Basic Danish Phrases

Overview

This lecture introduces basic Danish phrases and expressions for beginners, including greetings, self-introductions, polite responses, numbers, and practical questions for everyday situations.

Self-Introductions

• To introduce yourself, say “Hej, jeg hedder [name], hyggeligt at møde dig” (Hi, I’m [name], nice to meet you).
• For a formal introduction, say “Goddag, jeg hedder [name] [surname], dejligt at møde dig”.

Common Greetings

• “Hej” means “hi” and is widely used informally.
• “Goddag” means “good day” and is used during the day.
• “Godmorgen” is “good morning” and “Godaften” is “good evening”.
• When leaving, say “Hav det godt” (all the best) or “Vi ses” (see you).

Expressing Thanks

• “Tak” means “thank you”.
• “Mange tak” means “thank you very much”.
• “Tusind tak skal du have” is a very formal “thanks a thousand”.
• Reply to thanks with “Velbekomme” (you’re welcome) or “Det var så lidt” (don’t mention it).

Apologizing and Excusing Yourself

• “Undskyld” means “excuse me” or “I’m sorry”.
• Use “beklager” for a formal apology or “sorry” among friends.
• For emphasis, say “Undskyld, jeg er virkelig ked af det” (excuse me, I’m really sorry).

Asking if Someone Speaks English

• “Taler du engelsk?” means “Do you speak English?”.
• “Kan du tale engelsk?” means “Can you speak English?”.
• Possible answers: “Ja” (yes), “Lidt” (a little), “Nej, jeg taler ikke engelsk” (No, I don’t speak English).

Counting and Numbers

• 0: nul, 1: en, 2: to, 3: tre, 4: fire, 5: fem, 6: seks, 7: syv, 8: otte, 9: ni, 10: ti.
• 11: elleve, 12: tolv, up to 20: tyve.
• Tens: 30: tredive, 40: fyrre, 50: halvtreds, 60: tres, 70: halvfjerds, 80: firs, 90: halvfems, 100: hundrede.
• To form numbers above 20, combine (ones) + “og” (and) + (tens); e.g., 56: seksoghalvtreds.

Shopping and Asking Prices

• “Undskyld, hvad koster den/det/de?” asks “Excuse me, how much is it/that/these?”.
• Reply might be “Den/Det/De koster [number] kroner”.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Hej — hi
• Goddag — good day
• Hyggeligt at møde dig — nice to meet you
• Tak — thank you
• Velbekomme — you’re welcome
• Undskyld — excuse me/sorry
• Beklager — sorry (formal)
• Taler du engelsk? — do you speak English?
• Hav det godt — all the best
• Vi ses — see you
• Kroner — Danish currency

Action Items / Next Steps

• Practice self-introductions and common greetings in Danish.
• Memorize numbers from 0–100.
• Prepare to use basic phrases for shopping and asking questions in Danish.