Top 10 Danish phrases to help you get by
More than five million people speak Danish, the North Germanic language of Denmark. Though learning Danish is arguably just as difficult as learning Icelandic or Finnish, several key phrases can be picked up by visitors to the country without too much difficulty.
One of the most important points to note about Danish is that the pronunciation of certain letters and words can differ from what native speakers of English might expect when attempting to hold a basic conversation with a Dane.
Unfortunately, learning Danish is not all that easy. A relatively basic standard of proficiency requires many weeks or months of learning for the average student. Luckily, many Danes speak English, so visitors should have little trouble. However it is always good to learn at least few words of the language of the country you are going on holiday to.
The following quick guide will give you some useful words and phrases to help you get by if you are rushing off on a last minute trip to Denmark.
1. Undskyld: Excuse me. A common phrase used by tourists looking for things to do in Denmark, undskyld may seem a mouthful, but it can be pronounced phonetically with the exception of the letter ‘y’, which ought to be pronounced nasally as ‘yew’ (with greater emphasis on the ‘ew’ or ‘oo’ sound).
2. Goddag/Hej/Hallo: Hello. Tourists should generally opt for goddag or hallo to greet strangers in Denmark, but hej (pronounced ‘hay’ because the Danish ‘j’ takes the sound of the English ‘y’ in ‘yet’, ‘yap’, etc.) can be used on more informal occasions.
3. Jeg hedder: My name is. There are few more important phrases for tourists in Denmark to learn than jeg hedder, which should be pronounced as ‘yay hedhar’ (the ‘r’ ought to be fairly abrupt).
4. Hvad hedder du?: What’s your name? Often used in the sentence, ‘Jeg hedder John, hvad hedder du?’, this question is obviously important in one-to-one greetings. Pronunciation can be a little tricky, but English speakers ought to aim for ‘vad hedher doo’.
5. Tak: Thank you. Another simple word that can go a long way when out and about visiting tourist attractions in Denmark. The pronunciation ‘tah-g’ is one that many visitors find easy to learn, which can only be a good thing as far as manners are concerned.
6. Selv tak: You’re welcome. What better way to respond to a person who has (hopefully) just uttered a thank you in Danish? Selv tak should be pronounced ‘sel-oo tah-g’.
7. Hvor gammel er du?: How old are you? It is sometimes rude to ask, but often necessary for tourists exploring Denmark’s less touristy districts. Pronunciation is ‘vor gam-el air doo’.
8. Hvor er toilettet?: Where is the toilet? No visitor to Denmark should have to rely on his Charades skills to ask for help finding the toilet. This simple question can be pronounced as ‘war ay-er toil-ed-et’.
9. Kør mig til …, tak: Take me to …, please. Asking somebody for directions can be a frustrating experience, not least when neither person speaks the same language. Usually it is sensible to hop in a taxi (‘tak-see’) and ask to be taken to a specific destination. This phrase is pronounced ‘koor ma-ee teal …, ta-k’.
10. Taler du engelsk?: Do you speak English? There is simply no more useful a phrase for English-speaking tourists in Denmark to learn than ‘taler du engelsk?’, pronounced ‘tailor doo eng-glisk’.
It is perfectly possible to get by in Denmark using these ten phrases, but a more rewarding trip might be enjoyed if visitors learn a little more before heading off to one of Scandinavia’s most beautiful countries.
Filed Under: Culture