Weather Expressions
Danish uses the impersonal subject det (it) to talk about weather. Unlike English, Danish usually uses the simple present tense (det regner) rather than the progressive (it is raining).
How It Works
In Danish, weather events often lack a specific person or thing doing the action. To satisfy the verb-second rule and the requirement for a subject, Danish uses det as a 'dummy' subject.
1. Weather Verbs
Common weather verbs like regne (to rain) or sne (to snow) use the standard present tense ending -r.
- Det regner = It is raining / It rains.
- Det sner = It is snowing / It snows.
Note: Never say 'Det er regner'. Danish does not use 'to be' with weather verbs.
2. Weather Adjectives
When describing the state of the weather using være (to be), the adjective must use the neuter ending -t to agree with det.
- Det er koldt (from kold).
- Det er varmt (from varm).
3. Specific Subjects
If a specific noun is the subject, you do not use det. For example: Solen skinner (The sun is shining).
Examples (5)
- Det regner i dag.
It is raining today.
Word by Word: It rains in day.
Uses the dummy subject 'det' and the present tense verb 'regner'.
- Det er meget koldt ude.
It is very cold outside.
Word by Word: It is very cold-neuter out.
The adjective 'kold' takes a '-t' because the subject is 'det'.
- Det sner ofte i januar.
It often snows in January.
Word by Word: It snows often in January.
A simple present tense construction for a recurring weather event.
- Solen skinner, men det blæser.
The sun is shining, but it is windy.
Word by Word: Sun-the shines, but it blows.
Shows the difference between a specific subject (solen) and an impersonal one (det blæser).
- Det er overskyet nu.
It is overcast now.
Word by Word: It is overcast now.
Uses 'det er' followed by the adjective 'overskyet'.
Common Mistakes
Using the progressive 'is raining' construction.
Det er regner.Det regner.Danish uses the simple present tense for ongoing weather actions. Adding 'er' (is) before the verb is incorrect.
Forgetting the neuter '-t' on adjectives.
Det er varm.Det er varmt.Because the subject is 'det', any following adjective must be in the neuter form.
Dropping the subject 'det'.
Sner i dag.Det sner i dag.Danish sentences must almost always have a subject. Even if there is no 'actor', you must use 'det'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To talk about the weather, you need to understand how to use the dummy subject 'det', how to conjugate verbs in the present tense, and how to use adjectives after the verb 'være'.
- den/detIt (Den/det)
Weather expressions in Danish use the dummy subject 'det', so understanding the neuter pronoun is essential.
Level 1 - -rPresent Tense -r
Many weather expressions use verbs in the present tense (e.g., regner, sner, skinner).
Level 1 - Adjective After Være
Describing the weather often involves using 'det er' followed by an adjective (e.g., det er koldt).
Level 1
Related Patterns
- det erIt Is (Det Er)
The basic 'it is' construction used for weather adjectives.
Level 1 - -t (intetkøn)Neuter Adjective -t
The neuter ending required for adjectives when describing the weather with 'det'.
Level 2 - Verb-Second Word Order
The word order rule that requires 'det' to be present to keep the verb in the second position.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Weather Expressions in Bubblegum
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