Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Danish, most verbs ending in a vowel simply add an '-r' to form the present tense.
- If the verb ends in a vowel, just add -r: at bo -> jeg bor.
- This rule applies to all subjects (jeg, du, han, hun, vi, I, de).
- The infinitive form (at...) is the base for all present tense conjugations.
Present Tense Conjugation (Vowel Stems)
| Pronoun | Infinitive | Present Tense |
|---|---|---|
|
Jeg
|
at bo
|
bor
|
|
Du
|
at bo
|
bor
|
|
Han/Hun/Det
|
at bo
|
bor
|
|
Vi
|
at bo
|
bor
|
|
I
|
at bo
|
bor
|
|
De
|
at bo
|
bor
|
Meanings
The present tense in Danish is formed by adding '-r' to the infinitive form of the verb, provided it ends in a vowel.
Present Habitual
Actions that happen regularly.
“Jeg spiser morgenmad.”
“Hun læser en bog.”
Future Intent
Actions planned for the near future.
“Jeg rejser i morgen.”
“Vi ses senere.”
General Truths
Facts that are always true.
“Solen skinner.”
“Det regner ofte.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Verb-r
|
Jeg bor i byen.
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + Verb-r + ikke
|
Jeg bor ikke i byen.
|
|
Question
|
Verb-r + Subject?
|
Bor du i byen?
|
|
Short Answer (Yes)
|
Ja, [Subject] [Verb-r]
|
Ja, jeg bor i byen.
|
|
Short Answer (No)
|
Nej, [Subject] [Verb-r] ikke
|
Nej, jeg bor ikke i byen.
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
Jeg er bosat i København. (Living situation)
Jeg bor i København. (Living situation)
Jeg bor i KBH. (Living situation)
Bor i KBH. (Living situation)
Verb Conjugation Logic
Action
- bo live
- spise eat
Result
- bor lives
- spiser eats
レベル別の例文
Jeg bor i Aarhus.
I live in Aarhus.
Hun spiser et æble.
She is eating an apple.
Vi ser en film.
We are watching a movie.
Han læser en bog.
He is reading a book.
Jeg rejser til København i morgen.
I am traveling to Copenhagen tomorrow.
Hvorfor griner du?
Why are you laughing?
Det regner meget i Danmark.
It rains a lot in Denmark.
De køber mad i supermarkedet.
They are buying food at the supermarket.
Jeg tror, at det er en god idé.
I think that it is a good idea.
Hun plejer at træne om morgenen.
She usually exercises in the morning.
Vi ses til festen på lørdag.
We will see each other at the party on Saturday.
Han lover at komme til tiden.
He promises to arrive on time.
Det forekommer mig, at vi har glemt noget.
It occurs to me that we have forgotten something.
Hun betror sig til sin veninde.
She confides in her friend.
Vi forventer en stigning i priserne.
We expect an increase in prices.
Han undrer sig over vejret.
He wonders about the weather.
Hun agerer som om intet er hændt.
She acts as if nothing has happened.
Han ignorerer alle advarslerne.
He ignores all the warnings.
Vi diskuterer de filosofiske implikationer.
We are discussing the philosophical implications.
Det generer mig ikke.
It does not bother me.
Hun proklamerer sin uskyld.
She proclaims her innocence.
Han opererer i en gråzone.
He operates in a gray area.
Vi konkluderer, at hypotesen holder.
We conclude that the hypothesis holds.
Det fascinerer mig.
It fascinates me.
間違えやすい
Learners often use the infinitive (at bo) as a conjugated verb.
Learners mix up the present '-r' with past tense endings.
Some nouns end in -er, which looks like a conjugated verb.
よくある間違い
Jeg bo
Jeg bor
Jeg bores
Jeg bor
At bor
At bo
Jeg bor ikke ikke
Jeg bor ikke
Bor du?
Bor du?
Han spiser ikke
Han spiser ikke
Vi er spiser
Vi spiser
Han plejer at spiser
Han plejer at spise
Jeg vil bor
Jeg vil bo
Det regnerne
Det regner
Han agererer
Han agerer
Vi diskutererne
Vi diskuterer
Det generer mig ikke
Det generer mig ikke
文型パターン
Jeg ___ i ___.
Hun ___ en ___.
Vi ___ en ___ i aften.
Han ___ ikke ___.
Real World Usage
Jeg spiser pizza! #yum
Vi ses senere.
Jeg arbejder hårdt.
Jeg rejser til Aarhus.
Jeg køber en burger.
Jeg læser bogen.
Don't overthink it
Watch the 'at'
Focus on the stem
Be direct
Smart Tips
Remember: Danish is the 'lazy' language. If you don't have to change it, don't!
Think of 'at' as a stop sign. Do not add -r if you see it.
Don't look for 'am/is/are'. Just use the verb.
Start with the verb, not 'do'.
発音
The -r sound
The 'r' in Danish is soft and often almost silent at the end of words.
Statement
Jeg bor i Aarhus ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
Question
Bor du i Aarhus ↗
Rising intonation for yes/no questions.
暗記しよう
記憶術
Just add an R to the end, to make the present your friend!
視覚的連想
Imagine a giant letter 'R' being glued onto the end of a verb. The verb is a little person, and the 'R' is a backpack they put on to go to work in the present.
Rhyme
When the verb ends in a vowel sound, add an R and look around!
Story
Once there was a verb named 'Bo'. He wanted to live in the present, so he put on his 'R' hat. Now he is 'Bor' and can live anywhere he wants.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Write 5 sentences about your daily routine using verbs ending in vowels.
文化メモ
Danes are very direct. Using the simple present tense is perfect for their straightforward communication style.
In the capital, people often shorten words, but the verb conjugation remains strictly followed.
People in Jutland might speak a bit slower, but the grammar is identical to standard Danish.
The Danish present tense ending '-r' descends from the Old Norse '-r' suffix.
会話のきっかけ
Hvor bor du?
Hvad spiser du til morgenmad?
Hvad ser du i fjernsynet?
Hvad køber du i supermarkedet?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
Jeg ___ i København.
Hvilken sætning er korrekt?
Find and fix the mistake:
Du bo i Aarhus.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
She eats an apple.
Answer starts with: Hun...
Danish verbs change for every person.
A: Hvad laver du? B: Jeg ___ en bog.
Sort: bo, bor, spise, spiser
Score: /8
練習問題
8 exercisesJeg ___ i København.
Hvilken sætning er korrekt?
Find and fix the mistake:
Du bo i Aarhus.
i / bor / jeg / København
She eats an apple.
Danish verbs change for every person.
A: Hvad laver du? B: Jeg ___ en bog.
Sort: bo, bor, spise, spiser
Score: /8
よくある質問 (8)
No, Danish verbs are the same for all subjects.
That is a different rule! Usually, you add -er.
No, 'spiser' means both 'eat' and 'is eating'.
They don't! Infinitives end in -e or other vowels.
Just add 'ikke' after the verb.
Yes, if you add a time word like 'i morgen'.
Yes, but they are few and easy to learn.
It is neutral and used in all situations.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
vives/vivo
Spanish has person-based endings; Danish is invariant.
habites/habite
French requires subject pronouns for clarity; Danish is simpler.
wohne/wohnst/wohnt
German conjugates for person; Danish does not.
sumu
Japanese uses particles; Danish uses word order.
askunu
Arabic is highly inflected; Danish is analytic.
zhu
Chinese uses aspect markers; Danish uses tense suffixes.
