om

About / in (Time) (Om)

Level 1

Om is a high-frequency Danish preposition. It most commonly means 'about' (topic), 'in' (future time), or 'during' (recurring habits).

How It Works

The word om is a versatile tool in Danish with six functions covered here:

1. Topic (About): Used to indicate the subject matter.
Example: En bog om hunde (A book about dogs).

2. Future Time Point (In): Used to say how long from now something will happen. The noun is usually indefinite.
Example: Vi ses om en time (See you in an hour).

3. Recurring/Habitual Time: Used for regular habits (seasons, times of day). The noun must be in the definite form.
Example: Jeg løber om morgenen (I run in the morning/every morning).
Note: Use om for habits (om mandagen = on Mondays), but use på for specific upcoming days (på mandag = this coming Monday).

4. Frequency (A/Per): Used for how often something happens. The noun must be in the definite form.
Example: To gange om ugen (Twice a week).

5. Conjunction (If/Whether): Used to introduce indirect questions or uncertainty.
Example: Jeg ved ikke, om det regner (I don't know if it's raining).

6. Physical Movement (Around): Used to describe moving around an object.
Example: Gå om hjørnet (Go around the corner).

Examples (6)

  1. Vi taler om filmen.

    We are talking about the movie.

    Word by Word: We talk about movie-the.

    Here 'om' indicates the topic of the conversation.

  2. Bussen kommer om ti minutter.

    The bus is coming in ten minutes.

    Word by Word: Bus-the comes in ten minutes.

    When referring to a point in the future, 'om' is used with an indefinite time period.

  3. Jeg læser altid om aftenen.

    I always read in the evening.

    Word by Word: I read always in evening-the.

    For habits, 'om' is paired with the definite form of the noun (aftenen).

  4. Jeg ved ikke, om han kommer.

    I don't know if he is coming.

    Word by Word: I know not, if he comes.

    In this case, 'om' acts as a conjunction meaning 'if' or 'whether' in indirect questions.

  5. Bilen kører om hjørnet.

    The car drives around the corner.

    Word by Word: Car-the drives around corner-the.

    'Om' can also describe physical movement around something.

  6. Jeg træner tre gange om ugen.

    I work out three times a week.

    Word by Word: I train three times in week-the.

    To express frequency, use 'om' followed by the definite form of the time period.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'i' instead of 'om' for future time points.

    Different MeaningJeg kommer i to minutter.
    Jeg kommer om to minutter.

    In Danish, 'i to minutter' means you will stay for a duration of two minutes. To say you will arrive two minutes from now, you must use 'om'.

  • Forgetting the definite ending for habitual time.

    Jeg arbejder om nat.
    Jeg arbejder om natten.

    When using 'om' to describe a recurring time (like 'at night' or 'in the morning'), the noun must be in the definite form (-en/-et).

  • Using om as a direct substitute for på in tænke på nogen.

    Jeg tænker om dig.
    Jeg tænker på dig.

    Tænke på dig means have you in mind. Tænke om belongs to a different pattern expressing an opinion: Hvad tænker du om forslaget? (What do you think of the proposal?).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

omLevel 1About / in (Time) (Om)

Learn This First

To use 'om' correctly, you need a basic understanding of Danish noun genders because time expressions often use the definite form of the noun. It is also helpful to be familiar with other basic prepositions to understand how 'om' functions differently in context.

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