Lad mobilen ligge i tasken, mens vi spiser aftensmad.

Leave the phone in the bag while we eat dinner.

Breakdown of Lad mobilen ligge i tasken, mens vi spiser aftensmad.

• i: in
• vi: we
• spise: to eat
• aftensmaden: the dinner
• mens: while
• tasken: the bag
• lade ligge: to leave
• mobilen: the phone

Questions & Answers about Lad mobilen ligge i tasken, mens vi spiser aftensmad.

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

Lad is the imperative (command) form of the verb lade (to let / to allow / to leave). In this sentence it functions like Let the phone stay… / Leave the phone….
Structure: Lad + (noun/pronoun) + infinitive → Lad mobilen ligge… = Leave the phone lying / Let the phone lie… (i.e., don’t use it).

Is Lad mobilen ligge more like let or more like leave in English?

In everyday Danish, Lad X ligge is very often closest to English leave X (where it is) / leave it alone.
So Lad mobilen ligge i tasken is idiomatically: Leave your phone in your bag (not “allow the phone to lie” in a literal sense).

Why is it mobilen and not mobil?

Mobilen is the definite form: mobil = a mobile (phone), mobilen = the mobile (phone). Danish often uses the definite form where English might use your or the depending on context. Here, mobilen typically implies your/the phone (the one we’re talking about).

Can I say telefonen instead of mobilen?

Yes. Mobilen and telefonen can both mean the phone, but mobilen specifically points to a mobile phone.
Common options:

• Lad mobilen ligge… (very common in speech)
• Lad telefonen ligge… (also fine; can sound a bit more general)

Why is it ligge and not lægge?

Danish distinguishes:

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

Here the idea is keep it there / leave it lying, so ligge is correct.
If you meant put it into the bag (now) you’d use lægge: Læg mobilen i tasken.

What grammar pattern is Lad + noun + infinitive?

It’s the lade-construction: lade + object + infinitive. It’s used to mean things like:

• let someone do something: Lad ham komme. (Let him come.)
• leave something to happen / keep it as it is: Lad være! (Stop it / Leave it!)
• leave something somewhere: Lad mobilen ligge… (Leave the phone…)

The verb after the object is in the infinitive (here ligge).

Why is there a comma before mens?

Because mens vi spiser aftensmad is a subordinate clause introduced by mens (while). In Danish, it’s standard to put a comma before many subordinate clauses, especially in writing.

What word order should I expect after mens?

After mens, you have a subordinate clause, so Danish does not use V2 (verb-second) the way main clauses do.
Basic subordinate order is typically subject + verb + …, and crucially, adverbs like ikke usually come before the verb:

• mens vi spiser aftensmad (while we eat dinner)
• mens vi ikke spiser (while we are not eating)

Does mens only mean while, or can it mean whereas too?

It can mean both:

• while / during the time that (simultaneous time): mens vi spiser…
• whereas / while on the other hand (contrast): Jeg arbejder, mens han slapper af. (I work, whereas he relaxes.)

In this sentence it’s the time meaning: while.

What exactly is aftensmad—is it dinner or supper?

Aftensmad is the evening meal, often best translated as dinner (or supper, depending on your English variety).
Related words:

• morgenmad = breakfast
• frokost = lunch
• aftensmad = dinner/supper

Could I make it more personal, like Put your phone away?

Yes—Danish often adds a possessive or changes the verb depending on tone:

• Lad din mobil ligge i tasken… = Leave your phone in your bag…
• Læg mobilen i tasken… = Put the phone in the bag… (more direct “do it now”)
• Lad være med at bruge mobilen, mens vi spiser. = Don’t use your phone while we eat.