hvor

Where

Level 1

Hvor is most commonly used to ask 'where' something is or 'how' much/old/big something is. It also connects sentences to describe a place.

How It Works

The word hvor is a high-frequency adverb in Danish with several distinct uses:

1. Asking for Location (Where?)
When asking about a static position, hvor is used. In a main clause, it follows the V2 rule. For movement, you can use hvorhen, but it is more common to split it: Hvor skal du hen? (Where are you going?).

2. Indirect Questions
When a question is embedded inside another sentence (e.g., 'I know where...'), it is an indirect question. These must use subordinate clause word order (Subject + Verb).
Example: Jeg ved, hvor han bor.

3. Asking for Degree (How...?)
Danish uses hvor for degree (how old, how many, how big).
Example: Hvor gammel er du?

4. Relative Adverb (Where)
Used to link a description to a place, like where in English. These clauses use subordinate clause order. Crucially, sentence adverbs like ikke or altid must come before the verb.
Example: Byen, hvor jeg altid bor...

5. Wherever (hvor end)
To say 'wherever', Danish uses the phrase hvor end.
Example: Hvor end du er... (Wherever you are...)

6. Exclamations
Used for emphasis, similar to 'How...!' in English.
Example: Hvor er det flot! (How beautiful it is!)

Examples (6)

  1. Hvor bor du?

    Where do you live?

    Word by Word: Where live you?

    A standard question about location using the V2 rule.

  2. Hvor skal du hen?

    Where are you going?

    Word by Word: Where shall you to?

    In spoken Danish, hvorhen is often split into 'hvor... hen' to indicate movement.

  3. Jeg ved ikke, hvor han er.

    I don't know where he is.

    Word by Word: I know not, where he is.

    In indirect questions, the word order changes to subordinate clause word order (Subject + Verb).

  4. Hvor gammel er hunden?

    How old is the dog?

    Word by Word: Where old is dog-the?

    Here, 'hvor' is used for degree (how old) rather than location.

  5. Det er byen, hvor jeg ikke bor.

    That is the city where I do not live.

    Word by Word: That is city-the, where I not live.

    In relative clauses, sentence adverbs like ikke must come before the verb.

  6. Jeg følger dig, hvor end du går.

    I follow you wherever you go.

    Word by Word: I follow you, where end you go.

    The construction 'hvor end' means 'wherever'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'hvordan' instead of 'hvor' for degree.

    Hvordan gammel er du?
    Hvor gammel er du?

    Use hvordan for manner (how you do something) and hvor for degree (how old/big/much).

  • Incorrect word order in indirect questions.

    Jeg ved ikke, hvor er han.
    Jeg ved ikke, hvor han er.

    Unlike direct questions, indirect questions use subordinate clause word order (Subject + Verb).

  • Placing 'ikke' after the verb in a relative clause.

    Huset, hvor jeg bor ikke, er rødt.
    Huset, hvor jeg ikke bor, er rødt.

    In clauses starting with a relative hvor, sentence adverbs like ikke must be placed before the verb.

How It Connects

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

hvorLevel 1Where

Learn This First

To use 'hvor' effectively, you need to understand how to structure a question using inversion, how to use the verb 'to be' for location, and how to refer to subjects using pronouns.

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hvor