Danish phrasebook

Danish (dansk) is a Scandinavian language spoken in Denmark, some areas of Greenland and the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein (Southern Schleswig). It is closely related to Norwegian and Swedish, and most speakers of one of the three languages can understand the others to a certain extent. In writing, the differences between the Danish and Norwegian languages are not bigger than the difference between British and American English, though it will often be harder in oral conversations. The Scanian dialect can also be considered as East-Danish as well as South-Swedish. Danish is also related to Faroese and Icelandic, but has diverged significantly and is not mutually intelligible with them, though many cognates will still be recognisable, particularly in written form. These Scandinavian languages are North Germanic, strongly influenced by Low Saxon.

As Danish is a Germanic language, speakers of other Germanic languages like German, Dutch or even English will be able to recognise many cognates.

Most younger adult Danes are able to speak English, so learning Danish is generally not necessary to get by. Nevertheless, you may occasionally find the odd person who does not speak English, especially when dealing with young children and the elderly, so some knowledge of Danish would be useful in such situations.

Pronunciation guide

Alphabet

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V (W) X Y Z Æ Ø Å a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v (w) x y z æ ø å

Acute accent may be used in some words (eg fór), for ease of reading, but it's always optional. C, Q, W, X and Z are only used in loanwords. V and W are treated the same, and W is sometimes left out of the alphabet.

Vowels

a as in cat
e as in sin, but also as æ and murder
i as in see, only shorter
o as in no, but also as å
u as in soon, but also as å
y as in few, but also as ø
æ as in egg, only shorter
ø as mayor, but also as in bird
å as in old, but also caught; sometimes written aa

Consonants

b as in bed, and wick between vowels and at the end of words
c as k, but sing before e or i

d as in dead, the after vowels, silent after l, n or r and before t or s
f as in ferry
g as in ­gone, but like y as in yet after a vowel
h as in hope, hv = v, hj = j
j as in yes
k as in kick, and go between vowels and at the end of a syllable
l as in lake
m as in many
n as in near
p as in parry, bit between vowels and at the end of a syllable
qu like English
r is a rolling sound at the back of the throat, silent after vowels and before consonants
s as in smell
t as in trout and dog between vowels, at the end of a syllable and at the end of a word
v as in viking, and hoot at the end of words

Phrase list

Basics

Hello. 

Hallo (halo).

Hello. (informal) 

Hej (High).

How are you? 

Hvordan går det? (Vor-dan gore d)

Fine, thank you. 

Godt/Fint, tak (Got,Feent tag).

That's enough

Det er nok (deh air knock)

What is your name? 

Hvad hedder du? (Vadh header doo)

My name is ______ . 

Jeg hedder ______ (Yay hedhuh).

Nice to meet you. 

Det var rart at møde dig (D' vahr rarht add murdhe dah-ee). Correct but normally people say: "Det var hyggeligt at møde dig".

Please. 

Vær så venlig (Ver saw venlee).

Thank you. 

Tak (Tahg).

You're welcome. 

Selv tak (seloo tahg).

Yes. 

Ja (Ya).

No. 

Nej (Nay).

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

Undskyld mig (On'skil ma'ee).

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

Undskyld (On'skil).

I'm sorry. 

Det må du undskylde (Dee m'o doo on'skil'eh).

Goodbye 

Farvel (favel).

Goodbye (informal) 

Hej hej (High High).

I can't speak Danish [well]. 

Jeg taler ikke [godt] dansk (Ya'ee tailor 'eek'eh got dahnsk).

Do you speak English? 

Taler du engelsk? (Tailor doo eng'glsk)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

Er der nogen her, der taler engelsk? (Air dah no'en heer, dah tailor eng'elsk)

Help! 

Hjælp! (Yelp)

Look out! 

Pas på! (Pass poh)

Good morning (before roughly 10-11am). 

Godmorgen (good' morgen).

Good morning (after 10-11am, but before noon) 

Godformiddag (good'formidhae).

Good evening. 

Godaften (good'hafden).

Good night. 

Godnat (good'hnad).

Good night (sleep well) 

Sov godt (saw'oo got).

I don't understand. 

jeg forstår ikke (Yaye for-store 'ee'eh).

Where is the toilet? 

Hvor er toilettet? (War ayer toiledet)

Problems

Leave me alone. 

Lad mig være i fred (Ladh ma'ee ware i fredh).

Don't touch me! 

Rør mig ikke! (Rawr ma'ee 'eek'e)

I'll call the police. 

Jeg ringer efter politiet (Ya'ee rang'ehr ef-tuh po'lee'teet).

Police! 

Politi (Po'lee'tee)!

Stop! Thief! 

Stop tyven (Stop tee'ven)!

I need your(sg)/your(pl) help. 

Jeg har brug for din/jeres hjælp (Ya'ee har bro' for deen/Y'ayers yelp).

It's an emergency. 

Det er et nødstilfælde (Day air ed need'steel'fell'eh).

I'm lost. 

Jeg er faret vild (Ya'ee air far'red veel.).

I lost my bag. 

Jeg har mistet min taske (Ya'ee har mis'ted mean task'eh).

I lost my wallet. 

Jeg har mistet min tegnebog (Ya'ee har mis'ted meenn tai'neh'b'oh).

I'm sick. 

Jeg er syg (Ya'ee air sic-). (Sick without the K)

I've been injured. 

Jeg er kommet til skade (Ya'ee air comet tel' skadhe).

I need a doctor. 

Jeg har brug for en læge (Ya'ee har bro' for en lay'eh).

Can I use your phone? 

Må jeg låne din telefon? (Mo' ya'ee lone'eh deen telephon')

Numbers

1 

en (en)/et (ed)

2 

to (to)

3 

tre (trre)

4 

fire (fear)

5 

fem (fem)

6 

seks (seks)

7 

syv (sur'oo)

8 

otte (ude)

9 

ni (ni)

10 

ti (ti)

11 

elleve (eleve)

12 

tolv (toll)

13 

tretten (tredn)

14 

fjorten (fyordn)

15 

femten (femden)

16 

seksten (seksden)

17 

sytten (surdn)

18 

atten (adn)

19 

nitten (needn)

20 

tyve (turve)

21 

enogtyve (enoyturve)

22 

toogtyve (to'oyturve)

23 

treogtyve (tre'oyturve)

30 

tredieve (tredhieve)

40 

fyrre (furre)

50 

halvtreds, femti (halvtres) (femdi)

60 

tres (tres)

70 

halvfjerds (hal-fjærs)

80 

firs(firs)

90 

halvfems (halfems)

100 

ethundrede (edhunredhe)

150 

ethundrede og halvtreds

200 

tohundrede (tohunredhe)

300 

trehundrede (trehunredhe)

1000 

tusind (toosin)

2000 

totusinde (totoosine)

1,000,000 

en million, abbr: en mio.

1,000,000,000 

en milliard (en miliar), abbr: en mia.

1,000,000,000,000 

en billion

number _____ (train, bus, etc.) 

nummer _____ (numuh ...)

half 

halv (hal)

less 

mindre (minre)

more 

mere (mere)

Time

now 

nu (noo)

later 

senere (senere)

before 

før (furr)

morning 

morgen (morEN)

late morning 

formiddag (formidhai)

afternoon

eftermiddag (eftuhmidhai)

evening 

aften (afDEN)

night 

nat (nad)

Clock time

one o'clock AM 

klokken 1 (klogen et)

two o'clock AM 

klokken 2 (klogen to)

noon 

middag (midhai)

one o'clock PM 

klokken 13 (klogen tredn)

two o'clock PM 

klokken 14 (klogen fyordn)

midnight 

midnat (midhnad)

Duration

_____ minute(s) 

_____ minut(ter) (minood / minooduh)

_____ hour(s) 

_____ time(r) (teeme / teemuh)

_____ day(s) 

_____ dag(e) (die / dire)

_____ week(s) 

_____ uge(r) (oy-yeh)

_____ month(s) 

_____ måned(er) (muhnedh[uh])

_____ year's) 

_____ år (uhr)

Days

today 

i dag (ee dai)

yesterday 

i går (ee gur)

tomorrow 

i morgen (ee morgen)

this week 

denne uge (denne ooye)

last week 

sidste uge (siste)

next week 

næste uge (neste)

Monday 

mandag (manay)

Tuesday 

tirsdag (tirsdai)

Wednesday 

onsdag (onsdai)

Thursday 

torsdag (torsdai)

Friday 

fredag (fredhai)

Saturday 

lørdag (lure'ai)

Sunday 

søndag (surnai)

Months

January 

januar (janooar)

February 

februar (febrooar)

March 

marts (mards)

April 

april (abril)

May 

maj (mai)

June 

juni (yoonee)

July 

juli (yoolee)

August 

august (owyoosd)

September 

september (sebtember)

October 

oktober (ogtober)

November 

november (november)

December 

december (december)

Writing time and date

What's the time? 

Hvad er klokken? (vadh er klogen)

What date is it today? 

Hvilken dato er det i dag? (vilken dato uh ded i dai)

It's _____ o'clock. 

Klokken er _____ . (klogen er ...)

Please note that when saying what the clock is, one would normally only use one to twelve, unless having to make sure there's no doubt as to whether it's past or before noon, in which case the twenty-four hour system is used.

Colors

black 

sort (Sword)

white 

hvid (Vid)

gray 

grå (Gr'oh)

red 

rød (Roll)

blue 

blå (Blow)

yellow 

gul (Gool)

green 

grøn (Gron')

orange 

orange (Oran'shay)

purple 

lilla (Leela)

brown 

brun (Broon)

Transportation

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____? 

Hvad koster en billet til _____? (Vad' custer een billet teal ...)

One ticket to _____, please. 

En billet til _____, tak. (Een billet teal ..., ta'k)

Where does this train/bus go? 

Hvor kører dette tog/denne bus hen? (War keerah deh'deh tow hen?/den'neh boos hen?)

Where is the train/bus to _____? 

Hvor er toget/bussen til _____? (War air tow'wet/boosen teal ...)

Does this train/bus stop in _____? 

Stopper toget/bussen i _____? (Stopper tow'wet/boosn 'ee ...)

When does the train/bus for _____ leave? 

Hvornår afgår toget/bussen til _____ ? (Vor'nahr ahf'gore tow'wet/boosn teal ...)

When will this train/bus arrive in _____? 

Hvornår ankommer toget/bussen til _____? (vorrnuhr ankomuh toyed/boosn teal ...)

Ticket

Billet

Seat reservation

Pladsbillet

Coach (on a train)

Vogn

Directions

Left 

Venstre (Venster)

Right 

Højre (Hoy'ehr)

Forwards 

Fremad (From'ad)

Backwards 

Tilbage (Tealbaeeye)

Above/over 

Over (Ouh'a)

Under(neath) 

under (Oo-nah)

Adjacent to _____ 

Ved siden af _____ (Vet seed-den ah' ...)

Taxi

Taxi! 

Taxa/taxi! (ta'ksa/ta'ksee)

Take me to _____, please. 

Kør mig til _____, tak. (Koor ma'ee teal ..., ta'k)

How much does it cost to get to _____? 

Hvad koster det at komme til _____? (Vad custer deh' add komme teal ...?)

Take me there, please. 

Kør mig venligst derhen. (Coo'ehr ma'ee ven'lease't d'air'hen)

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available? 

Har i nogen ledige værelser?

How much is a room for one person/two people? 

Hvad koster et enkeltværelse/dobbeltværelse?

Does the room come with... 

Har værelset...

...bedsheets? 

...sengetøj?

...a bathroom? 

...et badeværelse?

...a telephone? 

...en telefon?

...a TV? 

...et TV?

May I see the room first? 

Kan jeg se værelset først?

Do you have anything quieter? 

Har I et mere stille værelse?

...bigger? 

...større?

...cleaner? 

...renere?

...cheaper? 

...billigere?

OK, I'll take it. 

OK, jeg tager det.

I will stay for _____ night(s). 

Jeg bliver _____ nat(nætter).

Can you suggest another hotel? 

Kan du foreslå et andet hotel?

Do you have a safe? 

Har i et pengeskab?

...lockers? 

...aflåste skabe?

Is breakfast/supper included? 

Er det med morgenmad/aftensmad?

What time is breakfast/supper? 

Hvornår er der morgenmad/aftensmad?

Please clean my room. 

Gør venligst værelset rent.

Can you wake me at _____? 

Kan i vække mig klokken _____?

I want to check out. 

Jeg vil gerne checke ud.

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? 

Godtager I amerikanske/australske/canadiske dollars?

Do you accept British pounds? 

Godtager I britiske pund?

Do you accept credit cards? 

Godtager I dankort?

Can you change money for me? 

Kan I veksle penge for mig?

Where can I get money changed? 

Hvor kan jeg veksle penge?

Can you change a traveler's check for me? 

Kan jeg indløse en rejsecheck?

Where can I get a traveler's check changed? 

Hvor kan jeg indløse en rejsecheck?

What is the exchange rate? 

Hvad er vekselkursen?

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? 

Hvor er der en pengeautomat?

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please. 

Et bord til en/to, tak.

Can I look at the menu, please? 

Kan jeg se menuen?

Can I look in the kitchen? 

Kan jeg se køkkenet?

Is there a house specialty? 

Har I en specialitet?

Is there a local specialty? 

Har I en lokal specialitet?

I'm a vegetarian. 

Jeg er vegetar.

I don't eat pork. 

Jeg spiser ikke svinekød.

I don't eat beef. 

Jeg spiser ikke oksekød.

I only eat kosher food. 

Jeg spiser kun kosher mad.

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) 

Kan I lave det "fedtfattigt"?

fixed-price meal 

fast pris/Dan Menu

à la carte 

à la carte

breakfast 

morgenmad

lunch 

frokost

tea (meal) 

eftermiddagsmad

supper 

aftensmad

I want _____. 

Jeg vil gerne have _____.

I want a dish containing _____. 

Jeg vil gerne have en ret med _____.

chicken 

kylling

beef 

oksekød

fish 

fisk

ham 

skinke

sausage 

pølse

cheese 

ost

eggs 

æg

salad 

salat

(fresh) vegetables 

(friske) grøntsager

(fresh) fruit 

(frisk) frugt

bread 

brød

toast 

ristet brød

noodles 

nudler

rice 

ris

beans 

bønner

sprinkles 

tivolikrømmel/tivolidrøs

May I have a glass of _____? 

Kan jeg få et glas _____?

May I have a cup of _____? 

Kan jeg få en kop _____?

May I have a bottle of _____? 

Kan jeg få en flaske _____?

coffee 

kaffe

tea (drink) 

te

juice 

juice/saft

(bubbly) water 

danskvand

water 

vand

beer 

øl

red/white wine 

rød/hvid vin

May I have some _____? 

Kan jeg få noget _____?

salt 

salt

black pepper 

peber

butter 

smør

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

Undskyld mig?

I'm finished. 

Jeg er færdig.

It was delicious. 

Det var lækkert.

Please clear the plates. 

Tag venligst tallerknerne.

The check, please. 

Kan jeg få en regning?.

Bars

Do you serve alcohol? 

Udskænker I alkohol?

Is there table service? 

Serverer I ved bordene?

A beer/two beers, please. 

En øl/to øl, tak.

A glass of red/white wine, please. 

Et glas rødvin/hvidvin, tak.

A pint, please. 

En stor fadøl, tak.

A bottle, please. 

En flaske, tak.

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. 

_____ og _____, tak.

whiskey 

whiskey

vodka 

vodka

rum 

rom

water 

vand

club soda 

sodavand

tonic water 

tonic vand

orange juice 

appelsinjuice

Coke (soda) 

Cola

Do you have any bar snacks? 

Har I snacks?

One more, please. 

En til, tak.

Another round, please. 

En omgang til, tak.

When is closing time? 

Hvornår lukker I?

Shopping

Do you have this in my size? 

Har I den/det i min størrelse?

How much is this? 

Hvad koster den?

That's too expensive. 

Det er for dyrt.

Would you take _____? 

Tager I _____?

expensive 

dyr(t)

cheap 

billig(t)

I can't afford it. 

Jeg har ikke råd til den/det.

I don't want it. 

Jeg vil ikke have den/det.

You're cheating me. 

Du snyder mig.

I'm not interested. 

Jeg er ikke interesseret.

OK, I'll take it. 

OK, jeg tager den.

Can I have a bag? 

Kan jeg få en pose?

Do you ship (overseas)? 

Sender I (oversøisk)?

I need... 

Jeg har brug for...

...toothpaste. 

...tandpasta.

...a toothbrush. 

...en tandbørste.

...tampons. 

...tamponer.

...sanitary napkins. 

...bind or hygiejnebind or menstruationsbind.

...soap. 

...sæbe.

...shampoo. 

...shampoo.

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) 

...(en) hovedpinepille.

...cold medicine. 

...medicin mod forkølelse.

...stomach medicine. 

...mavemedicin.

...a razor. 

...en barberskraber.

...an umbrella. 

...en paraply.

...sunblock lotion. 

...solcreme.

...a postcard. 

...et postkort.

...postage stamps. 

...frimærker.

...batteries. 

...batterier.

...writing paper. 

...brevpapir.

...a pen. 

...en kuglepen.

...English-language books. 

...Engelsksprogede bøger.

...English-language magazines. 

...Engelsksprogede blade.

...an English-language newspaper. 

...En engelsksproget avis.

...an English-Danish dictionary. 

...en Engelsk-Dansk ordbog.

Driving

I want to rent a car. 

Jeg vil gerne leje en bil.

Can I get insurance? 

Kan jeg blive forsikret?

Stop (on a street sign) 

stop

One way 

ensrettet

Yield 

vige

No parking 

parkering forbudt

Speed limit 

fartgrænse

Gas (petrol) station 

tankstation

Petrol 

benzin

Diesel 

diesel

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong. 

Jeg har ikke gjort noget forkert.

It was a misunderstanding. 

Det var en misforståelse.

Where are you taking me? 

Hvor tager I mig hen?

Am I under arrest? 

Er jeg anholdt?

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. 

Jeg er en amerikansk/australsk/britisk/canadisk statsborger.

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. 

Jeg vil tale med den/det amerikanske/australske/britiske/canadiske ambassade/konsulat.

I want to talk to a lawyer. 

Jeg vil tale med en advokat.

Can I just pay a fine now? 

Kan jeg betale en bøde med det samme? (Rarely, if ever possible.)

I want to speak to your superior 

Jeg vil tale med din overordnede.