Det er udsagnsordet, der står i nutid.

This is a very common Danish pattern called a cleft sentence:

Det er X, der ...

It is used to highlight or single out something. In this sentence, it highlights udsagnsordet.

So structurally, it is like:

• Det er udsagnsordet = It is the verb
• der står i nutid = that is in the present tense

English does something similar with sentences like:

• It is the verb that is in the present tense.

This pattern is very common in explanations, corrections, and emphasis.

Because -et makes the noun definite.

• et udsagnsord = a verb
• udsagnsordet = the verb

In Danish, the definite article is often attached to the end of the noun rather than placed in front of it.

So:

• ord = word
• ordet = the word

Here, udsagnsordet means the verb, not just a verb.

Udsagnsord is a traditional Danish grammar term for verb.

A native speaker might also say verbum or simply talk about a verb in another way, but udsagnsord is especially common in school grammar.

It literally breaks down roughly as:

• udsagn = statement
• ord = word

So it is the Danish school-grammar word for a verb.

Here, der introduces a relative clause:

• udsagnsordet, der står i nutid = the verb that is in the present tense

So this der means that / which / who depending on context.

It is not the same as der meaning there.

In this sentence, der refers back to udsagnsordet and functions as the subject of the relative clause.

Because Danish normally uses a comma before a relative clause.

So in:

• Det er udsagnsordet, der står i nutid.

the part after the comma, der står i nutid, describes udsagnsordet.

English punctuation is often lighter here, but Danish comma rules commonly require this comma.

In Danish, stå can be used in explanations about text, grammar, or written forms to mean something like:

• is written
• appears
• stands

So står i nutid means something like:

• is in the present tense
• appears in the present tense
• literally, stands in the present tense

This use of stå is very natural in Danish when talking about how something is written or presented.

Because the sentence has two clauses:

1. Det er udsagnsordet

   • main clause
   • verb: er

2. der står i nutid

   • relative clause
   • verb: står

So each clause has its own verb.

This is just like in English:

• It is the verb that is in the present tense.

There too, you effectively have two verbs: is and is.

I nutid means in the present tense.

• nutid = present tense
• i = in

Danish often uses i with grammatical categories or states:

• i datid = in the past tense
• i flertal = in the plural
• i ental = in the singular

So står i nutid is the normal way to say that something is in the present tense.

Yes, in ordinary grammar explanations, nutid corresponds to the present tense.

Danish school grammar often uses:

• nutid = present
• datid = past

So if you are learning basic grammar terminology, nutid is the standard word for present tense.

Because this is a relative clause introduced by der.

The order is:

• der = subject
• står = verb
• i nutid = prepositional phrase

That is normal Danish word order for this kind of clause.

So:

• der står i nutid

literally follows the pattern:

• that stands in present tense

It may feel a little unusual in English because English would more naturally say that is in the present tense, but the Danish structure itself is completely normal.

In many relative clauses, Danish can use som, but after a cleft construction like Det er X, der ..., der is the normal choice.

So:

• Det er udsagnsordet, der står i nutid.

sounds natural and standard.

Using som here would usually not be the preferred form.

It is not especially formal, but it is a bit grammar-classroom-like because of words such as udsagnsordet and nutid.

So the sentence sounds natural in contexts like:

• grammar explanations
• language learning
• schoolbooks
• teacher comments

In everyday casual conversation, people are less likely to say this exact sentence unless they are talking about grammar.