trods/på trods af

Despite (Trods)

Level 3

Danish uses trods and på trods af to say 'despite' or 'in spite of'. They show that something happened even though there was an obstacle.

How It Works

These expressions function as prepositions in Danish.

1. Usage with Nouns:
You can place them directly before a noun or noun phrase.

  • På trods af regnen... (Despite the rain...)
  • Trods modstand... (Despite resistance...)

2. Usage with Clauses:
If you want to follow the expression with a full sentence (a subordinate clause), you must use the conjunction at (that).

  • På trods af at det regnede... (Despite the fact that it rained...)

3. Word Order:
Because the at-clause is a subordinate clause, the word order changes if you use a sentence adverb like ikke. The adverb must come before the verb.

  • ...på trods af at han ikke kom. (...despite the fact that he didn't come.)

4. Fixed Expression:
Trods alt is a very common phrase meaning 'after all' or 'nevertheless'.

Examples (5)

  1. Trods modvind nåede vi toppen til tiden.

    Despite the headwind, we reached the summit on time.

    Word by Word: Despite headwind reached we the-summit to the-time.

    Here, 'trods' is used with a noun phrase in a slightly more formal or concise style.

  2. De blev gift på trods af forældrenes protester.

    They got married in spite of the parents' protests.

    Word by Word: They became married on spite of the-parents' protests.

    'På trods af' is the standard, neutral way to express 'in spite of' before a noun.

  3. Vi vandt kampen, på trods af at vi spillede dårligt.

    We won the match, despite the fact that we played poorly.

    Word by Word: We won the-match, on spite of that we played poorly.

    Note the use of 'at' because a full clause (vi spillede dårligt) follows.

  4. Det var en god tur trods alt.

    It was a good trip after all.

    Word by Word: It was a good trip despite all.

    'Trods alt' is a fixed adverbial phrase used to mean 'nevertheless' or 'after all'.

  5. Hun er glad på trods af at hun ikke vandt.

    She is happy despite the fact that she didn't win.

    Word by Word: She is happy on spite of that she not won.

    Notice that 'ikke' comes before the verb 'vandt' in the 'at'-clause.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding 'af' to the single word 'trods'.

    Jeg kom trods af regnen.
    Jeg kom trods regnen.

    'Af' is only used in the long phrase 'på trods af'. The short version is just 'trods'.

  • Forgetting 'at' before a clause.

    På trods af det regnede, gik vi ud.
    På trods af at det regnede, gik vi ud.

    In Danish, you cannot follow a prepositional phrase directly with a clause; you must insert 'at' to bridge them.

  • Using main clause word order after 'på trods af at'.

    På trods af at han kom ikke...
    På trods af at han ikke kom...

    The 'at'-clause is a subordinate clause, so sentence adverbs like 'ikke' must come before the verb.

How It Connects

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

trods/på trods afLevel 3Despite (Trods)

Learn This First

To use 'trods' or 'på trods af', you need to understand how to form the definite form of nouns, as these expressions are typically followed by a noun or noun phrase. You also need to be familiar with the basic prepositions 'på' and 'af' which form the longer version of the expression.

Words in This Pattern

på trods aftrods