Der er brug for ro, hvis børnene skal sove.

if

Breakdown of Der er brug for ro, hvis børnene skal sove.

• sove: to sleep
• barnet: the child
• skulle: should

Questions & Answers about Der er brug for ro, hvis børnene skal sove.

What does der mean here? Is it the same as English there?

Yes, in this sentence der works much like existential there in English:

• Der er brug for ro = There is a need for quiet

It does not mean a physical place here. It is a dummy subject used in statements about existence or presence.

Compare:

• Der er en bog på bordet = There is a book on the table
• Der er brug for ro = There is a need for quiet

So here der is grammatical rather than locational.

What does the expression der er brug for mean exactly?

Der er brug for is a very common Danish expression meaning:

• there is a need for
• something is needed

So:

• Der er brug for ro = Quiet is needed / There is a need for quiet

A related expression is:

• at have brug for = to need

For example:

• Jeg har brug for hjælp = I need help

Even though brug often means use, in the phrase brug for it means need.