Jeg kan ikke komme ind, hvis jeg glemmer nøglen.

I cannot get in if I forget the key.

Breakdown of Jeg kan ikke komme ind, hvis jeg glemmer nøglen.

• jeg: I
• hvis: if
• kunne: can
• ikke: not
• glemme: to forget
• nøglen: the key
• komme ind: to enter

Questions & Answers about Jeg kan ikke komme ind, hvis jeg glemmer nøglen.

Why is ikke placed after kan?

Because this is a main clause, and Danish main-clause word order usually puts the finite verb early, with ikke after it.

So:

• Jeg = subject
• kan = finite verb
• ikke = negation
• komme ind = infinitive phrase

That gives:

Jeg kan ikke komme ind

This is very normal Danish word order.
Compare it with a subordinate clause, where ikke often comes earlier:

• ... hvis jeg ikke kan komme ind

So the position of ikke depends on the type of clause.

What does komme ind mean here, and why isn’t it just komme?

Komme ind is a very common expression meaning come in, get in, or gain entry.

On its own, komme just means come.
The word ind adds the idea of movement into a place.

So:

• komme = come
• komme ind = come in / get in

In this sentence, komme ind is the natural way to say that someone cannot enter.

Why is it hvis jeg glemmer and not some future form?

Danish often uses the present tense to talk about the future, especially after words like hvis (if).

So:

• hvis jeg glemmer nøglen literally looks like if I forget the key
• but it can refer to a future possibility: if I forget the key

This is similar to English, which also says:

• If I forget the key, I can’t get in

not usually

• If I will forget the key...

So glemmer is present tense in form, but it can refer to a future situation.

Why is it nøglen instead of en nøgle?

Because nøglen means the key, while en nøgle means a key.

Danish usually marks definiteness by adding an ending to the noun:

• en nøgle = a key
• nøglen = the key

Here, the speaker means a specific key—the one needed to get in—so the definite form is used.

Also note:

• nøgle is a common gender noun
• common gender nouns usually take -en in the singular definite form

So:

• nøgle → nøglen

Why is jeg repeated after hvis?

Because hvis introduces a new clause, and that clause needs its own subject.

So the sentence has two clauses:

1. Jeg kan ikke komme ind
2. hvis jeg glemmer nøglen

Even though both clauses have the same subject, Danish still states it again. English does the same:

• I can’t get in if I forget the key

You would not leave out jeg after hvis.

Can I put the hvis clause first?

Yes. You can say:

Hvis jeg glemmer nøglen, kan jeg ikke komme ind.

That is completely natural.

But when the hvis clause comes first, the main clause changes word order. Danish follows the verb-second rule in main clauses, so after the fronted clause you get:

• kan jeg
• not jeg kan

So:

• Jeg kan ikke komme ind, hvis jeg glemmer nøglen.
• Hvis jeg glemmer nøglen, kan jeg ikke komme ind.

Both are correct, but the word order in the second version is important.

Why is there a comma before hvis?

Because hvis jeg glemmer nøglen is a subordinate clause, and Danish often uses a comma before subordinate clauses.

So the comma marks the boundary between:

• Jeg kan ikke komme ind
• hvis jeg glemmer nøglen

You may sometimes also see Danish written without that comma, depending on the comma system being used, but the version with the comma is very common and very useful for learners to recognize.

What is the difference between ind and inde?

This is an important distinction:

• ind = movement inward
• inde = being inside

So:

• komme ind = come in / get in
• være inde = be inside

In your sentence, the idea is movement or entry, so ind is correct.

Examples:

• Jeg kan ikke komme ind. = I can’t get in.
• Jeg er inde. = I am inside.

Could I say gå ind instead of komme ind?

Sometimes yes, but it changes the nuance.

• gå ind = go in / walk in
• komme ind = come in / get in / manage to enter

In this sentence, komme ind is better because the point is not the physical act of walking, but being able to enter at all.

So:

• Jeg kan ikke komme ind = I can’t get in
• Jeg kan ikke gå ind = I can’t go in / walk in

The second one can sound more like it is about the action of going in, while the first is the more natural choice for not being able to gain entry.

Does kan ikke mean am not able to, or could it mean am not allowed to?

Here it means am not able to or cannot because of the situation.

• kan ikke komme ind = can’t get in / am unable to get in

If you wanted to say am not allowed to come in, Danish would usually use må ikke instead:

• Jeg må ikke komme ind. = I’m not allowed to come in.

So this sentence is about lack of ability or possibility, not about permission.