Negation in Danish: Practice with ikke and ingen
Level: A1
Topic: Saying what you don’t do, have, or like
Grammar Focus: ikke (not) and ingen (no/none)
Hello Everyone!
This week, I thought we could practice using negation — that means making sentences negative, for example to say you don't do something or don't have something.
Instructions (Instruktioner):
Look at the Danish sentences below. Rewrite each sentence using ikke or ingen to make them negative.
*Brug ikke til at nægte en handling eller egenskab.
*Brug ingen når du nægter et substantiv uden bestemt artikel (a/an).
Part 1 – Use ikke
(Use ikke to negate actions or qualities)
Jeg taler fransk. →
Hun bor i København. →
Vi spiser kød. →
Han er træt. →
De har tid. →
Tip: Place ikke after the verb (or after the verb phrase in some cases).
Example: Jeg taler ikke fransk.
Part 2 – Use ingen
(Use ingen to say you have or see no [of something])
Jeg har en hund. →
De har en cykel. →
Hun har en kæreste. →
Vi har en bil. →
Han har en bog. →
Tip: Replace the “en/et + noun” with ingen/ intet.
Use ingen for common gender (en-words)
Use intet for neuter gender (et-words)
Bonus – Try it Yourself!
Write 2 sentences about things you don’t do and 2 sentences about things you don’t have.
(Use ikke and ingen!)
Example:
– Jeg drikker ikke kaffe. I do not drink coffee
– Jeg har ingen søskende. I do not have any siblings.
Best of luck and I look forward to seeing your answers in the reply section of this discussion topic.
Alison, OLS Community Manager - Danish