Jeg skal tømme beholderen.

Skal is a modal verb. In this sentence, it usually means something like:

• have to
• am supposed to
• am going to

The exact nuance depends on context.

So Jeg skal tømme beholderen can suggest:

• an obligation: I have to empty the container
• a plan: I’m going to empty the container
• an instruction or assigned task: I’m supposed to empty the container

It is stronger and more purposeful than just Jeg tømmer beholderen, which usually means I am emptying the container or I empty the container.

Because skal is a modal verb, and in Danish modal verbs are followed by the bare infinitive.

So you say:

• Jeg skal tømme beholderen
• Jeg vil tømme beholderen
• Jeg kan tømme beholderen

Not:

• Jeg skal at tømme beholderen

This is similar to English:

• I can go
• I must leave

not

• I can to go
• I must to leave

By contrast, many other Danish verbs do use at before the infinitive, for example:

• Jeg prøver at tømme beholderen = I’m trying to empty the container

Tømme is the infinitive form of the verb, meaning the basic dictionary form.

In this sentence it stays in the infinitive because it follows skal.

Some useful forms are:

• infinitive: tømme
• present: tømmer
• past: tømte
• past participle: tømt

Examples:

• Jeg tømmer beholderen = I am emptying / I empty the container
• Jeg tømte beholderen = I emptied the container
• Jeg har tømt beholderen = I have emptied the container

A useful pattern to remember: with a modal verb, the modal changes, not the main verb:

• Jeg skal tømme beholderen
• Jeg skulle tømme beholderen

In Danish, the definite article is often added to the end of the noun.

So:

• en beholder = a container
• beholderen = the container

The ending -en is the definite ending for many common-gender nouns.

This is one of the biggest differences from English. English says:

• the container

Danish usually says:

• container-the in effect, which becomes beholderen

Because beholder is a common-gender noun in Danish.

Danish nouns are mainly either:

• common gender: take en in the indefinite singular and usually -en in the definite singular
• neuter gender: take et in the indefinite singular and usually -et in the definite singular

So:

• en beholder
• beholderen

If it were a neuter noun, it would look more like:

• et hus
• huset

Unfortunately, noun gender usually has to be learned with the noun. A good habit is to memorize nouns together with their article:

• en beholder, not just beholder

Beholderen is the normal way to say the container.

Den beholder is not the usual default form for a simple definite noun. You typically use den when:

1. there is an adjective:

   • den store beholder = the big container

2. you are contrasting or pointing something out:

   • den beholder, ikke den anden = that container, not the other one

So if you just mean the container, use:

• beholderen

If you mean the big container, use:

• den store beholder

This is a very common Danish pattern:

• den + adjective + noun

The basic word order here is:

• Jeg = subject
• skal = finite verb
• tømme = infinitive
• beholderen = object

So:

Jeg | skal | tømme | beholderen

The important Danish rule is that in a main clause, the finite verb usually comes in second position.

That is why:

• Jeg skal tømme beholderen

But if you start with another element, the verb still stays second, and the subject moves after it:

• I morgen skal jeg tømme beholderen = Tomorrow I have to empty the container

This is called V2 word order.

A related point: negation usually comes after the finite verb and before the infinitive:

• Jeg skal ikke tømme beholderen = I must not / I’m not going to empty the container

A rough learner-friendly guide would be:

• Jeg: often something like yai or a reduced ya
• skal: roughly sgal
• tømme: TØM-me
• beholderen: roughly be-HOL-der-en

A few important pronunciation notes:

• jeg is often not pronounced exactly the way it looks to an English speaker.
• ø in tømme has no exact English equivalent. It is one of the classic Danish vowels learners need to practice.
• The stress in beholderen is mainly on HOL.
• The ending -en is usually weaker than an English speaker might expect.

So even if your pronunciation is not perfect yet, the main sounds to focus on are:

• jeg
• ø in tømme
• the rhythm of beholderen

Yes, but the meaning changes.

Compare:

• Jeg skal tømme beholderen = I have to / I’m supposed to / I’m going to empty the container
• Jeg vil tømme beholderen = I want to / I will empty the container
• Jeg må tømme beholderen = I must / I am allowed to empty the container
  
  • context decides whether it means obligation or permission
• Jeg kan tømme beholderen = I can empty the container
• Jeg bør tømme beholderen = I should empty the container

So skal is specifically about duty, plan, or expectation, not just desire or ability.

You would use den, because beholder is a common-gender noun.

So:

• Jeg skal tømme beholderen becomes
• Jeg skal tømme den

You would not use det, because det is used for neuter nouns.

Compare:

• en beholder → den
• et hus → det

So the gender of the noun affects the pronoun you choose.

You usually change the modal verb:

• Jeg skulle tømme beholderen

This can mean:

• I had to empty the container
• I was supposed to empty the container

Notice that tømme stays in the infinitive, because it still follows a modal verb.

So the pattern is:

• present: Jeg skal tømme beholderen
• past: Jeg skulle tømme beholderen

If you want to say that the action was actually completed, you might also say:

• Jeg tømte beholderen = I emptied the container
• Jeg har tømt beholderen = I have emptied the container