Knowing some of the common Danish phrases before coming to Denmark can be a game-changer for your experience. If you want to score some cultural points with the Danes, keep reading! We’ve collected 9 basic must-know Danish phrases so you can learn Danish fast! We have ranked how much credit you will get from a Dane when using them in real-life situations. It rates from 1 – 10, where 1 is the least credit you can get, and 10 makes you a champion who stops at nothing!
The most common Danish phrases
Mange tak – Thank you so much!
Danish local street credit: 5
This is one of the most common Danish phrases and is worth gold! Whenever you ask for a favor, if you buy something, or even if someone moves because they are in your way, mange tak is an excellent way of showing your gratitude to the other person’s effort. And if you put on a smile while saying it, you will make their day.
Hej, hvordan går det? – Hi, how are you?
Danish local street credit: 5
Now, if you want to start a conversation with a Dane, this is the phrase to use. Danes can maybe look like they mind their own business, but if you take the first step, they are more than happy to have a chat with you.
When they reply to how it goes, they will most definitely say:
When they reply to how it goes, they will most definitely say:
Det går godt. Hvad med dig? – It’s all good, how about you?
You can try and reply with this phrase back: Det går også godt, tak – I’m good too, thanks!
Depending on your level of Danish, it will take some time to get the pronunciation right, so even though you can have a long conversation, try to ask various people. This way, you can pick up their accent and use it yourself.
Related article: 5 Tips of How To Learn A Language
The crazy one all Danes love to hear you say
Rød grød med fløde – Red porridge with cream
Danish local street credit: 10!
When learning the Danish language, it can feel like you are jumping into the cold blue ocean without having learned to swim. But by splashing, you keep yourself alive. This phrase is one of the hardest Danish phrases to pronounce, but if you try to say it, the Danes will instantly love you for trying! And who knows, after 20 tries, you might get it just right! You will be seen as the champion who never gives up on a challenge!
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When you are out and about
Jeg vil gerne købe – I would like to buy
Danish local street credit: 4
No matter where you are in the world, you will need to buy something eventually. You might not know the specific word of the thing you are buying, but Danglish (Danish mixed with English) has your back. Below we have made a short list of what words you can put into the sentence:
Dansk / English
En is / An ice cream
Noget tøj / Clothing
En busbillet/togbillet / A bus ticket/ train ticket
En hest / A horse
Et hundrede slikkepinde / A 100 lollipops
En kaffe / A coffee
En burger / A burger
You can practice all these phrases with a tandem partner! If you want to find a language partner you can check out Swap Language!
Hvor meget koster det? – How much does it cost?
Danish local street credit: 7
You show true basic Danish language skills when combining this phrase with the earlier mentioned: Jeg vil gerne købe phrase! They might tell you the price, so be sure to pay with more than they say. It will seem like you understood what the price was!
If you ordered a coffee, you could be sure that they will ask you the following, so prepare yourself!
When having ordered coffee and someone asks you:
Vil du have mælk og sukker i? – Do you want milk and sugar with it?
You either respond:
Ja tak – Yes thank you
Nej tak – No thank you
Kun mælk/sukker tak – only milk/sugar thank you
Danish local street credit: 9!
You’re the foreign legend in the coffee house! Celebrate it by buying yourself an extra coffee, just to show off!
If someone asks you when you are in a shop: Kan jeg hjælpe dig? – Can I help you?
You respond – Nej, jeg kigger bare – No, I’m just having a look.
Danish local street credit: 3
This phrase is handy when shopping. You can be confident that you will be asked this question because Danish people working in shops ALWAYS ask you if you need help. They want to give you the best service in the world. Therefore you will experience a time where you will be asked this question.
So instead of not saying anything, or replying in English, try the simple phrase and keep your head high as a real foreigner, learning one of the hardest languages in the world.
So instead of not saying anything, or replying in English, try the simple phrase and keep your head high as a real foreigner, learning one of the hardest languages in the world.
Hvor er…? – Where is…?
Danish local street credit: 6
The fact that you are asking for direction even though not understanding the reply shows courage. It takes time, and getting used to practicing even the small phrases will get you far! Below here we will give you some of the most important shops or places, so you can add them into the sentence:
Dansk / English
Apoteket / The farmacy
supermarkedet / The supermarket
Museet / The museum
Bussen / The bus
Slottet / The castle
toilettet / The toilet
Saksen / The scissors
A common Danish phrase to make the impression of a lifetime
Stik mig en øl, ellers slår jeg flikflak – Get me a beer or I’ll do a backward handspring!
Danish local street credit: 100!
You will never be forgotten. Certainly, the Danes hearing you say that, will always remember the day where you said this.
Therefore, are you up for the challenge of learning these common Danish phrases? I think you are. Most importantly, remember to use them with locals. You only have the fun you create yourself.
In order to understand better the Danish culture, you can check out this article.
Enjoy!
