Filmen starter klokken otte i biografen.

Because filmen means the film/movie.

In Danish, the definite article is often attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word like the in English.

• en film = a film / a movie
• filmen = the film / the movie

So Filmen starter ... means The film starts ...

Starter is the present tense of at starte, which means to start.

So:

• at starte = to start
• starter = starts / is starting

In this sentence, Filmen starter means The film starts.

Danish present tense verbs are often formed by adding -r:

• jeg starter = I start
• filmen starter = the film starts

Unlike English, the verb form does not change depending on the subject.

In Danish, you usually do not use a separate preposition like English at before a clock time in this structure.

You simply say:

• klokken otte = at eight o’clock

Literally, klokken means the clock, but in normal Danish this is just the standard way to give a time.

Examples:

• Vi mødes klokken tre. = We meet at three.
• Toget går klokken ni. = The train leaves at nine.

Klokken otte means eight o’clock.

Breakdown:

• klokken = the clock / o’clock
• otte = eight

So in a sentence, starter klokken otte means starts at eight o’clock.

You can use the same pattern with other times:

• klokken seks = at six o’clock
• klokken tolv = at twelve o’clock

I biografen means in the cinema or more naturally in English here, at the cinema.

Breakdown:

• i = in
• biografen = the cinema / the movie theater

Danish uses i where English may sometimes prefer in or at, depending on the situation.

So:

• Filmen starter klokken otte i biografen. = The film starts at eight at the cinema.

Depending on context, English might translate this more naturally as The film starts at eight in the cinema or at the cinema.

Because biografen is the definite form: the cinema.

Compare:

• en biograf = a cinema
• biografen = the cinema

Using biografen suggests a specific cinema, or one that is already known from context.

If you said i en biograf, that would mean in a cinema, which is less specific.

Yes. Biograf is the usual Danish word for cinema or movie theater.

Forms:

• en biograf = a cinema
• biografen = the cinema
• biografer = cinemas
• biograferne = the cinemas

So this is a very common everyday word.

Both starter and begynder can mean starts / begins, and in many contexts both are possible.

• Filmen starter klokken otte.
• Filmen begynder klokken otte.

Both are natural.

A small difference is that starte can feel a bit more everyday or modern in some contexts, while begynde is also very common and sometimes feels a little more formal or neutral. But for a sentence like this, both work well.

This is a normal Danish word order: verb + time + place.

So the sentence is structured like this:

• Filmen = subject
• starter = verb
• klokken otte = time
• i biografen = place

This order is very common in Danish, just as in English:

• The film starts at eight at the cinema.

That said, Danish word order is somewhat flexible. You could also say:

• Filmen starter i biografen klokken otte.

That is also understandable and natural in many situations, though time before place is very common in neutral statements.

Yes, but when you move something to the beginning in Danish, the verb usually stays in second position. This is an important Danish word order rule.

For example:

• Filmen starter klokken otte i biografen.
• Klokken otte starter filmen i biografen.
• I biografen starter filmen klokken otte.

All of these are possible, but the emphasis changes.

Notice that when klokken otte is moved to the front, the verb starter comes before filmen:

• Klokken otte starter filmen ...

This is because Danish is a verb-second language in main clauses.

A rough guide for an English speaker is:

• Filmen ≈ FIL-men
• starter ≈ STAR-ter
• klokken ≈ KLOK-en
• otte ≈ OT-uh
• i ≈ ee
• biografen ≈ bee-oh-GRAF-en

A few notes:

• Danish r can be softer than in many English accents.
• Final -en is often pronounced lightly.
• biografen has the main stress on graf.

Pronunciation varies a bit by region, but this will help you recognize the words.

No. Danish does not capitalize all nouns.

In this sentence:

• Filmen
• biografen

are nouns, but they are not capitalized because Danish only capitalizes:

• the first word of a sentence
• proper names

So this sentence is written correctly as:

• Filmen starter klokken otte i biografen.

not:

• Filmen starter Klokken Otte i Biografen.

Yes, in everyday Danish, film commonly means what English speakers would call a movie or a film.

So:

• en film = a film / a movie
• filmen = the film / the movie

English makes a stronger distinction in style between film and movie, but Danish film covers both in most situations.