med hensyn til
With Regard to (Med Hensyn Til)
Med hensyn til (often abbreviated mht.) is a formal way to say 'regarding' or 'concerning'. It is used to focus a discussion on a specific subject or detail.
How It Works
Med hensyn til is primarily used in professional, academic, and administrative contexts. While it translates to 'about', it is more precise than the simple preposition om.
Usage Rules:
- Nouns: It can be followed directly by a noun phrase: Med hensyn til budgettet... (Regarding the budget...).
- Pronouns: It works with pronouns: Med hensyn til det... (Regarding that...).
- Clauses: It can introduce a subordinate clause, often using om (whether) or at (that). Note that a comma is required before the conjunction: ...med hensyn til, om vi kan komme.
Register Note: In casual conversation, Danes usually prefer om or med (e.g., 'Hvordan ser det ud med...'). Using med hensyn til while buying groceries might sound overly stiff. In formal writing, you can also use the synonym hvad angår, which is common in legal or administrative texts.
Examples (4)
- Med hensyn til prisen er vi enige.
Regarding the price, we agree.
Word by Word: With regard to the-price are we agreed.
Here, the phrase introduces the specific topic (price) that the agreement refers to.
- Vi har spørgsmål med hensyn til din ansøgning.
We have questions regarding your application.
Word by Word: We have questions with regard to your application.
In professional correspondence, this phrase is used to link questions to a specific document or subject.
- Der er truffet en beslutning med hensyn til, hvem der skal overtage posten.
A decision has been made regarding who will take over the position.
Word by Word: There is made a decision with regard to, who there shall take-over the-post.
This shows the phrase introducing a subordinate clause starting with hvem der.
- De er ens med hensyn til smag.
They are identical with respect to taste.
Word by Word: They are identical with regard to taste.
The phrase is used here to delimit the scope of the adjective 'ens' (identical).
Common Mistakes
Using 'med hensyn på' instead of 'til'.
Jeg skriver med hensyn på mødet.Jeg skriver med hensyn til mødet.Learners often confuse this with 'med henblik på' (with a view to). The preposition for 'hensyn' must always be 'til'.
Using 'i forhold til' to mean 'regarding' in formal writing.
Different MeaningHvad er din holdning i forhold til projektet?Hvad er din holdning med hensyn til projektet?'I forhold til' is common in professional speech and modern usage, and it can mean 'regarding' as well as 'in comparison to'. In formal writing, 'med hensyn til' is the more traditional choice for introducing a topic.
Confusing 'med hensyn til' with 'af hensyn til'.
Vi lukker butikken med hensyn til vejret.Vi lukker butikken af hensyn til vejret.'Med hensyn til' means 'regarding' or 'about'. 'Af hensyn til' means 'out of consideration for' or 'for the sake of'. Use 'af' when you are doing something because of a specific factor or person.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The phrase 'med hensyn til' is a complex prepositional expression. To use it correctly, learners need to be familiar with the basic prepositions 'med' and 'til' which form its structure. Additionally, because this phrase is often used as an introductory element (e.g., 'Med hensyn til prisen er vi enige'), knowledge of V2 word order is essential to ensure the verb remains in the second position.
- medWith
The pattern is a fixed prepositional phrase starting with the preposition 'med'.
Level 1 - tilTo
The pattern is a fixed prepositional phrase ending with the preposition 'til'.
Level 1 - Verb-Second Word Order
When 'med hensyn til' phrases are placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, the learner must understand V2 word order to correctly place the verb.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- omAbout / in (Time) (Om)
The informal and most common alternative for 'about' or 'regarding'.
Level 1 - om (konjunktion)Whether / if (Om)
Often follows 'med hensyn til' when introducing a choice or doubt (regarding whether...).
Level 2 - Administrative Danish
This phrase is a hallmark of administrative and formal written Danish.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice med hensyn til in Bubblegum
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