Døren holdes lukket om vinteren.

Because døren is the definite form: the door.

In Danish, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun:

• en dør = a door
• døren = the door

So the sentence is talking about a specific or understood door, not just any door in general.

Holdes is the present passive form of holde.

Here, holde means to keep, so holdes means is kept.

So:

• Døren holdes lukket = The door is kept closed

This is not the same as simply is closed. It suggests that someone makes sure it stays closed.

Yes. It is a passive sentence.

The active version would be something like:

• Man holder døren lukket om vinteren. = People keep the door closed in winter.

In the passive sentence, the person or people doing the action are not mentioned. Danish does this very often, especially in rules, instructions, and formal statements.

Because holdes lukket and lukkes do not mean exactly the same thing.

• lukkes focuses on the action of closing
• holdes lukket focuses on the state being maintained

So:

• Døren lukkes om vinteren = The door is closed in winter / The door gets closed in winter
• Døren holdes lukket om vinteren = The door is kept closed in winter

The second version is better if the idea is that it remains closed during that period.

You can say that, but the meaning is a little different.

• Døren er lukket om vinteren = the door is closed in winter
• Døren holdes lukket om vinteren = the door is kept closed in winter

Er lukket describes a state.

Holdes lukket suggests control, policy, or habit — that someone makes sure the door stays closed.

So holdes lukket is often used when the sentence sounds like a rule, routine, or practical measure.

Lukket is the past participle of lukke, but here it functions like an adjective or complement: it describes the condition the door is kept in.

Compare:

• Døren er lukket. = The door is closed.
• Vi holder døren lukket. = We keep the door closed.

So in holdes lukket, lukket tells you the state of the door.

Because the noun is singular.

In this kind of use, the singular form is lukket. The plural would be lukkede.

For example:

• Døren er lukket. = singular
• Dørene er lukkede. = plural

So døren holdes lukket is the correct singular form.

Om vinteren means in winter or during the winter.

It usually refers to winter as a general recurring time, not one specific winter.

This is a very common Danish pattern with seasons:

• om sommeren = in summer
• om vinteren = in winter
• om efteråret = in autumn

So om vinteren is an idiomatic time expression.

Because with seasons, Danish often uses om + definite form.

So Danish normally says:

• om vinteren
• om sommeren

even though English just says in winter or in summer without the.

This is just one of those patterns you mostly have to learn as a set expression.

Usually it means in winter generally or every winter.

So this sentence sounds like a general habit, rule, or regular practice.

If you want to say this winter, Danish more often uses:

• i vinter = this winter

So:

• Døren holdes lukket om vinteren = generally, in winter
• Døren holdes lukket i vinter = this winter

Yes.

You can also say:

• Om vinteren holdes døren lukket.

That puts the time expression first for emphasis.

But Danish still follows the verb-second rule, so when om vinteren comes first, the verb holdes comes next, and the subject døren moves after the verb.

So:

• Døren holdes lukket om vinteren.
• Om vinteren holdes døren lukket.

Both are correct.

Yes. Danish often forms the passive with -s, especially in writing, notices, rules, and formal statements.

So holdes is an -s passive.

Another possible passive form is:

• Døren bliver holdt lukket om vinteren.

That also means The door is kept closed in winter, but holdes is often shorter and a bit more formal or written in style.

In everyday speech, people might also avoid the passive and say:

• Man holder døren lukket om vinteren.

That can sound more natural in conversation.