Enten tager vi elevatoren, eller også går vi op ad trappen.

It is a correlative conjunction pattern, like English either ... or.

It sets up two alternatives:

• Enten introduces the first option.
• eller også introduces the second option.

So the sentence is built as a choice between two possible actions.

After enten, Danish very often uses eller også to introduce the second alternative. It makes the pairing feel clearer and more balanced.

Important: også here does not literally mean English also in a simple word-for-word way. In this pattern, eller også functions as a standard way to introduce the second option.

You can sometimes say enten ... eller ... without også, but enten ... eller også ... is very common and very natural.

This is because of the Danish V2 rule in main clauses.

In Danish main clauses, the finite verb normally comes in the second position. If something other than the subject comes first, the verb still stays second, and the subject moves after it.

Here, Enten is placed first, so the verb comes next:

• Enten tager vi elevatoren

Not:

• Enten vi tager elevatoren

This is a very common Danish word-order pattern.

For the same basic reason: Danish main clauses follow V2 word order.

In the second clause, også is part of the fronted opening, so the finite verb comes before the subject:

• eller også går vi op ad trappen

Not:

• eller også vi går op ad trappen

If you removed også, you would normally say:

• Enten tager vi elevatoren, eller vi går op ad trappen.

So også affects the word order.

Because Danish usually puts the definite article onto the end of the noun.

So:

• en elevator = an elevator
• elevatoren = the elevator

and:

• en trappe = a staircase / stairs
• trappen = the staircase / the stairs

Both elevator and trappe are common gender nouns, so their singular definite form ends in -en.

Because Danish often uses tage where English uses take in the sense of use a means of transport or a practical option.

So Danish naturally says things like:

• tage bussen
• tage toget
• tage taxa
• tage elevatoren

That is completely normal. Danish could also use other expressions in some contexts, but tage elevatoren is the everyday, natural choice.

This is a very common Danish movement expression.

• gå = go / walk
• op = up
• ad = along / up via
• trappen = the stairs

So gå op ad trappen is the normal way to say go up the stairs.

You should think of op ad as a directional combination used with routes, surfaces, or paths. It is not something you should translate too mechanically word-for-word.

The standard form here is op ad trappen.

That is because ad is used for movement along/up/down a route or surface, and stairs are treated that way in this expression.

By contrast, af usually means off / from.

So:

• op ad trappen = up the stairs
• ned ad trappen = down the stairs

Learners should use ad here. You may sometimes see spelling confusion among native speakers, but op ad trappen is the form to learn.

Yes. A few alternatives are possible, depending on style.

For example:

• Enten tager vi elevatoren, eller vi går op ad trappen.

This is possible, but eller også sounds a bit more neatly paired with enten.

Another very natural way, especially for learners, is:

• Vi kan enten tage elevatoren eller gå op ad trappen.

That version may feel closer to English structure because the two alternatives are parallel infinitives: tage / gå.

Because the sentence contains two main clauses joined together:

• Enten tager vi elevatoren
• eller også går vi op ad trappen

In standard written Danish, a comma is normally used between coordinated main clauses like these. So the comma here is normal and helpful.