Jeg tager mit arbejde alvorligt.

Here is a word-by-word breakdown:

• Jeg = I
• tager = take / am taking
  
  • present tense of tage = to take
• mit = my
  
  • used before a singular neuter noun
• arbejde = work / job
• alvorligt = seriously

So the whole sentence means I take my work seriously.

Because arbejde is a neuter noun in Danish.

Danish nouns have two grammatical genders:

• common gender: takes en
• neuter: takes et

The noun arbejde is an et-word:

• et arbejde = a job / a piece of work

So the possessive must match that gender:

• min = my + common gender
• mit = my + neuter
• mine = my + plural

That is why you say:

• mit arbejde = my work

Compare:

• min bil = my car
• mit hus = my house

Because in Danish, a possessive like min / mit / mine normally replaces the article.

So just like in English, you do not say:

• the my work

and in Danish you do not say:

• det mit arbejde

You simply say:

• mit arbejde = my work

Because tager is the present tense, while tage is the infinitive.

• tage = to take
• tager = take / takes / am taking

After the subject jeg, you need the finite verb form:

• Jeg tager ... = I take ...

If you used tage, it would be ungrammatical in this sentence.

Yes. At tage noget alvorligt is a very common Danish expression, and it matches English quite closely:

• to take something seriously
• at tage noget alvorligt

So Danish uses the verb tage in the same basic way English does here.

Other examples:

• Han tager det alvorligt. = He takes it seriously.
• Vi tager problemet alvorligt. = We take the problem seriously.

This is a very common question, and the short answer is: not really.

Here, alvorligt is best understood as part of the expression tage noget alvorligt = take something seriously.

A useful way to think about it:

• alvorlig = serious
• alvorligt = seriously / in a serious way

So in this sentence, alvorligt does not simply mean serious as an adjective directly describing arbejde. It describes how the speaker takes their work.

That is why the English translation uses seriously, not serious.

So although the -t form often looks like the neuter form of an adjective, here it is functioning more like an adverbial form in the expression.

Because that is the normal and natural word order in this kind of Danish sentence.

The basic structure is:

• Subject + verb + object + adverbial/complement

So:

• Jeg = subject
• tager = verb
• mit arbejde = object
• alvorligt = the final element completing the meaning

This sounds natural:

• Jeg tager mit arbejde alvorligt.

Moving alvorligt earlier would sound odd or unnatural in ordinary speech.

It can suggest either, depending on context.

• arbejde often means work in a broad sense
• but in many sentences it can also refer to one’s job

So Jeg tager mit arbejde alvorligt can be understood as:

• I take my work seriously
• I take my job seriously

If the broader context is about someone’s profession, employment, or responsibilities, job is often a natural English translation.

Yes, often you can.

For example:

• Jeg tager mit job alvorligt.

That is also natural Danish.

A rough difference is:

• arbejde can sound a bit broader: your work, what you do, your duties
• job can sound a bit more specifically like your job or position

In many everyday situations, both are possible.

Yes, many Danes would also say:

• Jeg tager mit arbejde seriøst.

That is very common and natural too.

A simple way to think of the difference:

• alvorligt is a very standard, established Danish expression
• seriøst is also common, and may sound a bit more modern or colloquial in some contexts

Both are correct, but tage noget alvorligt is an especially classic and idiomatic phrase.

You usually put ikke after the verb:

• Jeg tager ikke mit arbejde alvorligt. = I do not take my work seriously.

That placement is very typical in Danish main clauses.

In a yes/no question, Danish usually puts the verb before the subject:

• Tager du dit arbejde alvorligt? = Do you take your work seriously?

Notice two things:

1. tager comes first
2. mit changes to dit because the subject is now du instead of jeg

So:

• Jeg tager mit arbejde alvorligt. = I take my work seriously.
• Tager du dit arbejde alvorligt? = Do you take your work seriously?