Questions & Answers about Jeg skal nok vaske tallerkenerne, medmindre du hellere vil gøre det.
What does skal nok mean here?
In this sentence, skal nok means something like I’ll make sure to, I’ll do it, don’t worry, or I can definitely do that.
So Jeg skal nok vaske tallerkenerne is not just a neutral future statement. It sounds reassuring, like the speaker is taking responsibility.
Does skal mean must here?
Not really in the usual English sense of must.
On its own, skal can mean must, have to, or sometimes will/shall, depending on context. But in the common expression skal nok, it usually gives a sense of assurance or promise rather than obligation.
So here it is closer to:
- I’ll do it
- I’ll take care of it
- Don’t worry, I’ll wash the dishes
Why not just use vil for the future?
Because vil often means want to as much as will.
- Jeg vil vaske tallerkenerne can sound like I want to wash the dishes
- Jeg skal nok vaske tallerkenerne sounds more like I’ll do it / I’ll take care of it
So skal nok is more natural if you are offering, promising, or reassuring someone.
What does nok mean here? I thought it meant enough or probably.
That is a very common question, because nok has several meanings.
It can mean:
- enough in some contexts
- probably in others
- but in skal nok, it is part of a fixed expression meaning reassurance or certainty
So in this sentence, you should understand skal nok as a unit. Do not translate nok separately as probably here.
Compare:
- Han kommer nok senere = He’ll probably come later
- Jeg skal nok gøre det = I’ll do it / I’ll make sure it gets done
Why is tallerkenerne one word?
Because Danish usually adds the definite article to the end of the noun instead of putting a separate word before it.
Here is the pattern:
- en tallerken = a plate
- tallerkener = plates
- tallerkenerne = the plates
So -ne is the definite plural ending here.
Does tallerkenerne literally mean the dishes?
Literally, tallerkenerne means the plates.
If the meaning shown to the learner is the dishes, that is probably because in context the sentence is about doing the washing-up, and English often says wash the dishes for the whole task.
But word-for-word:
- tallerken = plate
- tallerkenerne = the plates
A more general Danish expression for the dishes / the washing-up would often be opvasken.
What does medmindre mean?
Medmindre means unless.
It introduces an exception:
- Jeg skal nok vaske tallerkenerne, medmindre du hellere vil gøre det
- I’ll wash the dishes, unless you’d rather do it
So the main idea is: I’ll do it — except in the case that you prefer to do it yourself.
Why is the word order du hellere vil gøre det instead of du vil hellere gøre det?
Because medmindre introduces a subordinate clause, and subordinate clauses often have different word order in Danish.
In a main clause, you would normally say:
- Du vil hellere gøre det = You would rather do it
But after a subordinating word like medmindre, Danish often places certain adverbs before the finite verb:
- medmindre du hellere vil gøre det
That word order is very normal in Danish subordinate clauses.
What exactly does hellere mean?
Hellere means rather.
So du hellere vil gøre det means you would rather do it or you’d prefer to do it.
It expresses preference between options:
- I can do it
- unless you would rather do it
A useful contrast is:
- gerne = gladly / willingly / like to
- hellere = rather
For example:
- Jeg vil gerne hjælpe = I’d like to help
- Jeg vil hellere blive hjemme = I’d rather stay home
Why does it say gøre det and not gøre dem?
Because det does not refer to the plates themselves. It refers to the whole action: washing the dishes.
So:
- gøre det = do it = do that task
If the pronoun referred directly to the plural noun tallerkenerne, then you would expect dem. But that is not what is happening here.
So the meaning is:
- unless you would rather do it not
- unless you would rather do them
Is gøre det a normal way to avoid repeating the whole verb phrase?
Yes. It is very common.
Instead of repeating vaske tallerkenerne, Danish uses gøre det, just like English often says do it.
Compare:
- Jeg kan godt lave maden, hvis du ikke vil gøre det
- I can cook, if you don’t want to do it
This is a very natural way to avoid repetition.
Is the comma before medmindre required?
It depends on the comma system being used.
In modern Danish, both of these can be acceptable:
- Jeg skal nok vaske tallerkenerne, medmindre du hellere vil gøre det.
- Jeg skal nok vaske tallerkenerne medmindre du hellere vil gøre det.
Many writers do include the comma before a subordinate clause like this, so the version with the comma looks very normal.
Would a Dane say this in a more idiomatic way?
Possibly, yes.
This sentence is perfectly understandable, but in everyday Danish people often talk about doing the washing-up more generally. Common alternatives are:
- Jeg skal nok tage opvasken = I’ll do the dishes / I’ll take care of the washing-up
- Jeg skal nok vaske op = I’ll do the washing-up
So vaske tallerkenerne is understandable and grammatical, but it sounds more literally like wash the plates. If you mean the whole chore, tage opvasken or vaske op is often more natural.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning DanishMaster Danish — from Jeg skal nok vaske tallerkenerne, medmindre du hellere vil gøre det to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions