Når jeg ikke kender betydningen, prøver jeg først at finde et synonym i ordbogen.

Here når means when in the sense of a general situation or repeated habit:

• Når jeg ikke kender betydningen ... = When I don't know the meaning ...

It suggests something that happens whenever that situation occurs.

A learner might compare it with hvis, which usually means if and is often used for a more open or conditional situation.

• Når jeg ikke kender betydningen, ... = whenever I don't know the meaning
• Hvis jeg ikke kender betydningen, ... = if I don't know the meaning

In everyday Danish, there can sometimes be overlap, but når is very natural here because the sentence describes a usual strategy.

This is because Danish follows the V2 rule in main clauses: the finite verb usually comes in the second position.

The first part, Når jeg ikke kender betydningen, is a subordinate clause. When that whole clause comes first, the main clause begins after the comma, and the verb must come before the subject:

• Når jeg ikke kender betydningen, prøver jeg først ...

So the order is:

1. fronted subordinate clause
2. finite verb: prøver
3. subject: jeg

If the sentence started with the main clause, it would be:

• Jeg prøver først at finde et synonym i ordbogen, når jeg ikke kender betydningen.

Both are grammatical, but the original sentence emphasizes the condition first.

In Danish subordinate clauses, words like ikke usually come before the finite verb.

So in:

• Når jeg ikke kender betydningen

the order is:

• subject: jeg
• negation: ikke
• verb: kender

This is different from main clauses, where ikke often comes after the finite verb:

• Jeg kender ikke betydningen.

So compare:

• Jeg kender ikke betydningen. = main clause
• ... når jeg ikke kender betydningen. = subordinate clause

This difference in word order is very important in Danish.

Danish often distinguishes between two kinds of know:

• at vide = to know a fact, information, an answer
• at kende = to know something through familiarity, acquaintance, or recognition

In practice, with words like betydning meaning meaning, Danish often uses kende in expressions like:

• jeg kender betydningen = I know the meaning

Even though English uses just know, Danish chooses between vide and kende depending on the kind of knowledge involved.

A rough guide:

• Jeg ved det. = I know it / I know that
• Jeg kender ordet. = I know the word
• Jeg kender betydningen. = I know the meaning

Betydning means meaning.

The form betydningen means the meaning. The ending -en is the definite article attached to the noun.

So:

• en betydning = a meaning
• betydningen = the meaning

This is very common in Danish. Instead of putting a separate word like English the before the noun, Danish often adds the definite ending to the noun itself.

Here the sentence says:

• jeg ikke kender betydningen = I do not know the meaning

It refers to a specific meaning in the context.

At is the infinitive marker, like English to in to find.

So:

• prøver = try / am trying
• at finde = to find

Together:

• prøver at finde = try to find

This is a very common pattern in Danish:

• Jeg prøver at forstå. = I try to understand.
• Hun begynder at læse. = She begins to read.

So at finde is the infinitive phrase that depends on prøver.

Først here means first.

So:

• prøver jeg først at finde et synonym = I first try to find a synonym

It shows the first step in a process. The speaker is implying that this is what they do before trying something else.

For example, the full idea might be:

1. first look for a synonym
2. then maybe do something else if that does not help

Its placement is natural in Danish after the subject in this part of the sentence:

• prøver jeg først at finde ...

Because synonym is a neuter noun in Danish, so it takes et in the indefinite singular.

• et synonym = a synonym
• synonymet = the synonym

In Danish, nouns are mainly divided into two genders:

• en-words (common gender)
• et-words (neuter)

Unfortunately, gender often has to be learned with each noun.

I ordbogen means in the dictionary.

Breakdown:

• i = in
• ordbog = dictionary
• ordbogen = the dictionary

Danish often uses i where English also uses in, especially for looking something up in a book, dictionary, list, etc.

So:

• finde et synonym i ordbogen = find a synonym in the dictionary

A learner may expect something like the dictionary as a separate word, but in Danish the definite ending is attached to the noun:

• ordbog = dictionary
• ordbogen = the dictionary

It describes a general habit or usual action, not necessarily something happening right now.

The whole sentence means something like:

• Whenever I don't know the meaning, I first try to find a synonym in the dictionary.

Danish uses the present tense for this kind of general truth or repeated behavior, just like English often does.

So even though the verbs are present tense:

• kender
• prøver

the meaning is habitual:

• this is what I usually do

Yes. That is very natural.

In context, Danish can simply say betydningen if it is already clear that we are talking about the meaning of a word, expression, or phrase.

So the sentence does not need to say:

• betydningen af ordet

even though that would also be possible in a clearer or more explicit context.

The shorter form works because the context already tells us what kind of meaning is being discussed.