Datid (Simple Past)
The Datid is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. It is typically used for events or actions that have no direct connection to the present.
Mood:
The Datid in Danish is used with the indicative mood, which expresses facts and reality about past actions or events.
- Mood: Indicative (expresses past facts and actions)
Usage:
- To describe completed actions in the past: Jeg spiste en sandwich. (I ate a sandwich.)
- To describe a past event: Han rejste til USA sidste år. (He traveled to the USA last year.)
- To narrate stories or past events: Vi så en film i går. (We watched a movie yesterday.)
Conjugation:
The simple past in Danish is formed by adding -ede or -te to the infinitive of regular verbs, depending on the verb group.
Regular Verb Conjugation:
| Person | Verb: at tale (to speak) | Verb: at spise (to eat) |
|---|---|---|
| Jeg | talte | spiste |
| Du | talte | spiste |
| Han/Hun | talte | spiste |
| Vi | talte | spiste |
| I | talte | spiste |
| De | talte | spiste |
Irregular Verbs:
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. Examples include:
- Være (to be): var
- Have (to have): havde
- Gå (to go): gik
- Få (to get): fik
Common Time Expressions:
- I går (yesterday)
- Sidste uge (last week)
- For to år siden (two years ago)
Examples:
- Vi besøgte vores bedsteforældre i sommer. (We visited our grandparents in the summer.)
- Hun læste en bog i går. (She read a book yesterday.)
- De spillede fodbold i weekenden. (They played soccer on the weekend.)
