Jeg tror, at vi kan klare det sammen.

Breakdown of Jeg tror, at vi kan klare det sammen.

jeg
I
vi
we
det
it
sammen
together
kunne
can
at
that
tro
to think
klare
to manage

Questions & Answers about Jeg tror, at vi kan klare det sammen.

What does at mean here?

Here at is a conjunction, and it means that.

So:

  • Jeg tror = I think / I believe
  • at vi kan klare det sammen = that we can manage it together

It connects the main clause to the clause that follows.


Why is there no at before klare?

Because the at in this sentence is not the infinitive marker. It is the conjunction that.

After a modal verb like kan (can), Danish uses the bare infinitive:

  • kan klare
  • vil gøre
  • skal gå

So vi kan klare det is correct, not vi kan at klare det.

A useful distinction is:

  • at
    • clause = that
  • at
    • infinitive = to

In this sentence, the first kind is being used.


Can I leave out at?

Yes, very often.

You can say:

  • Jeg tror, at vi kan klare det sammen.
  • Jeg tror, vi kan klare det sammen.

Both are natural. In everyday Danish, at is often omitted after verbs like tror, synes, siger, and håber, especially in speech.

Including at can sound a little more explicit or slightly more formal, but both versions are common.


Why is there a comma before at?

Because at vi kan klare det sammen is a subordinate clause, and many Danish writers put a comma before it.

You may also see the sentence written without that comma, depending on comma style:

  • Jeg tror, at vi kan klare det sammen.
  • Jeg tror at vi kan klare det sammen.

So if you notice variation, that is normal in Danish writing.


Why is the word order vi kan and not kan vi?

Because at introduces a subordinate clause, and subordinate clauses normally keep the subject before the finite verb.

So you get:

  • at vi kan klare det sammen

not

  • at kan vi klare det sammen

This is different from Danish main clauses, where the finite verb often comes in second position.

So the structure is:

  • Jeg tror = main clause
  • at vi kan klare det sammen = subordinate clause

Inside that subordinate clause, vi comes before kan.


What exactly does klare det mean?

Klare det is a very common expression meaning something like:

  • manage it
  • handle it
  • get through it
  • cope with it

The exact English translation depends on context.

So vi kan klare det could mean:

  • we can manage it
  • we can do it
  • we can get through it

It often suggests being capable of dealing with a task, problem, or difficult situation.


Why is it det? What does det refer to?

Det means it, and here it refers to whatever task, problem, or situation is already understood from context.

Danish often uses det in a broad way, just like English uses it in sentences like:

  • We can do it
  • We can handle it
  • We can get through it

So det does not have to refer to a specific neuter noun right in the sentence. It can refer to the whole situation.


What does sammen do here, and why is it at the end?

Sammen means together.

It tells you how they will manage it: they will do it together.

Its position at the end is very natural:

  • vi kan klare det sammen

That is probably the most neutral and common placement. Danish adverbs like sammen often come late in the clause, especially after the object.


Is jeg tror exactly the same as English I think?

Often yes, but not always perfectly.

Jeg tror can mean:

  • I think
  • I believe

In this sentence, it works very naturally as I think.

But Danish learners should know that tro often has a stronger sense of believe than English think does. In many everyday sentences, though, jeg tror is the normal choice for expressing an opinion or expectation.

So here, jeg tror, at vi kan klare det sammen is a very natural way to say that you believe or think the group will manage.


Can I use kan here even if it means ability, not permission?

Yes. Kan can express several related ideas, including:

  • ability
  • possibility
  • sometimes permission

In this sentence, it means ability / possibility:

  • we can manage it together

It does not mean permission here. No one is giving permission; the speaker is saying it is possible or that they are capable of doing it.

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