Questions & Answers about Vi spiser aftensmad, og bagefter ser vi en film.
Why is it ser vi and not vi ser after bagefter?
This is because Danish main clauses normally follow the V2 rule: the finite verb comes in the second position.
In the second clause, bagefter is placed first:
- Bagefter = position 1
- ser = position 2
- vi comes after the verb
So:
- Bagefter ser vi en film = correct
Compare it with the more neutral order:
- Vi ser en film bagefter
Both are correct, but when bagefter is moved to the front, the verb has to come before the subject.
Why is vi repeated in the second part of the sentence?
Because this sentence has two coordinated main clauses:
- Vi spiser aftensmad
- og bagefter ser vi en film
Each main clause normally has its own subject and verb. In English, learners sometimes expect the subject to carry over automatically, but in Danish it is very natural to repeat it in a new clause.
If you want to avoid repeating vi, you would usually make the sentence structurally different, for example:
- Vi spiser aftensmad og ser bagefter en film
But that is not exactly the same rhythm or emphasis as the original sentence.
What does aftensmad mean exactly, and is it the normal word for dinner?