Page:A Danish and Dano-Norwegian grammar.djvu/130

116 emphasizing the notion of action. Han er gaaet he is gone. Min Fader er reist for en Time siden my father left (has left) an hour ago; Blomsten var visnet, för jeg fik den the flower had faded before I got it. But: jeg har gaaet fem Mil idag I have walked five miles to-day. Min Ven har reist fem Gange over Atlanterhavet my friend has crossed the Atlantic five times.

226. The subjunctive which only occurs in the present tense and has the same form as the infinitive is used in an optative or concessive meaning: Leve Fædrelandet! Long live our native land! det koste hvad det vil i. e. at all hazards.

227. The infinitive is as a rule used together with the particle at to. Jeg önsker at tale med Dem I wish to speak to you. The infinitive is used without at after the so called modal auxiliaries burde, gide, kunne, maatte, monne, skulle, turde, ville; Ex. jeg tör paastaa, at han er en stor Slyngel I dare assert that he is a great scoundrel. Du bör gjöre det you ought to do it. If bör (in antiquated style) is used impersonally in the meaning of “behoves to,” then the following infinitive takes at: eder bör at give efter it behoves you to yield. The infinitive is also after some verbs used without at when it is a predicate to the object of the sentence, the same as in English: jeg kan höre Hjertet banke I can hear the heart beat. Han lod de andre faa et langt Forspring (N. Forsprang) he allowed the others to get a good lead. After other verbs the infinitive with at is used: jeg fandt ham at være en brav Mand I found him to be an honest man (more common: