Language/Danish/Grammar/Negation

Danish Grammar - Negation

Hi Danish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be discussing the basics of negation in Danish. Negation is an important part of any language, and it is essential to understand how to use it correctly in order to communicate effectively. We will look at the different ways to express negation in Danish, as well as some examples of how to use them. So let's get started!

Negation in Danish

Negation in Danish is expressed in a few different ways. The most common way is to use the word ikke (not). This is used to negate verbs, adjectives, and nouns. For example:

• Jeg kan ikke lide det. (I don't like it.)
• Det er ikke sjovt. (It's not funny.)
• Det er ikke en bog. (It's not a book.)

Another way to express negation in Danish is to use the word intet (nothing). This is used to negate nouns and can be used in place of ikke. For example:

• Jeg har intet at sige. (I have nothing to say.)
• Der er intet her. (There is nothing here.)

Finally, you can also use the word aldrig (never) to express negation. This is used to negate verbs and can be used in place of ikke. For example:

• Jeg gør aldrig det. (I never do that.)
• Jeg har aldrig været der. (I have never been there.)

Examples

Here are some examples of how to use negation in Danish:

Danish	Pronunciation	English Translation
Jeg kan ikke lide det.	[jɛɡ kʰɑn ˈikə lɪdə dɛt]	I don't like it.
Det er ikke sjovt.	[dɛt ɛɐ ˈikə ˈsjɔvt]	It's not funny.
Det er ikke en bog.	[dɛt ɛɐ ˈikə ən bɔg]	It's not a book.
Jeg har intet at sige.	[jɛɡ hɑɐ ˈintət ɑt ˈsiːə]	I have nothing to say.
Der er intet her.	[dɛɐ ɛɐ ˈintət hɛɐ]	There is nothing here.
Jeg gør aldrig det.	[jɛɡ ˈgøɐ ˈɑldɾiə dɛt]	I never do that.
Jeg har aldrig været der.	[jɛɡ hɑɐ ˈɑldɾiə ˈvɛɐɐt dɛɐ]	I have never been there.

Conclusion

In conclusion, negation in Danish is expressed in a few different ways. The most common way is to use the word ikke (not), but you can also use the words intet (nothing) and aldrig (never). It is important to understand how to use these words correctly in order to communicate effectively.

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➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Related Lessons

• Conditional Mood
• Interrogative words in Danish
• The Accusative Case in Danish
• The Inclusive Case in Danish
• Possessive Case in Danish
• Pronouns
• The Nominative Case in Danish
• Present Tense
• How to use “to speak” in Danish
• Adjectives