Fixing a Wrong Delivery Order | Learn Danish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Vores levering kom, men en del af ordren mangler.

   Our delivery arrived, but part of the order is missing.

   Vores

   our

   levering

   delivery

   kom

   arrived

   men

   but

   en del af

   part of

   ordren

   the order

   mangler

   is missing

   More detail

   Vores means “our” and is a possessive determiner. It expresses a relationship to the speaker’s group; its form does not itself state how many people are in that group. Compare vores levering (“our delivery”) with deres levering (“their delivery”). levering means “delivery” here. Its base form is the noun levering; Danish commonly forms the definite singular as leveringen (“the delivery”). Example: Leveringen kommer i morgen. — “The delivery arrives tomorrow.” kom is the past-tense form of komme, “to come.” In this sentence, the arrival of the delivery is the relevant meaning, so it translates naturally as “arrived.” Example: Pakken kom i går. — “The parcel arrived yesterday.” men connects two clauses in contrast and means “but.” It signals that the second clause presents a contrasting fact rather than simply adding information. Example: Jeg ringede, men ingen svarede. — “I called, but nobody answered.” en del af is a reusable pattern meaning “part of.” It introduces a portion of something: en del af bogen means “part of the book.” The indefinite article en does not by itself assert a numerical count; here the whole expression identifies a portion. ordren is the definite singular form of ordre, “order”: ordre → ordren, “the order.” The ending marks the noun as definite in this form. Example: Jeg fandt ordren. — “I found the order.” mangler is the present-tense form of mangle, “to be missing” or “to lack.” Here it describes the part of the order as absent, so “is missing” is the natural translation. Example: En side mangler. — “A page is missing.” Together, Vores levering kom means “Our delivery arrived.” men contrasts that completed arrival with en del af ordren mangler, “part of the order is missing.” The complete utterance therefore means: “Our delivery arrived, but part of the order is missing.”

2. Tjek ordreoplysningerne, før du kontakter supporten.

   Check the order details before contacting support.

   Tjek

   Check

   ordreoplysningerne

   the order details

   før du

   before you

   kontakter

   contact

   supporten

   support

   More detail

   Tjek is the imperative of tjekke, meaning “check.” The imperative gives a direct instruction and normally has no written subject. Compare: Tjek nummeret. — “Check the number.” ordreoplysningerne means “the order details.” It is a compound: ordre refers to an order, and oplysninger means information or details. The ending -ne marks the definite plural here, so the form refers to the order details as a specific set. The noun oplysning is singular indefinite; oplysninger is plural indefinite; oplysningerne is plural definite. før du introduces “before you …”. før means “before,” and du is the singular informal second-person pronoun “you.” This construction begins a subordinate time clause. In Danish, the subject du appears before the finite verb in this clause: før du kontakter .... kontakter means “contact” here. Its base form is kontakte; kontakter is the present-tense form. Danish present-tense verbs generally do not change according to the subject, so the same form can occur with different subjects: Jeg kontakter supporten. — “I contact support.” supporten means “support.” It is the definite singular form of support, marked by the ending -en: support is indefinite singular, while supporten is definite singular. In this sentence it refers to the support service or team, not to a specific individual. Together, Tjek ordreoplysningerne gives the instruction “Check the order details.” før du kontakter supporten adds the time condition “before you contact support.” The complete utterance therefore means: “Check the order details before contacting support.”

3. Posen passer ikke med det, vi bestilte.

   The bag does not match what we requested.

   Posen

   the bag

   passer

   fits; matches

   ikke

   not

   med

   with

   det

   what; that

   vi

   we

   bestilte

   ordered; requested

   More detail

   Posen is the definite singular form of pose (“bag”): en pose = “a bag”, posen = “the bag”. Danish marks definiteness on the noun itself here. Example: Jeg finder posen. — “I find the bag.” passer is the present-tense form of passe. In this sentence, passe med means “match” or “correspond to”, not simply “fit” physically. Example: Farven passer med billedet. — “The color matches the picture.” ikke negates the clause. Placed after passer, it makes the meaning “does not match”. med is the preposition “with”; together with passer, the pattern passe med means “match with” or “correspond to”. det means “that” or “what” here. In det, vi bestilte, it introduces the thing that was ordered; the translation expresses this naturally as “what”. vi is the first-person plural pronoun “we”. It identifies the people who placed the order, without specifying how many people are included beyond the plural form. bestilte is the past-tense form of bestille, “order” or, in the fixed translation, “request”. Danish past tense does not change for person or number: jeg bestilte = “I ordered”, and vi bestilte = “we ordered”. Example: Vi bestilte to poser. — “We ordered two bags.” Together, Posen passer ikke med says “The bag does not match”, and det, vi bestilte specifies what it does not match: “what we ordered/requested”. The complete meaning is “The bag does not match what we requested.”

4. Tag et billede af posen, så du kan forklare problemet tydeligt.

   Take a photo of the bag so you can explain the problem clearly.

   Tag

   take

   billede

   photo; picture

   posen

   the bag

   så du kan

   so you can

   forklare

   explain

   problemet

   the problem

   tydeligt

   clearly

   More detail

   Tag is the imperative of tage, “to take.” The imperative gives a direct instruction and normally has no expressed subject. Compare tage (to take) with tog (took) and taget (taken). Example: Tag en pause. — “Take a break.” billede means “picture” or “photo.” It is a common noun; et billede uses the common neuter indefinite article et. The phrase et billede af ... means “a picture/photo of ...”: et billede af huset — “a picture of the house.” The article marks an indefinite noun phrase, not a specific numeric claim that there is exactly one photo. posen is the definite singular form of pose, “bag.” Danish commonly marks definiteness by an ending: en pose means “a bag,” while posen means “the bag.” Here the fixed translation identifies it as the bag already relevant in the exchange. In et billede af posen, af connects the photo with what is photographed. så du kan introduces the purpose of the instruction: “so you can.” du is the second-person singular pronoun “you,” and kan is the present form of kunne, “can/be able to.” In this clause, kan is followed by the infinitive forklare without a separate infinitive marker. Example: Du kan åbne døren. — “You can open the door.” forklare means “to explain.” It is the infinitive after the modal kan; the form itself does not mark a person. Its object is introduced by the following noun phrase, problemet. problemet is the definite singular form of problem, “problem”: et problem — “a problem,” problemet — “the problem.” The definite form presents the problem as identifiable in this situation; the supplied translation makes that the problem being explained. tydeligt means “clearly” here. It is an adverb modifying forklare, describing how the explaining should be done. It is related to the adjective tydelig, “clear,” but in this sentence tydeligt is not modifying problemet. Together, Tag et billede af posen means “Take a photo of the bag.” The purpose clause så du kan forklare problemet tydeligt adds “so you can explain the problem clearly.” The complete utterance is therefore: “Take a photo of the bag so you can explain the problem clearly.”

5. Skal jeg bede dem om at sende det manglende måltid?

   Should I ask them to send the missing meal?

   Skal jeg

   should I

   bede dem om

   ask them for

   at sende

   to send

   manglende

   missing

   måltid

   meal

   More detail

   Skal jeg combines the modal verb skal with the first-person singular pronoun jeg. In this question, skal asks whether the speaker ought to do something, matching “Should I”; it is not simply a statement of future time. Danish questions commonly place the finite verb before the subject: Skal jeg ...? Compare the reusable pattern Skal jeg ringe? — “Should I call?” bede dem om uses the construction bede nogen om noget or bede nogen om at gøre noget: “ask someone for something” or “ask someone to do something.” dem is the object form for “them”; the fixed sentence does not identify exactly who they are. om introduces what is being requested here. Example: Jeg beder dem om hjælp. — “I ask them for help.” at sende is the infinitive: sende means “send,” and at marks the infinitive in this construction. After bede ... om, Danish uses om at when the requested action is expressed as a verb: bede dem om at sende ... — “ask them to send ...”. Example: Hun beder ham om at vente. — “She asks him to wait.” manglende describes something that is absent or has not been included. It is the form related to mangle, “be missing/lack,” and here it modifies the noun måltid; it is not the form of the noun itself. Example: Det manglende brev kommer i morgen. — “The missing letter will arrive tomorrow.” måltid means “meal.” It is a neuter noun, so the ordinary indefinite form is et måltid; the definite form is måltidet. Example: Vi venter på et måltid. — “We are waiting for a meal.” Together, Skal jeg asks about the speaker’s recommended action, bede dem om at sende expresses asking those people to send something, and det manglende måltid identifies the absent meal. The complete meaning is: “Should I ask them to send the missing meal?”

6. Bed først om det manglende måltid, hvis alle kan vente.

   Ask for the missing item first if everyone can wait.

   Bed … om

   ask for

   først

   first

   det

   the

   manglende

   missing

   måltid

   meal

   hvis

   if

   alle

   everyone

   kan

   can

   vente

   wait

   More detail

   Bed ... om is a reusable Danish pattern meaning “ask for ...”. Bed is the imperative of bede (“to ask/request”); the imperative gives a direct instruction. The preposition om completes this sense: bede om noget = “ask for something.” Example: Bed om hjælp. — “Ask for help.” først means “first” and places this action before another possible action or event. It does not itself mean “for the first time.” det is the neuter singular definite article used with the following noun phrase here. In Danish, definite articles agree with the noun’s grammatical gender: et måltid is an indefinite neuter form, while det måltid is the corresponding definite form. Here det is functioning as the article, not as an independent pronoun. manglende means “missing” in this sentence. It is related to the verb mangle, “to be missing/lack.” As an adjective before a definite noun, it appears in the form manglende; this form does not change for neuter singular in this construction. Example: det manglende svar — “the missing answer.” måltid means “meal.” It is a neuter noun: et måltid — “a meal”; måltidet — “the meal”; måltider — “meals.” In the sentence, måltid is the noun modified by det manglende, giving “the missing meal/item.” hvis introduces a condition and means “if.” It begins the condition under which the request should be made. alle means “everyone” or “all,” referring here to all the relevant people without specifying them further. Unlike a singular personal pronoun, alle expresses a plural group. Example: Alle kan komme. — “Everyone can come.” kan is the present-tense form of the modal verb kunne, “can/be able to.” Danish modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without at: kan vente = “can wait.” The form kan is used with different subjects in the present, including alle. vente means “wait.” It is the infinitive after the modal kan; after another modal, Danish uses the bare infinitive rather than at vente. Example: Vi kan vente. — “We can wait.” Together, Bed først om det manglende måltid means “Ask for the missing meal/item first.” The conditional clause hvis alle kan vente means “if everyone can wait.” The whole utterance is therefore: “Ask for the missing item first if everyone can wait.”

7. Appen siger, at køkkenet snart kan tilberede det igen.

   The app says the kitchen can prepare it again soon.

   Appen

   the app

   siger

   says

   at

   that

   køkkenet

   the kitchen

   snart

   soon

   kan

   can

   tilberede

   prepare

   det

   it

   igen

   again

   More detail

   Appen is the definite singular form of app: en app = an app, appen = the app. The ending -en marks definiteness for this common-gender noun. Siger is the present-tense form of sige (“to say”). The present can describe what the app states now: Appen siger ... = “The app says ...”. At introduces the content of what is being said. A reusable pattern is X siger, at ... (“X says that ...”). Køkkenet is the definite singular form of køkken (“kitchen”): et køkken = a kitchen, køkkenet = the kitchen. The ending -et marks definiteness for this neuter noun. Snart means “soon”, referring here to the expected time of the preparation. Example: Vi kommer snart. — “We are coming soon.” Kan is the present form of the modal verb kunne, expressing ability or possibility here: “can”. Danish normally places an infinitive after this modal without at, as in kan tilberede (“can prepare”). Tilberede is the infinitive of the verb tilberede, meaning “to prepare” food. After kan, it remains in the infinitive form. Example: Hun kan tilberede maden. — “She can prepare the food.” Det is a neuter singular object pronoun meaning “it” here. Its specific referent is not named in this sentence; the fixed translation establishes the intended “it”. The pronoun’s form reflects its grammatical class, not a newly specified participant. Igen means “again”, indicating that the preparation is to happen another time. Example: De prøver igen. — “They try again.” Together, Appen siger identifies the source of the statement, and at køkkenet snart kan tilberede det igen gives its content: the kitchen can prepare the item again soon. The structure is X siger, at Y kan Z igen — “X says that Y can do Z again.”

8. Sørg for, at det stadig kan komme frem i god stand.

   Make sure it can still arrive in good condition.

   Sørg for

   make sure

   det

   it

   stadig

   still

   kan

   can

   komme frem

   arrive

   god

   good

   stand

   condition

   More detail

   Sørg for is the imperative of sørge for, “to make sure” or “to ensure.” It is a useful pattern for telling someone to take responsibility for a result: Sørg for, at døren er lukket. — “Make sure that the door is closed.” The comma and at introduce the content that must be ensured. det means “it” here. It is the neuter singular third-person pronoun, and its concrete referent is not identified more specifically by this sentence. Danish also uses det for some clauses and neuter nouns, so its form should not be treated as proof of a particular noun’s identity. stadig means “still,” indicating that the situation is continuing or remains possible. It is an adverb and does not inflect. For example, Det er stadig muligt. means “It is still possible.” kan is the present form of the modal verb kunne, “can” or “be able to.” It expresses possibility or ability here. After kan, the next verb uses the infinitive without at: kan komme — “can arrive.” komme frem is a verb construction meaning “arrive” or “reach its destination.” The verb is komme, “come,” while frem adds the idea of reaching a destination or becoming available. The infinitive appears after kan; a present-tense version would be kommer frem, “arrives.” god means “good” in this phrase. It is the common-gender singular indefinite form of the adjective; stand is a common-gender noun (en stand), so the neuter form godt is not used here. Compare et godt resultat, “a good result,” where the neuter noun requires godt. stand means “condition” in the fixed expression i god stand, “in good condition.” The preposition i means “in,” and the adjective-noun combination describes the condition in which something arrives. In another context, stand can refer to a stand or booth, but that is not the meaning in this expression. Together, Sørg for, at det stadig kan komme frem i god stand means “Make sure it can still arrive in good condition.” The imperative Sørg for introduces the required outcome; det is the thing referred to as “it,” stadig kan komme frem says that it remains able to arrive, and i god stand specifies the condition in which it should arrive.

9. Jeg vil høfligt bede om det manglende måltid.

   I will request the missing item politely.

   Jeg vil

   I will

   høfligt

   politely

   bede om

   ask for

   manglende

   missing

   måltid

   meal

   More detail

   Jeg vil expresses the speaker’s intention or planned action here: “I will.” vil is the present-tense form of ville; with a following infinitive, it commonly expresses future-oriented intention. Example: Jeg vil ringe. — “I will call.” høfligt tells how the requesting is done: “politely.” It is the adverbial form related to the adjective høflig (“polite”); the -t ending marks this adverbial use here. bede om is a reusable Danish construction meaning “to ask for” or “to request.” bede is the infinitive, and om forms part of this construction. Example: Jeg vil bede om hjælp. — “I will ask for help.” manglende means “missing” here and describes måltid. It is related to mangle, meaning “to be missing” or “to lack.” Example: Det manglende dokument er vigtigt. — “The missing document is important.” måltid means “meal.” It is a singular neuter noun: et måltid means “a meal.” In det manglende måltid, the preceding det is the neuter singular definite article used before an adjective; the noun remains måltid in this construction. Without a preceding adjective, the definite form is måltidet. Example: Måltidet er klart. — “The meal is ready.” Together, Jeg vil + bede om gives the intended action “I will request,” det manglende måltid identifies what is being requested as “the missing meal,” and høfligt specifies the manner. The complete utterance therefore means: “I will request the missing item politely.”

10. Vedhæft billedet og ordreoplysningerne, så supporten kan hjælpe.

    Include the photo and order details so support can help.

    Vedhæft

    attach/include

    billedet

    the photo/image

    ordreoplysningerne

    the order details

    supporten

    support

    kan

    can/is able to

    hjælpe

    help

    More detail

    Vedhæft is the imperative of vedhæfte, “to attach.” It directly tells the reader to perform the action. Example: Vedhæft filen. — “Attach the file.” billedet means “the photo/image.” The noun billede is neuter; its singular definite form is billedet (et billede → billedet). The definite ending identifies a specific image in this request. Example: Jeg ser billedet. — “I see the image.” ordreoplysningerne means “the order details.” It is a compound noun: ordre (“order”) + oplysninger (“details/information”), with the definite plural ending -ne on the compound (ordreoplysninger → ordreoplysningerne). Example: Ordreoplysningerne står her. — “The order details are here.” supporten means “support” as the specific support service or team involved here. It is the definite form of support (support → supporten). The form is singular definite; it does not by itself specify which individual support agent will respond. kan means “can/is able to.” It is the present-tense form of the modal verb kunne. Danish modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without at, so kan hjælpe means “can help,” not “can to help.” Example: Hun kan hjælpe. — “She can help.” hjælpe means “help.” Here it is the infinitive after kan; the verb remains hjælpe rather than taking a present-tense ending. Example: Vi vil hjælpe. — “We will help.” Together, Vedhæft billedet og ordreoplysningerne is an imperative coordination: “Attach/include the photo and the order details.” så supporten kan hjælpe gives the purpose or intended result: “so support can help.” The complete utterance therefore means, “Include the photo and order details so support can help.”