Danish Word Order
Danish word order is close to English, with one big difference: in a statement, the verb always comes second. This is the V2 rule.
This page shows what happens when a sentence starts with something other than the subject, where ikke (not) goes, and how questions are built.
- The subject firstPosition 1JegVerbspiserRestet æble.
- A time word firstPosition 1I dagVerbspiserSubjectjegRestet æble.
Whatever comes first, the verb is second.
The V2 Rule
In a Danish statement, the finite verb is always in position 2. This is called the V2 rule. A position is a slot, not a single word: min søster or i går aftes fills position 1 just as well as jeg. Only yes/no questions and commands start with the verb: Kommer du? Kom her!
- Position 1Subject (or something else)
- Position 2Verb
- Position 3+Rest
The finite verb is the one that shows the tense: spiser, spiste, har, kan. When there are two verbs, the first one takes position 2. The second goes with the rest: Jeg skal hente børnene.
When something else comes first
Position 1 doesn’t have to be the subject. A time, a place, an object or a whole clause can go there instead. The verb still takes position 2, so the subject moves to just after the verb. English does this only in a few phrases (Here comes the bus); Danish does it all the time.
Pick what comes first
The subject is in position 1 and the verb is second. Nothing moves.
A time phrase takes position 1. The verb stays second, so jeg moves behind it.
Even the object can go first, to stress it (coffee, not tea). The verb still comes second.
A yes/no question leaves position 1 empty, so it starts with the verb.
More everyday sentences, laid out the same way:
- Position 1I dagVerbarbejderSubjectjeg.Today I’m working.
- Position 1I gårVerbkøbteSubjectmin søsterResten ny bil.Yesterday my sister bought a new car.
- Position 1I DanmarkVerbcyklerSubjectmangeResttil arbejde.In Denmark, lots of people cycle to work.
- Position 1Om mandagenVerbspiserSubjectviRestaltid fisk.On Mondays we always eat fish.
- Position 1Om sommerenVerbbesøgerSubjectviResttit min moster i Jylland.In summer we often visit my aunt in Jutland.
- Position 1DerforVerbkommerSubjectjeg.That’s why I’m coming.
A whole clause can fill position 1 too: Hvis det regner, bliver vi inde. The verb of the main clause comes straight after the comma. Starting with a clause
Where ikke goes
In a main clause, ikke comes right after the finite verb. Other short adverbs work the same way: altid (always), aldrig (never), også (also), tit (often), gerne (gladly, like to). When the subject comes after the verb, the adverb comes after the subject. One exception: a short pronoun object like det, ham, hende or dem goes in front of ikke when there is only one verb: Jeg forstår det ikke. With two verbs it stays after the second verb, as usual: Jeg har ikke set ham.
| Danish | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Jeg spiser ikke kød. | I don’t eat meat. | right after the verb |
| Han er altid glad. | He is always happy. | altid works the same way |
| Vi træner altid om morgenen. | We always train in the morning. | before the time phrase |
| Jeg kan ikke finde min nøgle. | I can’t find my key. | two verbs: after the first |
| Jeg har ikke set ham siden jul. | I haven’t seen him since Christmas. | har is the finite verb |
| Jeg kender ham ikke. | I don’t know him. | one verb: a short pronoun goes before ikke |
| I dag drikker jeg ikke kaffe. | Today I’m not drinking coffee. | subject after the verb: ikke after the subject |
Questions
In a yes/no question, position 1 is empty and the verb comes first. Danish has no helper like English do: you just swap the verb and the subject. In a question with hvor, hvad, hvornår and the other question words, the question word takes position 1 and the verb comes second, as usual.
| Danish | English | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Kommer du med? | Are you coming along? | yes/no: verb first |
| Har du planer i aften? | Do you have plans tonight? | yes/no: verb first |
| Hvor bor du? | Where do you live? | question word + verb |
| Hvad laver du? | What are you doing? | question word + verb |
| Hvornår går toget? | When does the train leave? | question word + verb |
| Hvordan har du det? | How are you? | question word + verb |
Common mistakes
Wrong:
Jeg altid drikker kaffe.Right:Jeg drikker altid kaffe.
Short adverbs like altid and ikke come after the verb in a main clause, not before it as in English.
Wrong:
Jeg forstår ikke det.Right:Jeg forstår det ikke.
With only one verb, a short pronoun like det goes before ikke. ikke det only works if you stress det: I don’t understand that.
Wrong:
I dag jeg arbejder.Right:I dag arbejder jeg.
I dag takes position 1, so the verb comes next and the subject moves behind it.
Wrong:
Måske jeg kommer i morgen.Right:Måske kommer jeg i morgen.
Måske takes position 1, so the verb comes next.
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