B1 · Intermediate Chapter 33

Subordinate Clauses

1 Total Rules
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of placing 'ikke' correctly in your Danish subordinate clauses.

  • Identify the structure of subordinate clauses.
  • Position central adverbs like 'ikke' before the verb.
  • Connect complex sentences with subordinating conjunctions.
Master the flow of Danish complex sentences.

What You'll Learn

Word order in dependent clauses. Learn the 'central adverb' rule where 'ikke' comes before the verb.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: correctly construct sentences using subordinate conjunctions where 'ikke' precedes the verb.

Tips & Tricks (1)

💡

Spot the Conjunction

Always look for 'at', 'fordi', or 'hvis' at the start of the clause.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinate Clause Word Order (SAVO)

Key Vocabulary (5)

fordi because at that hvis if ikke not selvom even though

Real-World Preview

clock

Explaining a delay

Review Summary

  • Conjunction + Subject + ikke + Verb

Common Mistakes

In main clauses, 'ikke' follows the verb. In subordinate clauses, it must move forward.

Wrong: Jeg ved, at hun spiser ikke.
Correct: Jeg ved, at hun ikke spiser.

The subject must always come before 'ikke'.

Wrong: Fordi ikke jeg ved det...
Correct: Fordi jeg ikke ved det...

You placed 'ikke' after the modal verb; it must precede the entire verb phrase.

Wrong: Hun sagde, at hun kunne ikke komme.
Correct: Hun sagde, at hun ikke kunne komme.

Next Steps

You have mastered one of the most difficult hurdles in Danish grammar! Keep practicing, and it will become second nature.

Write a 5-sentence story using 'fordi' and 'at'.

Continue to: Past Perfect

Quick Practice (3)

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Jeg ved, at hun spiser ikke.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jeg ved, at hun ikke spiser.
Adverb before verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinate Clause Word Order (SAVO)

Fill in the blank.

Jeg ved, at han ___ ___ spiser.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ikke
Adverb before verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinate Clause Word Order (SAVO)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jeg ved, at han ikke kommer.
SAVO rule.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinate Clause Word Order (SAVO)

Score: /3

Common Questions (2)

It stands for Subjunction-Adverb-Verb-Object.
Yes, 'aldrig', 'ofte', etc., follow the same rule.
Previous Chapter
The Passive Voice
Next Chapter
Past Perfect
Back to Roadmap