Useful Words and Phrases in Danish

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Updated 11/17/19

Danish students in Copenhagen. — Henrik Sorensen / Getty Images

When planning your trip to Denmark, it's important to understand that although many of its citizens speak English, Danish is the official language of the country. As a result, it will greatly improve your trip to learn a few Danish words and phrases to help you get around this foreign land.

If you've traveled in Scandinavia before, it might also be helpful to review all the differences and similarities between the Scandinavian languages to get a sense of how Danish fits in.

Pronunciation Tips

The first step to speaking Danish is getting your accent right. Many Danish letters are similar to the English language, but here are a few exceptions.

a sounds are pronounced like the letter e in "egg"
i sounds are pronounced like a combination of e in "egg" and i in "ill"
o sounds are pronounced like e in "see"
æ is pronounced like a short version of a in "ache"
w is pronounced like v in "van"
y sounds like ew in "few" but with the lips more rounded
r sounds at the beginning of a word or after a consonant, sound like a strong guttural h like the Spanish j in "Jose"
r sounds between vowels or before a consonant becomes part of the vowel sound or is lost entirely

Danish Greetings and Basic Expressions

Here are some ways to greet people in Denmark, plus common expressions that may come in handy.

Goddag. - Good day.
Hej. - Hello.
Farvel. - Goodbye.
Ja. - Yes.
Nej. - No.
Tak. - Thank you.
Undskyld. - Excuse me.
Hvad hedder du? - What's your name?
Jeg hedder... - My name is...
Hvorfra kommer du? - Where are you from?
Jeg kommer fre de Forenede Stater. - I am from the United States.
Hvor gammel er du? - How old are you?
Jeg gammel... - I am .... years old.
Jeg leder efter... - I'm looking for...
Hvor meget koster? - How much is it?

Danish Signs and Establishment Names

When you're out in public, you might need to identify these common words and phrases for directions around town. From identifying entrances and exits to knowing what the police station is called, these words can become extremely important in your travels.

Indgang - entrance
Udgang - exit
Å¢en - open
Lukket - closed
Toiletter - bathroom
Herrer - men
Damer - women
En bank - a bank
Centrum - city center
Mit hotel - my hotel
Den Forenede State Ambassade - The United States Embassy
Markedet - the market
Museet - the museum
Politiet - the police
Politistation - police station
Postkontoret - the post office
Et offentligt toilet - a public toilet
Telefoncentralen - telephone center
Turist-informationen - tourist office
Domkirke - cathedral

Kirke - church
Torvet - main square
Boghandel - bookstore
Fotohandel - photo store
Delikatesse - delicatessen
Vaskeri - laundry
Aviskiosk - newspaper stand

Words for Time and Numbers in Danish

Although you might feel like a vacation is the perfect moment to forget about time, chances are you'll have a dinner reservation or play to catch and might need to ask someone to let you know what day or what time it is.