Jeg har det med at være lidt glemsom om morgenen, så jeg tjekker altid tasken to gange.

Breakdown of Jeg har det med at være lidt glemsom om morgenen, så jeg tjekker altid tasken to gange.

jeg
I
være
to be
morgenen
the morning
om
in
so
altid
always
tasken
the bag
tjekke
to check
lidt
a little
to
two
gangen
the time
have det med at
to tend to
glemsom
forgetful

Questions & Answers about Jeg har det med at være lidt glemsom om morgenen, så jeg tjekker altid tasken to gange.

What does har det med at mean?

Har det med at + infinitive means to tend to or to have a habit of doing something.

So:

  • Jeg har det med at være lidt glemsom = I tend to be a little forgetful

It is a very common Danish expression, and you should learn it as a fixed phrase.


Why is there a det in har det med at?

In this expression, det is part of the fixed idiom. It does not have a strong separate meaning here.

So you should think of:

  • have a tendency to in English
  • have it with to is not a word-for-word English equivalent, but that is roughly how the Danish structure is built

In other words, har det med at should be memorized as one chunk.


Why is it at være and not just være?

Because Danish normally uses at + infinitive, much like English uses to + verb.

Examples:

  • at være = to be
  • at tjekke = to check

After har det med at, the next verb comes in the infinitive:

  • Jeg har det med at glemme
  • Jeg har det med at komme for sent
  • Jeg har det med at være lidt glemsom

What does lidt mean here?

Lidt means a little, a bit, or somewhat.

In this sentence, it softens glemsom:

  • lidt glemsom = a little forgetful
  • somewhat forgetful

This is very natural in Danish. It often makes a statement sound less strong or less blunt.

Compare:

  • Jeg er glemsom = I am forgetful
  • Jeg er lidt glemsom = I am a little forgetful

What does glemsom mean grammatically? Can I also say jeg er glemsom?

Yes. Glemsom is an adjective meaning forgetful.

So both of these are correct:

  • Jeg er glemsom = I am forgetful
  • Jeg har det med at være glemsom = I tend to be forgetful

The second version sounds a bit more like describing a recurring tendency or habit.

Related word:

  • glemsomhed = forgetfulness

Why is it om morgenen and not just om morgen?

Om morgenen is the normal way to say in the morning or in the mornings when speaking generally.

This pattern is common in Danish:

  • om morgenen = in the morning / in the mornings
  • om aftenen = in the evening / in the evenings
  • om natten = at night

The definite form morgenen is standard in this type of time expression.

Here it suggests a general habit, not one specific morning.


Does om morgenen mean this morning?

No, not usually.

In this sentence, om morgenen means something like:

  • in the morning
  • in the mornings

It describes a regular situation.

If you mean this morning, Danish often uses:

  • i morges = this morning

So there is a useful contrast:

  • om morgenen = in the mornings, generally
  • i morges = this morning, specifically

How does work here?

Here, means so and connects two main clauses:

  • Jeg har det med at være lidt glemsom om morgenen
  • så jeg tjekker altid tasken to gange

This is similar to English:

  • I tend to be a little forgetful in the morning, so I always check the bag twice.

Because is acting as a coordinating conjunction here, the second clause keeps normal main-clause word order:

  • så jeg tjekker ...

Why is it jeg tjekker altid tasken and not jeg tjekker tasken altid?

In neutral Danish word order, sentence adverbs such as altid usually come after the finite verb and before the object.

So the normal order is:

  • jeg tjekker altid tasken

Structure:

  • jeg = subject
  • tjekker = finite verb
  • altid = adverb
  • tasken = object

Jeg tjekker tasken altid sounds unusual unless you are adding special emphasis.


Why is it tasken and not min taske?

Tasken means the bag. In context, it is understood which bag is meant.

Danish often uses the definite form when the object is already obvious from the situation.

So:

  • jeg tjekker tasken = I check the bag
  • jeg tjekker min taske = I check my bag

Both can be possible, but tasken sounds natural when it is clear that the speaker means their usual bag.


Is tjekker really a Danish word?

Yes. At tjekke is a common Danish verb, borrowed from English check.

It is very common in everyday Danish.

Forms:

  • at tjekke = to check
  • tjekker = check / am checking
  • tjekkede = checked
  • har tjekket = have checked

A more formal alternative can be kontrollere, but tjekke is extremely natural in ordinary speech.


How do you say twice in Danish, and why is it to gange?

Danish usually says to gange, literally two times.

Examples:

  • én gang = once / one time
  • to gange = twice / two times
  • tre gange = three times

So:

  • jeg tjekker altid tasken to gange = I always check the bag twice

This is the most common and natural way to express it.

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