Dropping At Before A Clause

Level 3

Just like in English, you can often drop the word 'that' (at) in Danish. For example, 'Jeg tror, (at) det regner' (I think [that] it's raining). This is very common in speech and makes you sound more natural.

How It Works

In Danish, dropping the conjunction at is a hallmark of natural, fluent speech.

1. When to drop it:
It is most frequently omitted when the clause is the object of a verb. Common verbs that allow this include:

  • sige (to say)
  • tro (to believe/think)
  • synes (to think/opine)
  • mene (to mean/opine)
  • håbe (to hope)
  • vide (to know)

It is also very common to drop at after a prepositional phrase, such as Jeg er sikker på (at) han kommer.

2. Word Order Flexibility:
When at is dropped in spoken Danish, you have two choices for word order. You can use the standard subordinate clause word order (where ikke comes before the verb), or you can use main clause word order (where ikke comes after the verb). Both Jeg tror, han ikke kommer and Jeg tror, han kommer ikke are acceptable in natural speech. Note: Embedded main-clause order is especially common with assertions and in speech, but is not licensed everywhere just because at is absent. Ordinary subordinate order is the broadly usable learning pattern; choose it in careful writing when unsure.

3. Punctuation:
Starting commas are optional in standard Danish, including formal prose, whether at is present or omitted. With starting commas: Jeg tror, han kommer; without them: Jeg tror han kommer. Follow one convention consistently. Required closing commas are a separate rule.

4. When NOT to drop it:

  • Subject Clauses: If the clause is the subject of the sentence (usually at the beginning), you must keep at. Example: At han vandt, er utroligt.
  • Infinitive Marker: Do not confuse this with the infinitive marker at (meaning 'to'). You cannot drop at in Jeg prøver at sove.
  • Formal Writing: In legal, academic, or very formal contexts, keeping at is preferred for clarity.

Examples (4)

  1. Jeg tror, det bliver solskin i dag.

    I think (that) it will be sunny today.

    Word by Word: I think, it becomes sunshine in day.

    In this common spoken sentence, 'at' is omitted after the verb 'tror'.

  2. Han sagde, han ikke kunne komme.

    He said (that) he couldn't come.

    Word by Word: He said, he not could come.

    Notice that even without 'at', the word 'ikke' stays before the verb 'kunne'.

  3. Jeg er sikker på, de vinder kampen.

    I am sure (that) they will win the match.

    Word by Word: I am sure on, they win match-the.

    In casual speech, 'at' can even be dropped after a prepositional phrase like 'sikker på'.

  4. Hun synes, filmen var kedelig.

    She thinks (that) the movie was boring.

    Word by Word: She thinks, movie-the was boring.

    A very common use with the verb 'synes' to express an opinion.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping 'at' when it is the infinitive marker ('to').

    Jeg elsker svømme.
    Jeg elsker at svømme.

    This entry concerns the conjunction at (that). The infinitive marker at (to) follows different rules and is required after elsker in this example.

  • Dropping 'at' at the beginning of a sentence.

    Han glemte det, var ærgerligt.
    At han glemte det, var ærgerligt.

    When the clause acts as the subject and starts the sentence, 'at' is mandatory.

How It Connects

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

Dropping At Before A ClauseLevel 3

Learn This First

To understand when 'at' can be dropped, you first need to be comfortable using 'at' as a conjunction to link a main clause with a subordinate clause. You should also be familiar with common verbs of communication and thought (like 'sige', 'tro', and 'synes'), as these are the contexts where the omission most frequently occurs in natural speech.

Words in This Pattern

at