Changing the height of a chair | Learn Danish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Denne stol er for lav.

   This chair is too low.

   Denne

   this

   stol

   chair

   er

   is

   for

   too

   lav

   low

   More detail

   Denne means “this” and points to one nearby or otherwise identifiable thing. Here it agrees with stol, which is a singular common-gender noun (en stol), so the form is denne; with a singular neuter noun, the corresponding form is dette. The plural form is disse. stol means “chair.” Its base form is singular stol; the indefinite form is en stol, and the definite singular form is stolen. Example: Denne stol er ny. — “This chair is new.” Er is the present-tense form of være, “to be.” It links the subject to a description here. The same present form is used with different subjects: jeg er, du er, and de er all use er. For means “too” in this sentence: it marks an excessive degree. The pattern for + adjective means “too + adjective,” as in for dyr — “too expensive.” This use is different from for in expressions such as for dig, where it means “for you.” Lav means “low” here, specifically low in height. It is the adjective’s base form and is used after er to describe the chair. Its comparative form is lavere, “lower,” and its superlative form is lavest, “lowest.” Example: Bordet er lavere. — “The table is lower.” Together, Denne stol identifies one chair, er says what condition it is in, and for lav describes its height as below the suitable level. The complete meaning is “This chair is too low.”

2. Du kan ændre højden.

   You can change the height.

   Du kan

   you can

   ændre

   change

   højden

   the height

   More detail

   Du kan combines the subject pronoun du (“you”) with the modal verb kan (“can” or “are able to”). Kan is the present-tense form of kunne; after a modal verb, the following verb appears in the infinitive without at. ændre means “change” here. It is the infinitive used after kan. For example, Du kan ændre indstillingen. means “You can change the setting.” højden means “the height.” Its base form is højde (“height”); the ending -n marks the definite singular form, corresponding to “the height.” The noun, not ændre, carries this definiteness. Together, Du kan ændre højden. means “You can change the height.” The reusable pattern is Du kan + infinitive verb + definite noun: Du kan ændre ... (“You can change ...”).

3. Hvordan gør jeg det?

   How do I do that?

   Hvordan

   how

   gør

   do

   jeg

   I

   det

   that; it

   More detail

   Hvordan means “how” and asks about the manner or method of doing something. It is a question word, not a request for a person or object. Example: Hvordan gør du det? — “How do you do that?” gør is the present-tense form of gøre, “to do” or “to make.” The form is used with jeg, du, and other subjects in the present tense; Danish does not add a different present-tense ending for each person. Example: Jeg gør det. — “I do it.” jeg is the first-person singular pronoun, “I.” In this question it is the person asking about their own action. A useful contrast is du, “you”: Hvordan gør du det? — “How do you do that?” det is a singular neuter demonstrative/pronoun meaning “that” here. It refers to an already understood action or task, but the supplied sentence does not identify that action more specifically. In other contexts, det can also mean “it,” depending on the intended reference. In a direct Danish question, the finite verb comes before the subject: Hvordan + gør + jeg + det. Thus Hvordan gør jeg det? literally organizes the question as “How do I do that?” The whole utterance asks for the method of carrying out the understood task, without changing who is to do it or asserting that the task has already been completed.

4. Tryk på knappen under sædet.

   Press the button under the seat.

   Tryk

   press

   knappen

   the button

   under

   under

   sædet

   the seat

   More detail

   Tryk is the imperative of trykke, “to press.” It gives a direct instruction to one or more listeners; the subject is normally left unstated in a Danish imperative. The present-tense form is trykker, while tryk is the command form. knappen means “the button.” It is the definite singular form of knap (“button”): en knap = “a button,” knappen = “the button.” The ending -en marks definiteness for this noun. under means “under” or “beneath.” It introduces the location of something relative to another thing, as in under bordet (“under the table”). sædet means “the seat.” It is the definite singular form of sæde (“seat”): et sæde = “a seat,” sædet = “the seat.” Here -et marks definiteness for this noun. Together, knappen under sædet means “the button under the seat”: under sædet specifies which button is intended. The imperative Tryk then makes the complete instruction: “Press the button under the seat.”

5. Det er bedre. Tak.

   That is better. Thank you.

   Det er

   That is

   bedre

   better

   Tak

   Thank you

   More detail

   Det er means “that is” here. Det is a singular neuter pronoun; in this sentence it points to the situation or result being evaluated. Er is the present-tense form of være (“to be”). A useful pattern is det er + adjective: Det er godt. — “That is good.” bedre means “better” and is the comparative form of god (“good”). The useful comparison is god → bedre → bedst (“good” → “better” → “best”); bedre is an irregular comparative, not a form built by adding the usual comparative ending. For example: Denne løsning er bedre. — “This solution is better.” Tak is the standard short expression for “thank you.” It can stand alone, as it does here, or appear in a longer expression such as Mange tak (“Many thanks”). Together, Det er bedre. evaluates the relevant situation as improved or more satisfactory: “That is better.” Tak. then expresses thanks: “Thank you.”

6. Sig til, hvis den stadig ikke er i orden.

   Tell me if it is still not right.

   Sig til

   let me know

   hvis

   if

   den

   it

   stadig

   still

   ikke

   not

   er i orden

   is okay / is right

   More detail

   Sig til is a reusable Danish way to say “let me know” or “tell me.” Sig is the imperative of sige (“to say/tell”); til is part of this construction, so learn the combination rather than translating each word separately. Example: Sig til, når du ved det. — “Let me know when you know.” hvis introduces a condition and means “if.” It can introduce a subordinate clause: Ring, hvis du har tid. — “Call if you have time.” den is a third-person singular pronoun used here as “it.” Its specific referent is not identified by the supplied sentence or translation. In Danish, den is associated with a common-gender singular referent; det is the corresponding form for a neuter singular referent. The pronoun’s grammatical form does not by itself identify what object or situation it refers to. stadig means “still,” indicating that the relevant situation continues. For example, Hun er stadig her. — “She is still here.” ikke is the ordinary Danish negation “not.” In this sentence it negates the following predicate, so stadig ikke gives the meaning “still not.” er i orden is a common expression meaning “is okay,” “is in order,” or, in this context, “is right.” Er is the present form of være (“to be”); it is used with a singular third-person subject such as den. The expression i orden functions together as the predicate rather than meaning only a literal physical location. Example: Alt er i orden. — “Everything is okay.” Together, Sig til gives the request “let me know,” and hvis den stadig ikke er i orden gives the condition “if it is still not right.” The complete utterance therefore means: “Tell me if it is still not right.” The conditional clause follows the request and does not add a new participant or specify what den refers to.