B1 Danish GrammarTwo-Way Prepositions
Master Danish prepositions that can indicate either location or direction depending on context. Learn when to use static (where?) versus dynamic (where to?) meanings with prepositions like 'i', 'på', 'til', and how verbs determine the meaning.
1Location vs Direction Prepositions
Danish distinguishes between prepositions for location (where something is) and direction (where something is going). Unlike German cases, Danish uses different prepositions: 'i/på' for location, 'til/ind i' for direction. The verb helps determine which to use.
Location vs Direction
| Location (hvor?) | Direction (hvorhen?) | English |
|---|---|---|
| i huset | ind i huset | in/into the house |
| på bordet | op på bordet | on/onto the table |
| i skolen | til skolen | at/to school |
| i Danmark | til Danmark | in/to Denmark |
Examples
Jeg er i København.
I am in Copenhagen.
location with i
Jeg rejser til København.
I am traveling to Copenhagen.
direction with til
Bogen ligger på bordet.
The book is (lying) on the table.
location with på
Læg bogen op på bordet.
Put the book onto the table.
direction with op på
2The Preposition 'I' (In)
'I' indicates location inside something. For direction into, use 'ind i'. Use 'i' for cities, countries, rooms, and containers. With time expressions, 'i' means 'in' or 'during'. Pay attention to fixed expressions that may not follow the general pattern.
Uses of 'I'
| Context | Location | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Room | i stuen | ind i stuen |
| City | i byen | ind til byen |
| Country | i Sverige | til Sverige |
| Container | i kassen | ned i kassen |
Examples
Hun sidder i stuen.
She is sitting in the living room.
location inside
Hun går ind i stuen.
She walks into the living room.
direction with ind i
Vi bor i en lejlighed.
We live in an apartment.
permanent location
Vi flytter ind i en lejlighed.
We are moving into an apartment.
direction of movement
3The Preposition 'På' (On/At)
'På' indicates location on a surface or at a place. For direction onto, add directional adverbs like 'op' (up), 'ned' (down), 'hen' (over). 'På' is also used for institutions (på arbejde, på skolen) and activities (på ferie).
Uses of 'På'
| Context | Location | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | på gulvet | ned på gulvet |
| Institution | på kontoret | hen på kontoret |
| Activity | på arbejde | på arbejde |
| Island | på Fyn | til Fyn |
Examples
Katten sidder på stolen.
The cat is sitting on the chair.
location on surface
Katten hopper op på stolen.
The cat jumps onto the chair.
direction with op på
Han er på kontoret.
He is at the office.
location at place
Han går hen på kontoret.
He goes to the office.
direction with hen på
4Verbs That Indicate Location or Motion
Certain verbs inherently express location (være, sidde, ligge, stå) while others express motion (gå, komme, køre, flyve). The verb determines whether the preposition expresses where or where to. Motion verbs require directional prepositions.
Location vs Motion Verbs
| Location Verbs | Motion Verbs | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| sidde (sit) | sætte sig (sit down) | state vs action |
| ligge (lie) | lægge (lay down) | state vs action |
| stå (stand) | stille (put/place) | state vs action |
| være (be) | gå (go) | state vs movement |
Examples
Bogen ligger på bordet.
The book is lying on the table.
ligge = location
Jeg lægger bogen på bordet.
I put the book on the table.
lægge = motion
Han står i køkkenet.
He is standing in the kitchen.
stå = location
Han stiller sig i køkkenet.
He positions himself in the kitchen.
stille = motion