does the sentence start with Lad—what form is it?

Lad is the imperative (command form) of the verb lade (to let / to allow / to have (something) done). In Danish, imperatives often come first in instructions: Lad … = Let … / Keep ….

How does the construction Lad + noun + infinitive work here?

It’s a common pattern: Lad + object + infinitive.
Here: Lad billetten ligge … literally means Let the ticket lie …, i.e. Leave/keep the ticket (lying) ….
So billetten is the object of lad, and ligge is the infinitive describing what you’re letting the ticket do.

Why is it ligge and not lægge?

Danish distinguishes:

  • ligge = to lie / be lying (state, no movement caused)
  • lægge = to lay / put down (causing something to lie somewhere)

Lad billetten ligge i lommen focuses on the state: the ticket should remain lying in the pocket. If you wanted to say Put the ticket in your pocket, you’d more likely use Læg billetten i lommen.

Why is it i lommen (definite) and not i en lomme?

Danish often uses the definite form where English uses a possessive:

  • i lommen = literally in the pocket, but usually understood as in your pocket from context.

You can say i en lomme (in a pocket) if it’s not a specific/expected pocket, but i lommen is the natural “your pocket” phrasing in everyday instructions.

What does så mean here, and why is it used?

Here så means so that / in order that, introducing a purpose clause:

  • …, så du ikke mister den. = …, so that you don’t lose it.

It’s very common in spoken and written Danish to link an instruction with its purpose using så.

Why is the word order så du ikke mister den and not something like så ikke du mister den?

In this type of clause after så, Danish uses normal main-clause-like order (subject before verb):

  • du (subject) + mister (verb)

Negation ikke typically comes after the finite verb:

  • du mister ikke den (though with an object pronoun, see next question)

So så du ikke mister den is the standard placement.

Why does it say mister den instead of mister billetten again?

den is a pronoun meaning it, referring back to billetten (a common-gender noun). Danish often avoids repeating the noun when it’s clear.

If the noun were neuter (et-word), you’d use det instead of den.

Is the pronoun position fixed—could it be så du ikke den mister?

No, så du ikke den mister is not standard Danish.
The normal order is:

  • du
    • mister
      • ikke
        • den

So: du ikke mister den (with ikke after the verb, and den after ikke) is the typical placement in modern Danish.

Why is mister in the present tense?

Danish often uses the present tense in purpose clauses and general warnings/instructions:

  • so that you don’t lose it → så du ikke mister den

It’s not describing a current loss, but a possible future event you’re trying to prevent.

What’s the difference between Lad billetten ligge … and Læg billetten …?
  • Læg billetten i lommen = Put the ticket in your pocket (an action you do now)
  • Lad billetten ligge i lommen = Leave/keep the ticket in your pocket (don’t take it out; let it remain there)

So lad … ligge emphasizes not changing the situation.

Could you replace Lad with something else to sound more direct?

Yes, some alternatives:

  • Lad billetten ligge i lommen … (neutral instruction)
  • Bliv ved med at have billetten i lommen … (keep having it in your pocket; a bit heavier)
  • Tag ikke billetten op af lommen … (don’t take it out of your pocket; more specific)
  • Hold billetten i lommen … (keep/hold the ticket in your pocket; possible but slightly different feel)

The original is very idiomatic and natural.

Is there anything special about the punctuation—the comma before så?

Yes. Danish typically uses a comma to separate clauses, and here it marks the boundary between: 1) the instruction: Lad billetten ligge i lommen
2) the purpose clause: så du ikke mister den

Many writing styles in Danish keep this comma; it’s a standard, helpful separation.