REFLEXIVE AND IMPERSONAL VERBS.
234. Reflexive verbs are those that always have as their object a pronoun denoting the same person as the subject; Ex. at skamme sig to feel ashamed; jeg skammer mig I feel ashamed, han skammer sig, vi skamme(r) os, I skamme(r) eder, de skamme(r) sig.
Transitive verbs may be used reflexively; Ex. at slaa sig to hurt one’s self (at slaa to beat); at vise sig to appear (at vise to show).
Note. At hænde, at hænde sig, at hændes all indicate: to happen; da hændte det, at–, da hændtes det, at–, da hændte det sig, at–, then it happened that.
235. Impersonal verbs are those that have only the demonstrative pronoun neut. det as subject; Ex. det regner it rains; det sner it snows, etc.; det dages it dawns; det vaares spring comes; or there may be a definite subject of the 3d person; Ex. Forsöget mislykkedes the attempt was unsuccessful. En Ulykke hændte a misfortune happened (only the active hænde can be used in this manner, not hændes or hænde sig.)
Any passive form may be used impersonally; intransitive verbs cannot be used in passive, except impersonally. Such intransitive verbs used impersonally do not take the subject det, but in its stead the demonstrative adverb der is used; Ex. der reises meget i Norge i Sommer there is much travel going on in Norway this summer. In poetry der may be omitted: nu tales jo lydt om, at Folket er vakt now they talk so much about the people being aroused.
