Ellipsis After A Modal (det)

Level 5

Danish usually uses a 'pro-form' (the word det) to stand in for an omitted verb phrase. Unlike English, where 'I can' is the normal reply, Danish typically says 'I can it' (Det kan jeg). A bare 'Jeg kan' is possible but less typical.

How It Works

In English, we often use ellipsis to avoid repetition: 'Can you swim? Yes, I can.' In Danish, modal and auxiliary verbs usually come with a complement in short answers. To fill this gap, Danish uses the pronoun det.

1. The Role of 'Det'
In this context, det is a 'pro-predicate.' It represents the entire action or state mentioned before. Because it represents an abstract concept, it is always the neuter form det.

2. Word Order and Inversion
You could say 'Jeg kan det,' but Danish speakers usually 'topicalize' the det by putting it at the start. Because of the verb-second rule, the subject moves after the verb: Det (Object) + kan (Verb) + jeg (Subject).

3. Modal and Auxiliary Verbs vs. Main Verbs
If the original sentence uses a modal verb or the auxiliaries være (to be) or have (to have), you repeat that specific verb with det. If the original sentence uses a standard action verb (like 'spise'), you use the dummy verb gøre (do) + det.

4. Natural Phrasing with 'Vil' and 'Jo'
When using vil to accept an offer, it is most natural to say 'Det vil jeg gerne' (I would like to). Additionally, if someone asks a negative question ('Kan du ikke...?'), you must use jo instead of 'ja' to say 'Yes, I can' (e.g., 'Jo, det kan jeg').

Examples (6)

  1. "Kan du svømme?" "Ja, det kan jeg."

    "Can you swim?" "Yes, I can."

    Word by Word: "Can you swim?" "Yes, that can I."

    The word 'det' stands in for 'at svømme'. Notice the inversion where 'jeg' follows 'kan'.

  2. "Vil du have kaffe?" "Ja, det vil jeg gerne."

    "Do you want coffee?" "Yes, I would like that."

    Word by Word: "Will you have coffee?" "Yes, that will I gladly."

    When responding to an offer with 'vil', it is idiomatic to add 'gerne' to sound natural.

  3. "Er du sulten?" "Ja, det er jeg."

    "Are you hungry?" "Yes, I am."

    Word by Word: "Are you hungry?" "Yes, that am I."

    The auxiliary verb 'være' is repeated in the short answer, just like a modal verb.

  4. "Kan du ikke svømme?" "Jo, det kan jeg."

    "Can't you swim?" "Yes (on the contrary), I can."

    Word by Word: "Can you not swim?" "Yes, that can I."

    When answering a negative question affirmatively, use 'jo' instead of 'ja'.

  5. Jeg burde have ringet, men det gjorde jeg ikke.

    I should have called, but I didn't.

    Word by Word: I should have called, but that did I not.

    Since 'ringet' is a main verb (not a modal or auxiliary), we use 'gjorde' (past of gøre) as the dummy verb.

  6. Hun kan tale dansk, og det kan hendes bror også.

    She can speak Danish, and her brother can too.

    Word by Word: She can speak Danish, and that can her brother also.

    The 'det' refers to the action 'tale dansk'. Even though 'bror' is common gender, we use 'det' because it refers to the activity.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out 'det' in a short answer (English habit).

    Different MeaningJeg kan.
    Det kan jeg.

    In Danish, a modal verb in a short answer usually comes with 'det'. A bare 'Jeg kan' is possible, but 'Det kan jeg' is the typical reply.

  • Forgetting verb-subject inversion.

    Det jeg kan.
    Det kan jeg.

    When 'det' is placed at the beginning of the sentence, the verb must come in the second position, pushing the subject to the third position.

  • Using 'den' instead of 'det' for common-gender actions.

    Køber du en bil? Ja, den kan jeg.
    Køber du en bil? Ja, det gør jeg.

    Even if the object in the sentence is common gender (en bil), the pro-form for the action of buying is always the neuter 'det'.

How It Connects

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Ellipsis After A Modal (det)Level 5

Learn This First

To understand verb phrase ellipsis (using 'det' to replace a predicate), you first need to be comfortable with modal verbs and how they normally interact with main verbs. You also need to understand how 'det' functions as a neuter pronoun and how Danish V2 word order affects the placement of the subject and verb in these short responses.

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