bør

Should / Ought to (Bør)

Level 2

Use bør for general advice and moral duties, and burde for softer, more tentative suggestions or retrospective regrets ('should have').

How It Works

The modal verb bør (infinitive: at burde) is used to express what is advisable, morally right, or logically expected.

1. Present Tense (bør):
Used for general rules, strong advice, or moral obligations. It sounds authoritative but not as forceful as skal.
Example: Man bør vaske hænder. (One should wash hands.)

2. Logical Probability:
Bør is also used to express that something is likely to happen based on logic or evidence.
Example: Pakken bør ankomme i dag. (The package should arrive today.)

3. Preterite/Conditional (burde):
While technically the past tense, burde is very common in the present to make advice sound softer and less 'preachy.' It often implies a hypothetical 'ought to.'
Example: Jeg burde træne i dag. (I ought to work out today [but maybe I won't]).

4. Retrospective (burde have):
To say someone 'should have' done something in the past, use burde have + the past participle.
Example: Du burde have sagt det. (You should have said it.)

5. The Bare Infinitive Rule:
Like all modal verbs, bør and burde are followed directly by the infinitive verb without the marker at.

Examples (6)

  1. Man bør altid tale sandt.

    One should always tell the truth.

    Word by Word: One should always speak true.

    Here, 'bør' expresses a general moral principle.

  2. Det bør virke nu.

    It should work now.

    Word by Word: It should work now.

    In this context, 'bør' expresses logical probability or expectation.

  3. Vi burde nok gå hjem nu.

    We should probably go home now.

    Word by Word: We should probably go home now.

    Using 'burde' instead of 'bør' makes the suggestion softer and more tentative.

  4. Jeg burde have læst mere til eksamen.

    I should have studied more for the exam.

    Word by Word: I should have read more to [the] exam.

    The combination 'burde have' expresses a past regret.

  5. Børn bør ikke drikke kaffe.

    Children should not drink coffee.

    Word by Word: Children should not drink coffee.

    Expresses what is considered proper or healthy for a specific group.

  6. De bør være her om ti minutter.

    They should be here in ten minutes.

    Word by Word: They should be here in ten minutes.

    Used to express a logical expectation based on current information.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'at' before the following verb.

    Du bør at spise sundt.
    Du bør spise sundt.

    Modal verbs in Danish never take the 'at' marker before the infinitive.

  • Adding an '-r' to the past tense form 'burde'.

    Jeg burder gøre det.
    Jeg bør gøre det. / Jeg burde gøre det.

    The present tense is 'bør'. There is no word 'burder'. 'Burde' is the past/conditional form.

  • Confusing 'bør' with 'skal' for fixed schedules.

    Different MeaningToget bør køre klokken ti.
    Toget skal køre klokken ti.

    While 'bør' can express logical probability, use skal for fixed plans or official schedules.

How It Connects

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

børLevel 2Should / Ought to (Bør)

Learn This First

To understand 'bør' (should/ought to), you need to be familiar with how Danish modal verbs work, specifically that they are followed by a main verb in the infinitive form without the particle 'at'. Familiarity with other modal verbs like 'kan' or 'vil' provides the necessary structural template.

Words in This Pattern

burde