Learn Hardcore Danish: Velbekomme, siger tjeneren, da hun sætter hovedretten på bordet. - “Enjoy your meal,” says the waitress as she puts the main course on the table.

Here Velbekomme is a fixed expression said when someone is being served food. In English, it is often translated as enjoy your meal or bon appétit in this context.

A useful extra point: velbekomme can also mean you’re welcome after someone says tak, so its exact meaning depends on the situation.

Why is the word order siger tjeneren instead of tjeneren siger?

This is because Danish main clauses usually follow the V2 rule: the finite verb comes in the second position.

In this sentence, Velbekomme comes first, so the verb siger has to come next:

Velbekomme, siger tjeneren ...

If the sentence began with the subject instead, you could say:

Tjeneren siger: Velbekomme.

So the inversion is normal Danish word order after another element has been placed first.

Why does tjeneren end in -en?

Because Danish often adds the definite article to the end of the noun.

tjener = waiter/server
tjeneren = the waiter/server

So -en here means the.