Bølgerne er højere i dag, så vi sejler ikke ud.

The waves are higher today, so we are not sailing out.

Breakdown of Bølgerne er højere i dag, så vi sejler ikke ud.

• være: to be
• vi: we
• så: so
• i dag: today

Questions & Answers about Bølgerne er højere i dag, så vi sejler ikke ud.

Why does bølgerne end in -ne?

Because -ne is the definite plural ending in Danish.

• bølge = wave
• bølger = waves
• bølgerne = the waves

So Danish often puts the equivalent of the at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.

Why isn’t there a separate word for the before bølgerne?

In Danish, the definite article is usually attached to the noun as an ending.

So instead of saying something like the waves with a separate word, Danish says:

• bølgerne = the waves

This is very normal in Danish. A separate definite article can appear in some other structures, especially with adjectives, but not here.

Why is it højere and not høje or høj?

Højere is the comparative form of høj.

• høj = high / tall
• højere = higher

So Bølgerne er højere i dag means The waves are higher today.

Even if English might sometimes say the waves are high today, Danish here uses the comparative, suggesting they are higher than usual, higher than before, or higher than on another day.

What does i dag do in the sentence?