Verifying an Unexpected Maintenance Visit | Learn Danish in English

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Use Verifying an Unexpected Maintenance Visit to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Der var nogen, der bankede på tidligere og sagde, at de var her for at inspicere ventilationen.

dair vah NOH-en, dair BANG-keh-deh poh TEE-lee-air-eh oh SAY-eh, eh dee vah hair fohr an-speh-SAY-uh ven-tee-lah-SYOHN-en. Someone knocked earlier and said they were here to inspect the ventilation.

Vedligeholdelsesbesøg bliver normalt varslet gennem ejendommens system.

VED-lee-hol-dels-es-beh-SOHG blee-uh NOR-malt VARS-let JEN-em eye-en-doms sy-STEM. Maintenance visits are usually announced through the building system.

Det gjorde mig forsigtig, så jeg lukkede dem ikke ind.

deh GYUR-deh my for-SIG-tee, soh yee LOO-keh dem EE-keh een. That made me cautious, so I did not let them in.

Det var den rigtige beslutning. Deres tilladelse til at komme ind bør først bekræftes.

deh vah den RIG-tee beh-SLUT-ning. DARE-es tee-LAD-el-seh til at KOH-meh een bohr FURST beh-KREF-tes. That was the right call. Their authorization to enter should be verified first.

Kan du tjekke, om der faktisk er planlagt en inspektion?

kan doo CHEK-keh, ohm dair FAK-tisk air plan-LAGT en an-speh-SYOHN? Could you check whether an inspection is actually scheduled?

Jeg tjekker registrene og sender dig en besked via portalen.

yai CHEK-er reh-JIS-truh-neh oh SEN-er dai en beh-SKAYTH VEE-ah por-TAH-len. I will check the records and send you a message through the portal.

Jeg vil helst vide det, før nogen kommer tilbage.

yai vil helst VEE-deh deh, fur NOH-en KOM-er tee-BAI. I would rather know before anyone comes back.

Indtil det er bekræftet, må du ikke lukke nogen ind, medmindre du havde regnet med, at de kom.

en-TEEL deh air beh-KREF-tet, moh doo EE-keh LOO-keh NOH-en een, med-MYN-dreh doo HAH-deh RAI-net meh, eh dee kohm. Until it is confirmed, do not let anyone in unless you were expecting them.

Word by Word

Der 'Der' introduces the existence of someone in 'Der var nogen' and also appears as the relative connector in 'nogen, der bankede'. In these two contexts it corresponds to 'there' and 'who/that' respectively.

var 'var' means 'was' in 'Der var nogen' and 'were' in 'de var her'. It is used to describe a situation or state in the past.

nogen 'nogen' means 'someone' in 'Der var nogen' and 'anyone' in 'lukke nogen ind'. It is useful when the person is not identified or when the statement applies to an unspecified person.

bankede 'bankede' means 'knocked' in 'bankede på'. The reusable expression 'banke på' describes knocking on a door or another surface.

på 'på' contributes the meaning 'on' in the expression 'bankede på'. Here it is used with 'bankede' to describe knocking at a door, not as an independent description of location.

tidligere 'tidligere' means 'earlier' in 'bankede på tidligere'. It places the knocking before the time of the conversation and can be used to refer to an earlier event.

og 'og' means 'and' and connects the actions in 'bankede på tidligere og sagde'. It links two actions carried out by the same people.

sagde 'sagde' means 'said' in 'sagde, at de var her'. It introduces the information that follows, commonly with 'at' before a reported statement.

at 'at' has two functions here: it introduces the reported statement in 'sagde, at de var her' and marks the infinitive in 'for at inspicere'. The first connects a statement to 'sagde', while the second connects purpose to the action that follows.

de 'de' means 'they' in 'de var her' and refers to the people who came to inspect the ventilation. It is used as the subject of the clause.

her 'her' means 'here' in 'de var her'. It identifies the place where the visitors were present.

for 'for' contributes to the purpose phrase 'for at inspicere ventilationen'. Together with 'at inspicere', it explains why the visitors said they were there.

inspicere 'inspicere' means 'to inspect' in 'for at inspicere ventilationen'. It is used after 'for at' to name the purpose of being there.

ventilationen 'ventilationen' means 'the ventilation' in 'inspicere ventilationen'. The form refers to the ventilation system that the visitors said they had come to inspect.

Vedligeholdelsesbesøg 'Vedligeholdelsesbesøg' means 'maintenance visits' and is the topic of 'Vedligeholdelsesbesøg bliver normalt varslet'. It names visits made for maintenance work and functions as the subject of the sentence.

bliver 'bliver' helps express 'are' in the passive construction 'bliver normalt varslet'. A reusable pattern is 'bliver ... varslet gennem ...' when explaining how something is announced.

normalt 'normalt' means 'usually' or 'normally' in 'bliver normalt varslet'. It shows that the stated procedure is customary rather than necessarily true on every occasion.

varslet 'varslet' means 'announced' or 'notified' in 'bliver normalt varslet'. With 'bliver', it describes maintenance visits as receiving an announcement.

gennem 'gennem' means 'through' in 'gennem ejendommens system'. It identifies the channel or system used for sending the announcement.

ejendommens 'ejendommens' means 'the building's' or 'the property's' in 'ejendommens system'. It shows that the system belongs to or is associated with the building.

system 'system' means 'system' in 'ejendommens system'. Here it refers to the building's system for announcing maintenance visits.

Det 'Det' means 'That' in 'Det gjorde mig forsigtig' and refers to the unexpected visit and what was said. The same word appears as lowercase 'det' in 'det er bekræftet', where it means 'it'.

gjorde 'gjorde' means 'made' in 'gjorde mig forsigtig'. The pattern 'gjorde mig forsigtig' describes something causing the speaker to become cautious.

mig 'mig' means 'me' in 'gjorde mig forsigtig'. It identifies the person affected by the action and follows 'gjorde' in this expression.

forsigtig 'forsigtig' means 'cautious' in 'gjorde mig forsigtig'. It describes the careful attitude that resulted from the unexpected visit.

så 'så' means 'so' in 'så jeg lukkede dem ikke ind'. It connects the speaker's cautious reaction with the resulting action.

jeg 'jeg' means 'I' in 'så jeg lukkede dem ikke ind' and also appears capitalized in 'Jeg tjekker registrene'. It marks the speaker as the subject of the action.

lukkede 'lukkede' means 'let in' in 'lukkede dem ikke ind'. The particle 'ind' is important: the reusable expression 'lukke nogen ind' means to allow someone to enter.

dem 'dem' means 'them' in 'lukkede dem ikke ind'. It refers to the people who had knocked and is the group being allowed or not allowed inside.

ikke 'ikke' means 'not' in 'lukkede dem ikke ind'. It negates the action of letting the visitors inside.

den 'den' means 'the' in 'den rigtige beslutning'. It is part of the definite phrase identifying one particular decision.

rigtige 'rigtige' means 'right' or 'correct' in 'den rigtige beslutning'. It evaluates the decision as the appropriate one in this situation.

beslutning 'beslutning' means 'decision' in 'den rigtige beslutning'. The phrase refers to the choice not to let the unexpected visitors inside.

Deres 'Deres' means 'their' in 'Deres tilladelse'. It identifies the permission as belonging to the visitors whose authorization must be checked.

tilladelse 'tilladelse' means 'permission' or 'authorization' in 'Deres tilladelse til at komme ind'. It refers specifically to permission to enter the home.

til 'til' means 'to' in 'tilladelse til at komme ind'. Together with 'at komme ind', it introduces the action for which permission is given.

komme 'komme' means 'to come' in 'til at komme ind'. With 'ind', the expression 'komme ind' means to enter or come inside.

bør 'bør' means 'should' in 'bør først bekræftes'. It expresses the recommended or proper action concerning the visitors' authorization.

først 'først' means 'first' in 'bør først bekræftes'. It shows that verification should happen before the visitors are allowed to enter.

bekræftes 'bekræftes' means 'be confirmed' or 'be verified' in 'bør først bekræftes'. The form presents the authorization as something that needs to undergo verification.

Kan 'Kan' means 'can' or 'could' in the polite request 'Kan du tjekke'. It asks whether the listener is able or willing to perform the check.

du 'du' means 'you' in 'Kan du tjekke'. It identifies the person being asked to check the schedule.

tjekke 'tjekke' means 'check' in 'Kan du tjekke, om der faktisk er planlagt en inspektion?'. It follows 'Kan du' in a request for someone to verify information.

om 'om' means 'whether' in 'tjekke, om der faktisk er planlagt en inspektion'. It introduces the question about whether the inspection is scheduled.

faktisk 'faktisk' means 'actually' in 'om der faktisk er planlagt en inspektion'. It emphasizes the need to establish what is really scheduled.

er 'er' means 'is' in 'er planlagt' and also appears in 'det er bekræftet'. It connects the subject with a current status or condition.

planlagt 'planlagt' means 'scheduled' or 'planned' in 'er planlagt en inspektion'. It describes the inspection as having a place in the schedule.

en 'en' means 'a' or 'an' in 'en inspektion' and 'en besked'. It introduces one unspecified inspection or message.

inspektion 'inspektion' means 'inspection' in 'en inspektion'. Here it refers to the planned check of the ventilation.

tjekker 'tjekker' means 'check' in 'Jeg tjekker registrene'. In this context it states the speaker's planned action, and the present form is used for that immediate plan.

registrene 'registrene' means 'the records' in 'tjekker registrene'. It refers to the records that can show whether an inspection has been scheduled.

sender 'sender' means 'send' or 'will send' in 'sender dig en besked'. It describes the planned action of sending a message to the listener.

dig 'dig' means 'you' in 'sender dig en besked'. It identifies the recipient of the message.

besked 'besked' means 'message' in 'sender dig en besked'. Here it refers to the information that will be sent through the portal.

via 'via' means 'via' or 'through' in 'via portalen'. It identifies the communication channel used to send the message.

portalen 'portalen' means 'the portal' in 'via portalen'. It refers to the specific online portal through which the message will be sent.

vil 'vil' contributes the meaning 'want to' in 'Jeg vil helst vide det'. With 'helst', the expression means that the speaker would rather know.

helst 'helst' means 'rather' or 'preferably' in 'vil helst vide'. Together with 'vil', it expresses a preference for knowing before anyone returns.

vide 'vide' means 'know' in 'vil helst vide det'. It follows 'vil' and names the information the speaker prefers to have.

før 'før' means 'before' in 'før nogen kommer tilbage'. It introduces the time condition that the speaker wants to precede the visitors' return.

kommer 'kommer' means 'comes' in 'nogen kommer tilbage'. Together with 'tilbage', it describes someone returning.

tilbage 'tilbage' means 'back' in 'kommer tilbage'. The expression 'komme tilbage' means to return.

Indtil 'Indtil' means 'until' in 'Indtil det er bekræftet'. It marks the period during which the instruction remains in force.

bekræftet 'bekræftet' means 'confirmed' in 'det er bekræftet'. It describes the status that must be reached before the restriction changes.

må 'må' means 'may' or 'be allowed to' in 'må du ikke lukke nogen ind'. With 'ikke', the pattern 'må ikke + infinitive' gives a prohibition: the listener must not let anyone inside.

lukke 'lukke' means 'let in' in 'lukke nogen ind'. The particle 'ind' changes the context from closing something to allowing a person to enter.

medmindre 'medmindre' means 'unless' in 'medmindre du havde regnet med, at de kom'. It introduces the exception to the instruction not to let anyone in.

havde 'havde' means 'had' in 'havde regnet med'. Together with 'regnet med', it refers to an expectation that was already established in the relevant past situation.

regnet 'regnet' contributes the meaning 'expected' or 'counted on' in 'havde regnet med'. The reusable expression 'regne med, at ...' is used when someone expects a situation to happen.

med 'med' is part of the expression 'regnet med, at de kom', which means 'expected that they would come'. Here it does not mean physical accompaniment; it completes the expectation phrase.

kom 'kom' completes 'regnet med, at de kom' and means that the visitors came or were expected to come. It refers to the visitors' arrival in the exception clause.

Grammar Points

havde + perfektum participium

havde regnet med

HAH-deh RAI-net meh

had expected

Danish uses havde plus the past participle to form the past perfect, describing something expected before another past event.

medmindre + sætning

medmindre nogen kommer tilbage

med-MYN-dreh NOH-en KOM-er tee-BAI

unless someone comes back

Medmindre introduces an exception or condition and means “unless.”

Danish Vocabulary

banke på phrase

BANG-keh poh to knock

bankede på tidligere

beslutning noun

beh-SLUT-ning decision

Gender: common

den rigtige beslutning

ejendom noun

eye-EN-dom property; building ejendommens

ejendommens system

forsigtig adj

for-SIG-tee cautious

Det gjorde mig forsigtig

inspicere verb

an-speh-SAY-uh to inspect

for at inspicere ventilationen

lukke ind phrase

LOO-keh een to let in lukkede dem ikke ind

jeg lukkede dem ikke ind

nogen pron

NOH-en someone; anyone

Der var nogen

tidligere adv

TEE-lee-air-eh earlier

bankede på tidligere

tilladelse noun

tee-LAD-el-seh permission; authorization

Gender: common

Deres tilladelse

varsle verb

VARS-leh to announce; to notify varslet

bliver normalt varslet

vedligeholdelsesbesøg noun

VED-lee-hol-dels-es-beh-SOHG maintenance visits

Gender: neuter

Vedligeholdelsesbesøg bliver normalt varslet

ventilation noun

ven-tee-lah-SYOHN ventilation ventilationen

Gender: common

inspicere ventilationen

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to announce; to notify

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varslet

to inspect

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inspicere

earlier

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tidligere

property; building

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ejendommens