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The Prepositions of Danish

Prepositions

Prepositions constitute a special problem in translations between languages. There are not one-to-one correspondences between the prepositions in two different languages. The use of a slightly different preposition can sound so definitely wrong.

Here is my anecdote concerning this matter. A student from a Latin American country was learning English in a program before beginning graduate work in the U.S. As part of this program he was making a presentation before an audience of native English speakers. He intended to use the phrase On the other hand but instead he said In the other hand. The audience roared with laughter, almost as much as if he had said On the other foot.

Prepositions in Danish

DanishEnglish
Auxilaries used with
other prepositiions
iin
forfor
vedby, at
medwith
Other prepositions
adby, along
afof
bag
bagved
behind
blandtamong
i blandtin among
efterafter
foranin front of
before
forbipast
førbefore
frafrom, off
gennemthrough
i gennemin through
hoswith, at
indenbefore
inden forinside
indtiluntil
langsalong
langs medalong with
mellemamong, between
i mellemin among, in between
modtowards, against
i modin towards, against
nærnear
nær vednear by
omabout, on
omkringaround
overover, above
over foropposite
on
tilto
udenwithout
uden foroutside
underunder, during


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