nemlig

You See / Namely (Nemlig)

Level 4

Nemlig is a versatile Danish word that acts as a bridge between ideas. It explains why something is true, clarifies a specific detail, or signals enthusiastic agreement.

How It Works

The word nemlig serves three primary functions in Danish:

1. Explanatory Adverb: It provides the reason or justification for a previous statement. In English, we often translate this as 'you see' or 'because.' Unlike fordi, which is a conjunction, nemlig is an adverb that sits inside the clause.

  • Jeg kommer ikke. Jeg er nemlig syg. (I'm not coming. I am sick, you see.)

2. Specifying ('Namely'): It introduces a specific clarification or a list that defines a general term mentioned earlier.

  • Der er to problemer, nemlig tid og penge. (There are two problems, namely time and money.)

3. Confirmation: Used alone, it is a powerful way to agree with someone.

  • — Det er koldt i dag! — Nemlig! (— It's cold today! — Exactly!)

Word Order Rules:
As a sentence adverbial, its position is strict:

  • In Main Clauses, it follows the V2 rule, appearing after the finite verb (and subject).
  • In Subordinate Clauses, it follows subordinate clause word order and is placed before the verb.

Examples (4)

  1. Jeg kan ikke købe den. Jeg har nemlig ingen penge.

    I can't buy it. I have no money, you see.

    Word by Word: I can not buy it. I have namely no money.

    Here, 'nemlig' explains the reason for the first sentence. Notice it comes after the verb 'har'.

  2. Vi skal besøge min yndlingsby, nemlig Aarhus.

    We are going to visit my favorite city, namely Aarhus.

    Word by Word: We shall visit my favorite-city, namely Aarhus.

    In this context, 'nemlig' specifies which city is being referred to.

  3. — Det var en god film! — Nemlig!

    — That was a good movie! — Exactly!

    Word by Word: — That was a good film! — Namely!

    Used as an exclamation, it shows strong agreement with the previous speaker.

  4. Han sagde, at han nemlig ikke havde tid.

    He said that he (as a matter of fact) didn't have time.

    Word by Word: He said, that he namely not had time.

    In this subordinate clause starting with 'at', 'nemlig' moves before the verb 'havde'.

Common Mistakes

  • Starting a sentence with 'nemlig' to mean 'because'.

    Nemlig jeg er træt.
    Jeg er nemlig træt.

    Unlike 'fordi', 'nemlig' is an adverb and cannot start a clause to introduce a reason. It must follow the V2 word order rules.

  • Mixing up 'nemlig' (you see) with 'nemt' (easily).

    Different MeaningHan løber nemlig.
    Han løber nemt.

    Both sentences are correct, but they mean different things. 'Han løber nemlig' means 'He runs, you see.' 'Han løber nemt' means 'He runs easily.' Although 'nem' means 'easy', 'nemlig' does not mean 'easily'. Use 'nemt' for that.

How It Connects

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

nemligLevel 4You See / Namely (Nemlig)

Learn This First

To use 'nemlig' correctly, you need to understand how Danish sentences are structured (V2 word order) and how to provide explanations or clarifications. It functions both as a sentence adverb to explain a previous statement and as a way to specify items in a list.

Words in This Pattern

nemlig