A2 Danish GrammarCoordinating Conjunctions
Master Danish coordinating conjunctions (og, men, eller, for) to connect words, phrases, and sentences. Learn how these conjunctions affect word order and how to build compound sentences while maintaining grammatical flow.
1Basic Coordinating Conjunctions
Danish has four main coordinating conjunctions: 'og' (and), 'men' (but), 'eller' (or), and 'for' (for/because). These connect elements of equal grammatical rank. Unlike subordinating conjunctions, they do not change the word order of the clause that follows.
The Four Main Conjunctions
| Danish | English | Function |
|---|---|---|
| og | and | addition |
| men | but | contrast |
| eller | or | alternative |
| for | for/because | reason |
Examples
Jeg spiser og drikker.
I eat and drink.
'og' connects two verbs
Hun er træt, men hun arbejder videre.
She is tired, but she continues working.
'men' shows contrast
Vil du have te eller kaffe?
Do you want tea or coffee?
'eller' offers a choice
Jeg bliver hjemme, for jeg er syg.
I'm staying home, because I'm sick.
'for' gives a reason
2Using 'Og' (And)
'Og' is the most common conjunction, used to add information or connect similar elements. It can connect nouns, adjectives, verbs, phrases, or entire clauses. When connecting clauses, the subject can often be omitted in the second clause if it's the same as the first.
Uses of 'Og'
| Connection Type | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Nouns | en bog og en pen | a book and a pen |
| Adjectives | stor og stærk | big and strong |
| Verbs | læser og skriver | reads and writes |
| Clauses | Jeg spiser, og hun drikker | I eat, and she drinks |
Examples
Peter og Marie er venner.
Peter and Marie are friends.
'og' connects two nouns
Hunden er stor og venlig.
The dog is big and friendly.
'og' connects adjectives
Jeg stod op og gik i bad.
I got up and took a shower.
Sequential actions, same subject
Vejret er koldt, og det regner.
The weather is cold, and it's raining.
Two complete clauses
3Using 'Men' and 'Eller'
'Men' (but) expresses contrast or unexpected continuation. 'Eller' (or) presents alternatives or choices. Both are coordinating conjunctions, so word order remains the same (V2) in both clauses. These are essential for expressing preferences and contradictions.
'Men' and 'Eller' Usage
| Conjunction | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| men | contrast | lille men stærk (small but strong) |
| men | unexpected | Han prøvede, men han fejlede |
| eller | choice | nu eller aldrig (now or never) |
| eller | question | Kommer du eller ej? |
Examples
Jeg vil gerne, men jeg kan ikke.
I would like to, but I can't.
'men' shows limitation
Han er fattig, men lykkelig.
He is poor but happy.
'men' with adjectives
Skal vi gå eller køre?
Should we walk or drive?
'eller' presents options
Det er nu eller aldrig.
It's now or never.
Common expression with 'eller'
4Word Order After Conjunctions
After coordinating conjunctions, Danish maintains its normal V2 (verb-second) word order. The conjunction itself doesn't count as position one. This differs from subordinating conjunctions which change word order. Punctuation is optional before short coordinating conjunctions.
Word Order Comparison
| Type | Example | Word Order |
|---|---|---|
| With 'og' | Jeg spiser, og hun drikker | S-V in both |
| With 'men' | Han er træt, men han arbejder | S-V in both |
| With 'for' | Vi går, for det regner | S-V in both |
| In questions | Spiser du, eller drikker du? | V-S in both |
Examples
Solen skinner, og fuglene synger.
The sun shines, and the birds sing.
Normal word order after 'og'
Jeg kommer, men jeg kan ikke blive længe.
I'm coming, but I can't stay long.
Normal word order after 'men'
Vi må skynde os, for toget går snart.
We must hurry, because the train leaves soon.
Normal word order after 'for'
Er du sulten, eller er du mæt?
Are you hungry, or are you full?
Question word order maintained