'Der er' (existential sentences)
Existential 'der er' (there is/are)
Can use 'der er' for existential statements
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Der er en god restaurant i nærheden af hotellet.
There is a good restaurant near the hotel.
Er der et toilet her? Ja, der er et til højre.
Is there a toilet here? Yes, there is one to the right.
Der er ikke nogen parker i denne bydel.
There are no parks in this part of town.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
'Der er' = there is/are. Used with indefinite nouns. Question: 'Er der...?'
'Der er' introduces new/indefinite information.
🇬🇧 English: 'There is/are' = 'Der er'. Very similar concept and structure!
🇷🇺 Russian: Russian uses 'есть' or drops it entirely. Danish always needs 'd
Common Error Patterns
Using 'der er' with definite nouns
'Der er' needs indefinite nouns: 'Der er en hund', not *'Der er hunden'. Use 'Hunden er...' instead.
Omitting 'der' from existential sentences
Danish requires 'der': 'Der er en bank her', not *'Er en bank her'.
Der er en god restaurant i nærheden af hotellet.
There is a good restaurant near the hotel.
'Der er' = there is. Used with indefinite noun 'en restaurant'. 'I nærheden af' = near.
Er der et toilet her? Ja, der er et til højre.
Is there a toilet here? Yes, there is one to the right.
Question: 'Er der' (inversion). 'Et toilet' = a toilet (neuter). 'Til højre' = to the right.
Der er ikke nogen parker i denne bydel.
There are no parks in this part of town.
'Der er ikke nogen' = there are no. 'Nogen' is used in negative sentences instead of 'nogle'.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises