B1 adverb Neutral 1 min read

sent

/sɛnt/
Practice it

Sent indicates an action occurring after the planned or usual time.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Used to describe actions happening after the expected time.
  • Refers to late hours of the day or night.
  • Can be used to express being behind schedule.

Oversigt

'Sent' er et essentielt adverbium på dansk, der indikerer tidspunktet for en handling i forhold til en forventning. Det er den neutrale måde at udtrykke, at tiden er fremskreden. 2) Brugsmønstre: Ordet placeres typisk efter det finitte verbum i en sætning. Det kan også optræde i starten af en sætning for at understrege tidspunktet, f.eks. 'Sent om aftenen læste jeg en bog'. 3) Almindelige kontekster: Det bruges hyppigt i forbindelse med døgnets rytme (sent på natten), aftaler (at komme sent) eller frister (at aflevere sent). Det fungerer også som en gradbøjning, hvor man kan være 'meget sent' på den. 4) Sammenligning: 'Sent' adskiller sig fra 'langsomt', da 'sent' handler om tidspunktet på uret, mens 'langsomt' handler om tempoet i en udførelse. Man kan sagtens gøre noget hurtigt, selvom man gør det sent.

Examples

1

Jeg kom sent hjem i går.

everyday

I came home late yesterday.

2

Vi beklager det sene svar.

formal

We apologize for the late reply.

3

Det er alt for sent at ringe nu.

informal

It is way too late to call now.

4

Indleveringen blev afsendt sent.

academic

The submission was sent late.

Common Collocations

sent om aftenen late in the evening
alt for sent way too late
at være sent på den to be running late

Common Phrases

bedre sent end aldrig

better late than never

sent men godt

late but good

at komme sent

to arrive late

Often Confused With

sent vs sen

Sen is the adjective form used to describe nouns (e.g., 'en sen aften'). Sent is the adverbial form.

sent vs langsomt

Langsomt refers to the speed of an action, while sent refers to the time of the action.

Grammar Patterns

Subjekt + verbum + sent Sent + verbum + subjekt Alt for + sent

How to Use It

Usage Notes

Use 'sent' as an adverb to describe when an action happens. It is neutral in register and used in both spoken and written Danish. Remember to distinguish it from the adjective 'sen'.

Common Mistakes

Many learners confuse 'sen' (adjective) and 'sent' (adverb). Another common mistake is placing 'sent' too early in the sentence. Ensure it follows the verb.

Tips

💡

Placement in the sentence

Place 'sent' after the main verb to sound natural. For example, 'Jeg kom sent hjem'.

⚠️

Don't confuse with 'sen'

Remember that 'sen' is an adjective and 'sent' is an adverb. 'En sen time' vs 'Jeg kom sent'.

🌍

Danish social punctuality

Danes generally value punctuality. Arriving 'sent' to a dinner party is often considered impolite without notice.

Word Origin

Derived from Old Norse 'seinn'. It shares roots with the English word 'slow', although the meaning has shifted to focus on time.

Cultural Context

In Denmark, being on time is highly valued. Using 'sent' often carries a slight implication of an apology or a justification for an action.

Memory Tip

Think of 'sent' as 'time went'. If the time went by, it is 'sent'.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

Ordet er et adverbium og bøjes derfor ikke som et adjektiv. Det forbliver 'sent', uanset om subjektet er ental eller flertal.

Nej, 'sent' er et adverbium. Hvis man vil bruge det som adjektiv, bruger man 'sen' (f.eks. 'et sent tog').

Det er subjektivt, men generelt betragtes tidspunkter efter kl. 22:00 som 'sent' i en social kontekst. Det afhænger dog af situationen.

Ja, 'sent' refererer til tidspunktet, mens 'ude' refererer til at være uden for hjemmet. Man kan være ude sent.

Test Yourself

fill blank

Vi kom ___ til festen, fordi bussen var forsinket.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: sent

Da ordet beskriver tidspunktet for handlingen (at komme), skal det være adverbiet 'sent'.

multiple choice

Hvilken sætning er korrekt?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Han kommer sent i dag.

Man bruger adverbiet 'sent' til at beskrive handlingen at komme.

sentence building

sove / jeg / sent / gik / i går

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Jeg gik sent i seng i går.

Adverbiet 'sent' placeres efter verbet i en standard dansk sætning.

Score: /3

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