Basic invitations and shared action | Learn Danish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Lad os gå nu.

   Let us go now.

   Lad os

   let us

   gå

   go

   nu

   now

   More detail

   Lad os is a reusable Danish pattern for suggesting a joint action: Lad os + infinitive means “let us …”. Here, os refers to the speaker together with at least one other participant. The following verb stays in the infinitive: Lad os spise sammen means “Let us eat together.” gå means “go” here. It is the infinitive form, used after Lad os. The same form can be reused after this pattern with another action verb, such as Lad os spise (“Let us eat”). nu means “now” and places the suggested action at the present time. It is an adverb and does not change form. Together, Lad os + gå forms the suggestion “Let us go,” and nu adds the time: “Let us go now.”

2. Lad os spise sammen.

   Let us eat together.

   Lad os

   Let us; let's

   spise

   eat

   sammen

   together

   More detail

   Lad os is a reusable Danish construction for suggesting a shared action: “let us …” or, naturally, “let’s …”. In this pattern, lad is the imperative of lade (“let/allow”), and os is the object form meaning “us”. The following action is expressed with its infinitive form. The same pattern appears in the supplied context in Lad os gå (“Let us go”) and Lad os begynde (“Let us start”). spise means “to eat” here. It is the infinitive form of spise; after Lad os, it names the action being proposed. Example: Lad os spise. — “Let’s eat.” sammen means “together”. It is an adverb describing that the participants in the proposed action do it jointly. Example: Vi arbejder sammen. — “We work together.” Together, Lad os spise sammen. means “Let us eat together.” The construction proposes that the speaker and the addressed person or people carry out the action spise, with sammen specifying that they do so jointly. This is a natural, concise way to make a shared suggestion.

3. Lad os begynde nu.

   Let us start now.

   Lad os

   let us

   begynde

   begin; start

   nu

   now

   More detail

   Lad os is a reusable Danish construction meaning “let us” or “let’s.” Here, lad is the imperative of lade (“let; allow”), used with os (“us”) to make a suggestion that includes the speaker and others. The verb that follows remains in the infinitive: Lad os spise = “Let us eat,” and Lad os stoppe = “Let us stop.” begynde means “to begin” or “to start.” It is the infinitive form used after Lad os. The same form can be reused with other subjects in constructions that require an infinitive, for example: Vi vil begynde = “We want to begin.” nu means “now” and places the suggested action at the present time. It can also appear with other actions, for example: Kom nu = “Come now.” Together, Lad os begynde nu. means “Let us start now.” The construction proposes that the speaker and the addressed group begin at this moment.

4. Lad os stoppe her.

   Let us stop here.

   Lad os

   let us

   stoppe

   stop

   her

   here

   More detail

   Lad os is a Danish construction used to suggest or propose an action: “let us …”. In this construction, lad is the imperative of lade (“let” or “allow”), while os is the object form meaning “us”; the people who will carry out the action are understood as “we.” Compare the same pattern in the supplied context: Lad os begynde nu. means “Let us start now.” stoppe means “stop” here. It is the infinitive form used after Lad os to name the proposed action. The same pattern can be reused, for example: Lad os vente. — “Let us wait.” her means “here” and indicates the relevant place. It is an adverb, so it does not change form for number or gender. A contrasting location word is der, “there.” Together, Lad os + stoppe forms the proposal “let us stop,” and her specifies the location: “Let us stop here.”

5. Kom med mig.

   Come with me.

   Kom

   come

   med mig

   with me

   More detail

   Kom is the imperative of komme, “to come.” The imperative gives a direct instruction: Kom! means “Come!” The same verb has the present form kommer, as in Jeg kommer (“I am coming”); do not use that present form for this direct command. med mig means “with me.” med is the preposition “with,” and mig is the first-person singular object form meaning “me.” Compare jeg (“I”) when the pronoun is the subject: Jeg kommer med dig means “I am coming with you.” Together, Kom med mig. is an imperative telling the addressee to come together with the speaker: “Come with me.” The pattern Kom med + person can be reused with another person, for example Kom med os — “Come with us.”

6. Vent på mig.

   Wait for me.

   Vent

   wait

   på mig

   for me

   More detail

   Vent is the imperative form of vente, “to wait.” It is addressed to one or more people; Danish imperative forms do not normally show the subject, so the understood subject is “you.” Compare the reusable pattern Vent! — “Wait!” The form vente is used in dictionary form and after certain constructions, while vent gives the direct instruction. på mig means “for me” in this expression. With vente, Danish uses vente på for the person or thing being awaited. mig is the first-person singular object form, corresponding to “me”; it is not the subject form jeg (“I”). For example, Vent på bussen. means “Wait for the bus.” Together, Vent + på mig gives the direct instruction “Wait for me.” The imperative supplies the instruction, and på mig identifies the person whose arrival or joining is being awaited.