hvem
Who
Hvem is the Danish word for who and whom. It is used exclusively for people and does not change its form based on whether it is the subject or the object of the sentence.
How It Works
1. Basic Usage
Hvem is used at the beginning of a question to ask about a person's identity. Because Danish follows the V2 word order rule, the verb must come immediately after hvem in a main clause.
2. Subject vs. Object
Danish does not have a separate word for 'whom'. Whether you are asking who did something (subject) or who someone did something to (object), you use hvem:
- Hvem kommer? (Who is coming? - Subject)
- Hvem ser du? (Who(m) do you see? - Object)
3. Prepositions
In English, we might say 'With whom are you traveling?' In Danish, it is much more natural to 'strand' the preposition at the end of the sentence: Hvem rejser du med?
4. Indirect Questions
When hvem is used in an indirect question (a question inside another sentence) and it acts as the subject, you must add the word der after it. This is a crucial rule for building fluency.
- Jeg ved ikke, hvem der ringede. (I don't know who called.)
Examples (5)
- Hvem er det?
Who is it?
Word by Word: Who is that?
A basic question using 'hvem' as the subject.
- Hvem taler du med?
Who are you talking to?
Word by Word: Who talk you with?
Notice how the preposition 'med' (with/to) is placed at the end of the sentence.
- Hvem kender han i Aarhus?
Who(m) does he know in Aarhus?
Word by Word: Who knows he in Aarhus?
Here 'hvem' is the object of the verb 'kender'.
- Jeg ved ikke, hvem der vandt.
I don't know who won.
Word by Word: I know not, who there won.
In this indirect question, 'der' is added because 'hvem' is the subject of the winning action.
- Hvem vil gerne have kaffe?
Who would like to have coffee?
Word by Word: Who will gladly have coffee?
Using 'hvem' with the common phrase vil gerne have.
Common Mistakes
Omitting 'der' in indirect subject questions.
Jeg ved ikke hvem ringede.Jeg ved ikke hvem der ringede.When 'hvem' is the subject of a subordinate clause, you must follow it with 'der'.
Using 'hvem' as a relative pronoun (like 'the man who...').
Manden hvem bor her er sød.Manden der bor her er sød.In Danish, 'hvem' is only for questions. For relative clauses, use der or som.
Putting the preposition at the beginning of the question.
Different MeaningMed hvem taler du?Hvem taler du med?'Med hvem taler du?' is correct but formal and stiff. In everyday Danish, put the preposition at the end: 'Hvem taler du med?'
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'hvem' (who), you need to know how to form basic sentences using the verb 'to be' and subject pronouns, as well as how word order changes when asking a question.
Related Patterns
- hvadWhat
'Hvad' is the equivalent for 'what', used for things rather than people.
Level 1 - hvis (ejefald)Whose (Hvis)
'Hvis' is the possessive form of 'hvem', meaning 'whose'.
Level 2 - Question Word Questions
'Hvem' is one of the core question words used to form open-ended questions.
Level 1 - hvem der/hvad derDer in Indirect Subject Questions
This pattern explains the specific rule of adding 'der' in indirect questions.
Level 2 - der (relativpronomen)Who / Which as Subject (Der)
While 'hvem' asks 'who?', 'der' is the word used to link 'who' in a description (e.g., 'the man who...').
Level 2 - Verb-Second Word Order
Questions starting with 'hvem' must follow the verb-second word order rule.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice hvem in Bubblegum
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