Når vi rydder op i haven, kører jeg gammelt græs ud i komposten med trillebøren.

When we tidy up in the garden, I take old grass out to the compost with the wheelbarrow.

Breakdown of Når vi rydder op i haven, kører jeg gammelt græs ud i komposten med trillebøren.

• jeg: I
• i: in
• haven: the garden
• gammel: old

Questions & Answers about Når vi rydder op i haven, kører jeg gammelt græs ud i komposten med trillebøren.

What does når mean here, and why isn’t it da or hvis?

Here når means when or whenever.

In this sentence, it suggests a repeated or typical situation:

• Når vi rydder op i haven = When / Whenever we tidy up in the garden

Why not the others?

• da is usually used for a specific time in the past: when
• hvis means if

So når is the natural choice for something that happens regularly or whenever that situation comes up.

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Why is it kører jeg and not jeg kører?

Because Danish main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must come in the second position.

Here, the whole subordinate clause comes first:

• Når vi rydder op i haven = first element

So the main clause must begin with the verb:

• kører = second position
• jeg = comes after the verb

That gives:

• Når vi rydder op i haven, kører jeg ...

If the sentence started directly with the subject, then you would get normal order:

• Jeg kører gammelt græs ud i komposten med trillebøren, når vi rydder op i haven.

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Is rydder op one expression?