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Where does ikke go? Danish word order in subordinate clauses
In a normal Danish sentence, ikke comes after the verb: Jeg spiser ikke kød. In a subordinate clause, one that starts with a word like fordi, at, hvis or om, it jumps in front of the verb: …, fordi jeg ikke spiser kød.
Main clause: verb first, then ikke
In a sentence that can stand on its own, the verb comes first and ikke follows it. That stays true when the subject is pushed behind the verb by inversion.
- Jegsubject
- spiserverb
- ikkethen ikke
- kødthe rest
- Jeg spiser ikke kød.I don't eat meat.
- I dag spiser jeg ikke kød.Today I'm not eating meat. (verb, subject, then ikke)
Subordinate clause: ikke jumps in front
A subordinate clause is a half-sentence that hangs on another one. In Danish it starts with a signal word, and inside it the order changes: subject, ikke, verb.
- fordisignal
- jegsubject
- ikkeikke first
- spiserverb
- kødthe rest
- Hun laver salat, fordi jeg ikke spiser kød.She's making a salad because I don't eat meat.
- Det er ærgerligt, at du ikke kan komme.It's a shame you can't come.
- Jeg bliver glad, hvis det ikke regner.I'll be happy if it doesn't rain.
- Hun laver salat, fordi jeg spiser ikke kød.Main-clause order inside a fordi-clause.
With two verbs, ikke goes in front of the first one: …, fordi jeg ikke har set filmen.
Quick check
“I'm staying home because I don't have time.”
… fordi jeg ikke har tid. After fordi the order is subject, ikke, verb.
Show answer
… fordi jeg ikke har tid. After fordi: subject, ikke, verb.
How to spot a subordinate clause
Look for the signal word at the start. The common ones:
- at (that), fordi (because), hvis (if), når (when), selvom (even though), mens (while), før (before)
- som and der (who, which): en film, som jeg aldrig har set
- om (whether) and question words in indirect questions: Jeg ved ikke, hvorfor han ikke ringede.
It's not only ikke
The same small words follow the same rule: altid (always), aldrig (never), også (also), kun (only), gerne (gladly), ofte (often) and allerede (already). After the verb in a main clause, before the verb in a subordinate clause.
- Peter drikker aldrig kaffe.Main clause: verb, then aldrig.
- Jeg ved, at Peter aldrig drikker kaffe.After at: aldrig, then the verb.
- Hun siger, at hun altid kommer til tiden.She says she's always on time.
Quick check
“She's asking whether you're coming too.”
… om du også kommer. om starts a subordinate clause, so også goes in front of the verb, just like ikke.
Show answer
Hun spørger, om du også kommer. After om, også goes before the verb.
Quick check
A normal main clause: “Peter never drinks coffee.”
Peter drikker aldrig kaffe. No signal word, so this is a main clause: verb first, then aldrig.
Show answer
Peter drikker aldrig kaffe. Main clause: verb first, then aldrig.
What you may hear in speech
After verbs of saying and thinking, Danes sometimes use main-clause order in an at-clause when they speak, for example Han sagde, at han kunne ikke komme. You will hear it, but in writing and in exams, stick to the rule: …, at han ikke kunne komme.
Cheat sheet
| Clause | Order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Main clause | verb + ikke | Jeg spiser ikke kød. |
| Main clause, inverted | verb + subject + ikke | I dag spiser jeg ikke kød. |
| Subordinate clause | subject + ikke + verb | …, fordi jeg ikke spiser kød. |
| Subordinate, two verbs | ikke + first verb | …, fordi jeg ikke har set filmen. |
Practise it. In Sætningsmaskinen you place ikke with word blocks and turn main clauses into subordinate ones.
Play Sætningsmaskinen →