10 Danish Phrases You Need to Survive!
Your beautiful, Danish holiday is coming up soon. You can’t wait to take in the sights, meet the people, and have a great time! But, you’re nervous about the language?
Here’s a list of the top 10 Danish phrases you will need to survive. By the end of your holiday, you’ll have impressed the locals!
1. Hej! (Hello!)
Luckily for you, basic phrases are super easy. In Denmark, people say ‘hej!’ to greet each other, pronounced just like ‘hi’. For goodbye, just double it - ‘hej hej!’ It’s that simple!
2. Tak (Thank you and please)
Did you know there’s no word for ‘please’ in Danish? Crazy right? Instead, you can just use the Danish word for ‘thank you’ - ‘tak’. It’s pronounced ‘taak’. Just change the tone of your voice to suit the way you’re using it.
3. Hjælp! (Help!)
This one might be very useful to you one day! Again, hjælp is pronounced almost the same as the English. Yell something along the lines of ‘yelp’ if you’re ever in trouble!
4. Hvor er…? (Where is…?)
To enjoy the beautiful sights you’ve come to Denmark for, you might need some help tracking them down. So, find a local and practice some Danish! This phrase is pronounced ‘vor air deh’. Try it out!
5. Ild! (Fire!)
Next, we have another multifunctional phrase. You can use it either if a building is going up in flames or if you’ve seen something you really like the look of! Let me give you an example. Some might say that Project Nord’s posters are completely ‘ild!’ Sorry for the shameless plug. We couldn’t help ourselves! Pronounce this one ‘ill’.
6. Skål! (Cheers!)
We hope you’ll need this one during your time in Denmark! Before they drink, you’ll hear Danish people say ‘Skål’, pronounced ‘skoll’. Cheers to that, eh?
7. Hav en god dag (Have a good day)
Do you want to spread about a bit of love and happiness whilst you’re on holiday? Well, just repeat this phrase to whoever you see! Pronounce it ‘ha in go day’ and deliver it with a smile!
8. Rart at møde dig (Nice to meet you)
If you plan on making friends, it’s always good to know this phrase. It’s pronounced ‘rad ooh moo dah’. Perhaps you can ask your new friends for some more Danish phrases whilst you’re at it!
9. Jeg elsker dig (I love you)
You never know when or where you’ll meet the love of your life. Just in case it’s whilst you’re in Denmark, note this phrase down! It’s pronounced ‘yai elsk-ah die.’
10. Taler du engelsk? (Do you speak English?)
That all-important phrase! And luckily for you, this might be the only one you need. A whopping 86% of the danish population speak English! Pronounce this phrase along the lines of ‘tele du eng-elsk’ and they’re sure to know what you mean. So, if you’re not feeling too adventurous, you can always rely on this phrase to get you by.
You can navigate yourself through almost any situation with these Danish phrases. So, put them to good work. Be confident the next time you come over to Denmark!
Written by Jessica Slater.