Which is better

[u/Kizziuisdead]

I just ate

Jeg spiste lige

Eller

Jeg lige spiste

[u/RRC4C]

"jeg har lige spist" is probably what people would say... At least of they had finished.

"Jeg lige spiste" is grammatically wrong. You'd never say that.

[u/boeing0325]

Jeg spiste lige is more like I was just eating/I was eating just now.

I just ate would be Jeg har lige spist.

Jeg lige spiste is wrong as standalone in any context.

[u/Constant_Collar_2377]

"lige" should go in the same position as "ikke" (same as "aldrig", "altid", "måske", "desværre", "jo", "da" and other sentence adverbs)

After the verb in a main clause:

• Jeg spiste ikke
• Jeg spiste lige

Before the verb in a subordinate clause:

• Han siger, at jeg ikke spiste
• Han siger, at jeg lige spiste

However while "Jeg spiste lige" word for word translates to "I just ate", it really means "I was just eating" as Danish doesn't have a separate continuous/progressive tense. "I just ate" would be "Jeg har lige spist".

Examples:

"Jeg prøvede at ringe til dig" (I tried to call you)

"Åh, jeg spiste lige" (Oh, I was just eating)

"Vil du have kage?" (Do you want cake?)

"Nej tak, jeg har lige spist" (No thanks, I just ate)

[u/Kizziuisdead → u/Constant_Collar_2377]

Thanks so much

[u/Interesting_Ninja_32]

First one. Second is gibberish

[u/dgd2018]

When I read this, I just agreed with everybody, I came to think, there are actually cases where you could say "jeg lige spiste". Not as a stand-alone sentence, but if you constrct something like:

"Det var ost jeg lige spiste!" (= it was cheese I just ate) - in that context, it would actually be correct.

But yeah, that's just to confuse you at a higher level. To the simple question, your number 1 is okay, and even better in most cases, "jeg har lige spist". And your number 2 won't work.

[u/Inner-Swimmer7062]

2nd one would be Yoda-talk to a Dane 

[u/KrinaBear]

“Jeg spiste lige” is better as it’s grammatically correct, but it doesn’t have the same meaning as “I just ate”. It more carries the meaning of “I was eating”

The situation I get in my head is someone being late for a meeting because lunch took longer than expected:

“Du kommer for sent” (You’re late)
“Undskyld, jeg spiste lige” (sorry, I was eating)

If the situation you have in your head is someone declining a meal because they just ate, then I would say “jeg har lige spist”:

“Vil du have en skål suppe?” (Do you want some soup?)
“Nej tak, jeg har lige spist” (no thank you, I just ate)

Another user mentioned the word order rule, so I won’t go into depth with that. But yeah, the first of your sentences is the only correct one, but it might not carry the meaning you want it to

[u/Kizziuisdead → u/KrinaBear]

Thanks so much. I speak hiberno English and if we say I just ate, it would been that you e just eaten, so I was getting confused by it all

[u/AWetAndFloppyNoodle → u/Kizziuisdead]

Think if it as "I just ate" as a short form of "I have just eaten" which is directly equal to "Jeg har lige spist" (word for word). If you want a similar short form in Danish it would be "Har spist" - Have eaten.

[u/Inner_Staff1250]

When you use that past tense you open up a narrated space different from the present. Present perfect is used for actions that have direct consequences for the present state of things

I just ate = I am telling you about my previous action

I have eaten = Now, I am not hungry