så ... at

So ... That (Så ... at)

Level 3

The pattern så [adjective/adverb] at [result] translates to 'so ... that'. It connects an intense quality to its direct consequence.

How It Works

The construction så ... at is the standard way to express result in Danish.

1. Structure and Punctuation:
The word så is placed before an adjective or adverb. The word at introduces a subordinate clause that describes the outcome. A starting comma before the subordinate clause is optional in standard Danish, including formal writing. Follow one comma convention consistently.

  • Han var så træt, at han faldt i søvn med det samme. (He was so tired that he fell asleep immediately.)

2. Word Order (Critical):
Because the at-clause is a subordinate clause, sentence adverbs like ikke (not) must be placed before the finite verb.

  • Det var så mørkt, at vi ikke kunne se stien. (It was so dark that we could not see the path.)

3. Result vs. Purpose:
The related så at/sådan at can express either purpose or result. With så + adjective/adverb here, the result is explicitly linked to a degree. In Tal tydeligt, så alle kan høre dig, context can present the intended purpose of speaking clearly. While at is standard in writing and formal speech, it is often omitted in casual conversation (e.g., Det var så koldt, vandet frøs).

4. Adjective Agreement:
The adjective following så must still follow the rules of adjective agreement based on the noun it describes.

  • Huset var så stort, at vi blev væk. (The house was so big that we got lost.)
  • Bilen var så stor, at den ikke kunne parkere. (The car was so big that it couldn't park.)

Examples (4)

  1. Filmen var så kedelig, at vi gik hjem.

    The movie was so boring that we went home.

    Word by Word: The movie was so boring, that we went home.

    Here, 'så' modifies the adjective 'kedelig', and the 'at'-clause shows the result of that boredom.

  2. Han løb så hurtigt, at han vandt løbet.

    He ran so fast that he won the race.

    Word by Word: He ran so fast, that he won the race.

    In this case, 'så' modifies the adverb 'hurtigt'.

  3. Det blæste så meget, at træet væltede.

    It blew so much that the tree fell over.

    Word by Word: It blew so much, that the tree toppled.

    Using 'meget' (much/a lot) is a common way to express the degree of a verb's action.

  4. Opgaven var så svær, at jeg ikke kunne lave den.

    The assignment was so difficult that I couldn't do it.

    Word by Word: The task was so difficult, that I not could do it.

    Notice that 'ikke' comes before 'kunne' because it is a subordinate clause.

Common Mistakes

  • Incorrect word order with 'ikke' in the result clause.

    Det var så koldt, at jeg kunne ikke sove.
    Det var så koldt, at jeg ikke kunne sove.

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

  • Using plain 'så' when you want to stress how much.

    Different MeaningDet regnede, så vi blev inde.
    Det regnede så meget, at vi blev inde.

    Both patterns are grammatical. 'Det regnede, så vi blev inde' states a consequence without measuring the rain. 'Det regnede så meget, at vi blev inde' emphasizes its degree. The former is not a grammar error.

How It Connects

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

så ... atLevel 3So ... That (Så ... at)

Learn This First

To understand 'så ... at' (so ... that), you need to know how to use 'at' as a conjunction to link clauses. You also need to be familiar with using adjectives to describe states and how word order changes in Danish subordinate clauses.

Words in This Pattern

såat