In a main clause the small adverbs ikke, altid, aldrig, ofte come AFTER the verb; but in a subordinate clause introduced by at, fordi, hvis or når they come BEFORE the verb. This word-order flip is the clearest sign of a subordinate clause.
Examples
- Jeg har ikke travlt i dag.
- I'm not busy today.
- Jeg tager ikke på arbejde, fordi jeg ikke har det godt.
- I'm not going to work because I don't feel well.
- Hun siger, at hun aldrig drikker kaffe.
- She says that she never drinks coffee.
- Han er glad, fordi han altid får hjælp af sin kollega.
- He's happy because he always gets help from his colleague.
The mistake to avoid
Keeping main-clause order after fordi/at ("fordi jeg har ikke tid") - a very common learner error.
Where this fits in
Arbejde og studier, Danish B1: Talk about your job, workplace, and studies; give reasons and opinions.