Questions & Answers about Pigen sidder på en bænk ved dammen.
Why is it pigen and not en pige?
Because pigen means the girl, while en pige means a girl.
In Danish, the definite article is usually added to the end of the noun:
- pige = girl
- en pige = a girl
- pigen = the girl
So instead of putting a separate word like English the before the noun, Danish often uses a suffix.
Why does the sentence have en bænk but dammen?
This is the difference between an indefinite noun and a definite noun.
- en bænk = a bench → any bench, not identified as a specific one
- dammen = the pond → a specific pond, probably known from the context
So the sentence mixes indefinite and definite nouns just like English can:
- The girl is sitting on a bench by the pond
That is completely normal.
How do I know why it is en and not et?