Questions & Answers about Mit ur går ikke.
Why is it mit and not min?
Because ur is a neuter noun in Danish. Its basic form is et ur, so the possessive adjective must match that gender:
- en-word → min
- et-word → mit
So:
- min bil = my car
- mit ur = my watch / my clock
What exactly does ur mean?
Ur can mean a clock or a watch. Danish often uses the same word for both.
So Mit ur går ikke could mean:
- My watch isn’t working
- My clock isn’t working
The exact meaning depends on context.
Why does Danish use går here? Doesn’t that normally mean walks or goes?
Yes, går usually means goes, walks, or is going in many contexts. But with clocks and watches, Danish uses gå idiomatically to mean run, work, or keep time.
So:
- Uret går = the clock/watch is running
- Uret går ikke = the clock/watch is not running / not working
This is similar to older or more idiomatic English, where people sometimes say a clock runs.
Could I also say Mit ur virker ikke?
Yes. Mit ur virker ikke is also correct and very natural.
There is a slight difference in feel:
- Mit ur går ikke = my watch/clock has stopped; it is not running
- Mit ur virker ikke = my watch/clock does not work
In many everyday situations, both are fine.
Why does ikke come after går?
In a simple main clause in Danish, the negation ikke usually comes after the finite verb.
So the structure is:
- Mit ur = subject
- går = finite verb
- ikke = not
That gives:
- Mit ur går ikke
This is a very common Danish word order pattern.
Is there a difference between ur and klokke?
Yes, often there is.
- ur = a clock or watch as an object that tells time
- klokke = can mean clock, but also bell
In modern everyday Danish:
- armbåndsur = wristwatch
- vægur = wall clock
But ur by itself is very common and natural for a timepiece. So Mit ur går ikke is a normal sentence.
Why isn’t there a word for is in the sentence?
Because Danish does not need a separate verb like is here. The verb går already carries the meaning of runs / works / is running.
English often says:
- My watch is not working
Danish says more directly:
- Mit ur går ikke
- literally closer to: My watch goes not
- naturally: My watch isn’t working
So this is just a difference in how the two languages express the idea.
How do you pronounce Mit ur går ikke?
A rough guide for an English speaker is:
- Mit ≈ mid with a short i
- ur ≈ something like oor, but with a Danish u sound
- går ≈ gor with a broad vowel
- ikke ≈ IG-uh or eg-uh, depending on accent and speaking style
A very rough whole-sentence approximation might be:
mid oor gor EG-uh
But Danish pronunciation varies a lot by region, and the real sounds are softer and more reduced than this spelling suggests.
Can ur be definite here, like my the watch?
No. When Danish uses a possessive like my, your, his, and so on, the noun usually stays indefinite.
So you say:
- mit ur = my watch
not:
- mit uret
This is similar to English, where we say my watch, not my the watch.
What is the dictionary form of går?
The dictionary form is gå.
In this sentence:
- gå = infinitive
- går = present tense
So:
- Uret går = the watch runs / is working
- Uret gik = the watch was running / went
- Uret har gået = the watch has been running / has gone
With clocks and watches, remember that gå has this special idiomatic meaning.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning DanishMaster Danish — from Mit ur går ikke to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions