Language/Danish/Grammar/Verbs-(Perfect-Tense)

Danish → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Verbs (Perfect Tense)

Welcome to today's lesson on the perfect tense! Understanding how to express completed actions in Danish is crucial for forming coherent and meaningful sentences. The perfect tense allows you to convey experiences, describe past actions, and reflect on events that are relevant to the present. In this lesson, we will dive deep into how to form the perfect tense with both regular and irregular verbs, providing you with plenty of examples and practice opportunities to solidify your understanding.

This lesson is a part of the "Complete 0 to A1 Danish Course" and is tailored for complete beginners. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use the perfect tense in your conversations. Let's get started!

Importance of the Perfect Tense

The perfect tense is essential in Danish because it helps you to connect past actions with the present. Unlike some languages that have a simple past tense, Danish often uses the perfect tense to express actions that have been completed. This not only enriches your vocabulary but also enhances your ability to communicate in various contexts, whether you're sharing a story or discussing your day.

Structure of the Lesson

In this lesson, we will cover the following topics:

• Understanding the Perfect Tense: What it is and when to use it.

• Forming the Perfect Tense: Regular verbs vs. irregular verbs.

• Examples: A variety of examples to illustrate the rules.

• Practice Exercises: Engaging exercises to test your understanding.

Understanding the Perfect Tense

The perfect tense in Danish is used to indicate that an action has been completed. It is formed using the auxiliary verb "at have" (to have) combined with the past participle of the main verb. For example, in English, we say “I have eaten,” while in Danish, it becomes “Jeg har spist.”

The Structure

The structure looks like this:

• Subject + auxiliary verb "har" + past participle

Here’s the breakdown:

• Subject: the person or thing performing the action.

• Auxiliary Verb (har): the present form of "have."

• Past Participle: the form of the verb that shows the completed action.

Forming the Perfect Tense

Let's explore how to form the perfect tense with both regular and irregular verbs.

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs in Danish typically follow a straightforward pattern when forming the past participle. The past participle is usually formed by adding -et or -t to the stem of the verb.

Here’s how it works:

1. Take the stem of the verb.

2. Add -et for verbs ending in -e or -e.

3. Add -t for verbs ending in consonants.

Examples of Regular Verbs

Here are some common regular verbs and their perfect tense forms:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
at spille	at ˈspilə	to play
Jeg har spillet	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈspiləð	I have played
at arbejde	at ˈɑːbɑːɪð	to work
Jeg har arbejdet	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈɑːbɑːɪð	I have worked
at danse	at ˈdænse	to dance
Jeg har danset	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈdænset	I have danced
at snakke	at ˈsnaːkə	to talk
Jeg har snakket	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈsnakəð	I have talked
at lave	at ˈlɑːvə	to make
Jeg har lavet	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈlɑːvð	I have made

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow the same straightforward pattern as regular verbs. Their past participles can vary, and you will need to learn these forms individually.

Examples of Irregular Verbs

Here are a few examples of common irregular verbs and their perfect tense forms:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
at være	at ˈvɛːʁə	to be
Jeg har været	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈvɛːð	I have been
at se	at seː	to see
Jeg har set	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈseð	I have seen
at gå	at ɡɔː	to go
Jeg har gået	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈɡøːð	I have gone
at finde	at ˈfɛnə	to find
Jeg har fundet	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈfundeð	I have found
at sige	at ˈsiːə	to say
Jeg har sagt	jaɪ ˈhɑːʁ ˈsɑːð	I have said

Practice Exercises

Now that you have a solid understanding of the perfect tense, it's time to apply what you've learned! Below are 10 exercises designed to help you practice forming the perfect tense with both regular and irregular verbs.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses using the perfect tense.

1. Jeg (at danse) __________ hele natten.

2. De (at spille) __________ fodbold i parken.

3. Vi (at spise) __________ middag sammen.

4. Han (at se) __________ en film i går.

5. Du (at tage) __________ bussen til arbejde.

Solutions to Exercise 1

1. Jeg har danset hele natten.

2. De har spillet fodbold i parken.

3. Vi har spist middag sammen.

4. Han har set en film i går.

5. Du har taget bussen til arbejde.

Exercise 2: Translate to Danish

Translate the following sentences into Danish, using the correct perfect tense.

1. I have worked all day.

2. She has danced at the party.

3. They have talked about their plans.

4. We have made a cake.

5. He has gone home.

Solutions to Exercise 2

1. Jeg har arbejdet hele dagen.

2. Hun har danset til festen.

3. De har snakket om deres planer.

4. Vi har lavet en kage.

5. Han er gået hjem.

Exercise 3: Match the Verbs

Match the Danish verbs with their English translations.

|

• at finde

• at se

• at være

• at gå

• at spise

|

• to see

• to find

• to be

• to go

• to eat

Solutions to Exercise 3

• at finde - to find

• at se - to see

• at være - to be

• at gå - to go

• at spise - to eat

Exercise 4: Create Sentences

Create sentences in Danish using the perfect tense for the following verbs:

1. at læse (to read)

2. at skrive (to write)

3. at drikke (to drink)

4. at rejse (to travel)

5. at købe (to buy)

Solutions to Exercise 4

1. Jeg har læst en bog.

2. Jeg har skrevet et brev.

3. Jeg har drukket vand.

4. Jeg har rejst til Danmark.

5. Jeg har købt en gave.

Exercise 5: Identify the Errors

Find and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

1. Jeg har se en film.

2. De har danset hele natten lang.

3. Han har finde sine nøgler.

4. Vi har gået til skole.

5. Du har spist æble.

Solutions to Exercise 5

1. Jeg har set en film.

2. De har danset hele natten.

3. Han har fundet sine nøgler.

4. Vi har gået til skolen.

5. Du har spist et æble.

Exercise 6: Conjugate the Verbs

Conjugate the following verbs in the perfect tense:

1. at tage

2. at komme

3. at gøre

4. at finde

5. at skrive

Solutions to Exercise 6

1. Jeg har taget

2. Jeg har kommet

3. Jeg har gjort

4. Jeg har fundet

5. Jeg har skrevet

Exercise 7: Fill in the Table

Fill in the table with the correct forms of the verbs in the perfect tense.

Danish Verb	Perfect Tense
at komme	__________
at tænke	__________
at lave	__________
at forstå	__________
at høre	__________

Solutions to Exercise 7

Danish Verb	Perfect Tense
at komme	Jeg har kommet
at tænke	Jeg har tænkt
at lave	Jeg har lavet
at forstå	Jeg har forstået
at høre	Jeg har hørt

Exercise 8: Correct the Sentences

Rewrite the sentences correctly.

1. Jeg har gået til butikken.

2. Hun har sagt mig det.

3. Vi har set meget film.

4. De har arbejdet hårdt.

5. Han har lavet sin lektie.

Solutions to Exercise 8

1. Jeg er gået til butikken.

2. Hun har sagt det til mig.

3. Vi har set mange film.

4. De har arbejdet hårdt.

5. Han har lavet sin lektie.

Exercise 9: Translate the Sentences

Translate the following sentences into Danish using the perfect tense.

1. I have been to Copenhagen.

2. We have seen the beautiful sights.

3. They have eaten at that restaurant.

4. She has read three books this month.

5. He has written a letter to his friend.

Solutions to Exercise 9

1. Jeg har været i København.

2. Vi har set de smukke steder.

3. De har spist på den restaurant.

4. Hun har læst tre bøger denne måned.

5. Han har skrevet et brev til sin ven.

Exercise 10: Create a Story

Write a short paragraph in Danish using the perfect tense at least five times.

Solutions to Exercise 10

(Example:)

I have been to the store, where I bought some apples. I have also seen my friend there. We have talked for a while and then I have gone home. It's been a nice day!

Congratulations on completing this lesson! You now have a solid foundation in using the perfect tense in Danish. Remember to practice regularly to reinforce your skills. The more you use it, the more natural it will feel.

Table of Contents - Danish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Danish Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Danish Alphabet
• Pronunciation Basics

  ---

Everyday Phrases and Greetings

• Greetings and Introductions
• Common Phrases

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure and Word Order

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Questions and Negations

  ---

Numbers, Dates, and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Days, Months, and Seasons
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Plurals and Possessives

  ---

Family, Relationships, and Occupations

• Family Members
• Relationships
• Occupations

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Forms and Agreement
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food, Drinks, and Dining

• Food and Drinks
• Dining Out

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Modal Verbs

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Vocabulary

  ---

Danish Culture and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Danish Customs and Etiquette

Sources

• Danish Perfect Verb Tenses - ielanguages.com
• Danish grammar - Wikipedia

Other Lessons

• Indefinite Articles in Danish
• Pronouns
• The Ablative Case in Danish
• Prepositions
• Give your Opinion
• How to use “there to be” in Danish
• Passive Voice
• The Nominative Case in Danish
• The Dative Case in Danish
• Verbs in Danish