Gæsterne skulle gerne komme før klokken syv, så jeg lægger en ren dug på bordet nu.

Gæsterne means the guests. In Danish, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of standing as a separate word.

• en gæst = a guest
• gæster = guests
• gæsterne = the guests

So Gæsterne skulle gerne komme... means The guests should hopefully come...

In this sentence, skulle gerne expresses expectation or hope, not strict obligation.

So Gæsterne skulle gerne komme før klokken syv means something like:

• The guests are expected to come before seven
• The guests should hopefully come before seven

It is softer and less direct than simply saying they must come.

This is a very common question. Skulle is indeed the past form of skal, but in Danish, past forms of modal verbs are often used for meanings that are not really past.

Here, skulle can express:

• expectation
• something planned
• something that is supposed to happen

So it does not necessarily mean that the action happened in the past. It is more like were supposed to or should be expected to in English.

Gerne often means gladly, preferably, or in some expressions it helps soften the meaning.

In skulle gerne, it is part of a fixed, very common combination. The usual order is:

• skulle gerne komme
• ville gerne have
• kan godt lide

So gerne comes after the modal verb and before the main verb. That is the natural Danish word order here.

Literally, før klokken syv means before the clock seven, but in natural English that is just before seven o’clock.

In Danish, when giving the time, klokken is very commonly used:

• klokken syv = seven o’clock
• før klokken syv = before seven o’clock
• efter klokken otte = after eight o’clock

So klokken is the normal way to introduce a clock time.

Danish often uses the present tense for a future action when the context makes the timing clear.

Here, nu already tells you the action is happening now, and the whole sentence describes a current decision based on what is expected later.

• jeg lægger ... nu = I’m putting ... now / I’ll put ... now

So Danish does not need a separate future form here.

Lægge is used when you place something so that it lies flat or ends up in a horizontal position.

A tablecloth is something you lay on a table, so lægger is the natural verb.

Compare:

• lægge en bog på bordet = lay/put a book on the table
• sætte en kop på bordet = put a cup on the table
• stille en flaske på bordet = put a bottle on the table

So for a tablecloth, lægge en dug på bordet is exactly what you would expect.

In Danish, adjectives usually come before the noun, just as in English.

• en dug = a tablecloth
• en ren dug = a clean tablecloth

The pattern is:

• en + adjective + noun

Because dug is a common-gender noun, it takes en in the indefinite singular.

På bordet means on the table. Danish normally makes a noun definite by adding the definite ending:

• et bord = a table
• bordet = the table

So:

• på bordet = on the table

You would use det bord when you want extra emphasis or when the noun has an adjective:

• på det store bord = on the big table

Without an adjective, på bordet is the standard form.

Here så means so in the sense of therefore or as a result.

The sentence has a cause-and-result structure:

• Gæsterne skulle gerne komme før klokken syv
• så jeg lægger en ren dug på bordet nu

In other words: The guests are expected to come before seven, so I’m putting a clean tablecloth on the table now.

Because så here is just a coordinating conjunction meaning so, not an adverb taking first position in the clause.

With a coordinating conjunction, the following clause keeps normal main-clause word order:

• så jeg lægger...

If something else were placed first in the clause, then Danish would use inversion:

• Nu lægger jeg en ren dug på bordet
• Derfor lægger jeg en ren dug på bordet

But after så as a conjunction, jeg lægger is correct.

Yes, but the emphasis may change slightly.

The given sentence ends with nu, which sounds very natural:

• ... så jeg lægger en ren dug på bordet nu

You could also say:

• ... så nu lægger jeg en ren dug på bordet

That version gives a little more focus to now as the consequence of the first clause.

Both are understandable and natural, but the original version is perfectly standard.

Yes. It sounds natural and idiomatic.

A Danish speaker might very well say this in everyday conversation. Useful features that make it natural include:

• skulle gerne for expectation
• før klokken syv for time
• lægger ... nu for a present action
• en ren dug på bordet as a normal household expression

So this is a good example of real, everyday Danish rather than an artificial textbook sentence.