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Danish inversion: why the verb jumps in front of the subject
In a Danish main clause the verb is always in second place. If the sentence starts with something other than the subject, such as i dag, nu or a whole hvis-clause, the subject has to wait until after the verb. That swap is called inversion.
The one rule: the verb is number two
Think of a Danish main clause as a row of seats. Seat 1 can hold almost anything. Seat 2 is reserved for the verb, always. Everything else sits after it.
- I dag1 · anything
- spiser2 · verb
- jegsubject
- fiskthe rest
When the subject sits in seat 1, nothing special happens, and the sentence looks just like English. Move something else into seat 1 and the subject is pushed behind the verb:
- Jeg spiser fisk i dag.I'm eating fish today.
- I dag spiser jeg fisk.Today I'm eating fish. (literally: today eat I fish)
- I dag jeg spiser fisk.The English pattern. Danes understand it, but it sounds wrong.
Quick check
Which sentence is correct Danish? (“Tonight I'm watching a film.”)
I aften ser jeg en film. “I aften” takes seat 1, so the verb ser must come next, and jeg follows the verb.
Show answer
I aften ser jeg en film. “I aften” takes seat 1, so the verb comes next.
What can sit in seat 1?
Almost anything you want to put first, usually because it is the topic or sets the scene:
- Om sommeren bader vi i havet.Time: In summer we swim in the sea.
- I Aarhus bor min søster.Place: My sister lives in Aarhus.
- Den film har jeg set.Object: I've seen that film.
- Desværre kan jeg ikke komme.Adverb: Unfortunately I can't come.
Notice the last one: only the first verb (kan) goes in seat 2. The second verb (komme) stays at the end, just like in English.
A whole clause can be seat 1
This is the one that catches most learners. When a sentence starts with a subordinate clause (one beginning with hvis, når, fordi and so on), that entire clause counts as seat 1. So the main verb comes straight after the comma:
- Hvis det regner,1 · whole clause
- bliver2 · verb
- jegsubject
- hjemmethe rest
- Når jeg kommer hjem, laver jeg mad.When I get home, I make dinner.
- Når jeg kommer hjem, jeg laver mad.Wrong: the verb must come right after the comma.
Quick check
Finish the sentence: “Hvis du har tid, …”
… drikker vi en kop kaffe. The whole hvis-clause is seat 1, so the verb drikker takes seat 2.
Show answer
… drikker vi en kop kaffe. The whole hvis-clause is seat 1.
Two things that do not take a seat
Joining words like og, men and eller sit outside the row, so the next clause starts from seat 1 as normal:
- Jeg er træt, men jeg vil ikke sove.I'm tired, but I don't want to sleep.
Yes/no questions have nothing in seat 1 at all. The verb simply comes first. Question words like hvad and hvor take seat 1, and the verb follows:
- Spiser du fisk?Do you eat fish?
- Hvad laver du i weekenden?What are you doing at the weekend?
Quick check
Which sentence has no inversion?
Jeg går nu. The subject jeg is already in seat 1, so it stays before the verb. In the other two, nu and derfor take seat 1 and push jeg behind the verb.
Show answer
Jeg går nu. The subject is already in seat 1.
Cheat sheet
| Seat 1 | Seat 2 (verb) | Subject | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeg | spiser | – | fisk i dag. |
| I dag | spiser | jeg | fisk. |
| Den film | har | jeg | set. |
| Hvis det regner, | bliver | jeg | hjemme. |
| (nothing: question) | Spiser | du | fisk? |
Practise it. Ordstillingsdetektiven gives you jumbled Danish sentences to put back in the right order, with the verb in seat 2.
Play Ordstillingsdetektiven →