Nominalized Infinitive (det at)
The nominalized infinitive (det at + verb) allows you to treat an action as a noun. It is the Danish equivalent of the English gerund (e.g., 'reading' or 'to read' as a subject).
How It Works
While a simple infinitive can sometimes act as a subject (e.g., 'At ryge er dyrt'), adding det makes the action feel more like a specific concept or a 'thing.'
Key Characteristics:
- Structure: det (neuter article) + at (infinitive marker) + verb (infinitive form).
- Pronunciation: In natural speech, both 't' sounds are silent. It sounds like [de å].
- Function: It allows you to add objects or adverbs to the action while still treating the whole phrase as a noun (e.g., Det at læse bøger...).
- Register: It is common in both spoken and written Danish. In very formal writing, you might see action nouns like læsning, but det at læse is often preferred when the verb has its own object.
Examples (4)
- Det at rejse alene kan være en stor udfordring.
Traveling alone can be a great challenge.
Word by Word: The to travel alone can be a great challenge.
Here, the entire phrase 'det at rejse alene' acts as the subject of the sentence.
- Jeg kan godt lide det at lære noget nyt hver dag.
I really like learning something new every day.
Word by Word: I can well like the to learn something new every day.
The construction is used here as the object of the verb phrase 'kan godt lide'.
- Det at ryge er forbudt i alle offentlige bygninger.
Smoking is prohibited in all public buildings.
Word by Word: The to smoke is forbidden in all public buildings.
This is a standard way to discuss a specific activity as a general rule or concept.
- Han er bange for det at blive gammel.
He is afraid of getting old.
Word by Word: He is afraid for the to become old.
The nominalized infinitive is used here after the preposition 'for'.
Common Mistakes
Using the -ende form (present participle) as a noun subject.
Løbende er sundt.Det at løbe er sundt.Unlike English '-ing', the Danish '-ende' form is an adjective or adverb. To make a verb a noun, you must use 'det at' or a derived noun like 'løb'.
Using the common gender article 'den' instead of 'det'.
Den at rejse er dyrt.Det at rejse er dyrt.Nominalized infinitives are always treated as neuter (intetkøn), so you must use 'det'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand nominalized infinitives, you first need to be comfortable with the basic infinitive form using 'at'. You also need to understand how the pronoun 'det' functions as a neutral marker and how these phrases act as subjects that can be described by adjectives.
- at + InfinitiveInfinitive with at
The nominalized infinitive is built directly upon the standard infinitive form marked with 'at'.
Level 1 - den/detIt (Den/det)
The pattern uses the neuter pronoun 'det' as a formal determiner to turn the infinitive phrase into a noun phrase.
Level 1 - Adjective After Være
Nominalized infinitives often function as the subject of a sentence followed by a predicate adjective (e.g., 'Det at rejse er dyrt').
Level 1
Related Patterns
- -endePresent Participle -ende
The Danish present participle, which learners often confuse with the English gerund.
Level 3 - -ningAction Noun -ning
A suffix used to create lexical action nouns, which is an alternative to the 'det at' construction.
Level 3 - det erIt Is (Det Er)
Often used in conjunction with nominalized infinitives to define or evaluate actions (e.g., 'Det er sundt at løbe').
Level 1 - etIndefinite Article (Neuter)
The neuter article 'det' is the definite form of 'et', which is why it is used for abstract nominalizations.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice Nominalized Infinitive (det at) in Bubblegum
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