Useful Danish phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Danish, a North Germanic language spoken mainly in Denmark, with recordings for most of them.

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See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.

Key to abbreviations: inf = informal, frm = formal.

English dansk (Danish)
Welcome Velkommen
Hello (General greeting) Hej (inf)
Hej du (inf - used with close friends)
Hejsa (inf)
Halløj (inf)
Goddag (frm)
Hello (on phone) Hallo
How are you? Hvordan går det? (inf)
Hvordan har du det? (inf)
Hvordan har De det? (frm)a
Reply to 'How are you?' Fint, tak. Hvad med dig?
What's your name? Hvad hedder du?
My name is ... Jeg hedder ...
Where are you from? Hvor er du fra?
Hvor kommer du fra?
I'm from ... Jeg er fra ...
Jeg kommer fra ...
Pleased to meet you Rart at møde dig
Good morning
(Morning greeting)
God morgen
Good afternoon
(Afternoon greeting)
God eftermiddag
Good evening
(Evening greeting)
God aften
Good night God nat
Goodbye
(Parting phrases)
Farvel (frm)
Farvel så længe (Farewell so long) - frm
Hej hej (inf)
Vi ses (See you)
Ha' en god dag (Have a good day)
Hav det godt (Have a good one)
På gensyn (See you later)
Pas på dig selv (Take care of yourself)
Good luck! Held og lykke!
Cheers! Good Health!
(Toasts used when drinking)
Skål!
Bunden i vejret eller resten i håret!
(bottoms up or the rest in your hair)
- only used with friends when very drunk
Have a nice day Hav en god dag
Fortsat god dag (Enjoy the rest of your day)
Bon appetit /
Have a nice meal
Vær så god! (sometimes said at the start of meals)
Velbekomme! (said at the end of meals)
Bon voyage /
Have a good journey
God rejse!
Do you understand? Forstår du?
I understand Jeg forstår
I don't understand Det forstår jeg ikke
Yes Ja
No Nej
Maybe Måske
I don't know Jeg ved ikke
Please speak more slowly Vil du tale lidt langsommere?
Vil de være venlig at tale langsommere
Please say that again Kan du sige det igen?
Kan de sige det igen?
Please write it down Kan du skrive det ned, tak?
Do you speak English? Taler du engelsk?
Do you speak Danish? Taler du dansk? (inf)
Yes, a little
(reply to 'Do you speak ...?')
Ja, en smule
Ja, lidt
I'm learning Jeg lærer dansk
Do you speak a language
other than
Danish?
Taler du et andet sprog end dansk?
Speak to me in Danish Du kan snakke dansk til mig (inf)
Du kan tale dansk med mig (inf)
I kan snakke dansk til mig (frm)
I kan tale dansk med mig (frm)
How do you say ... in Danish? Hvordan siger du ... på dansk?
Excuse me Undskyld mig!
I would like ... Jeg kunne godt tænke mig ...
Jeg vil gerne have ...
How much is this? Hvad koster det?
Hvor meget koster det?
Sorry Undskyld!
Please Hvis du vil være så venlig at ...
(If you’ll be so kind, as to ...)
Thank you Tak
Mange tak
Tusind tak (thousand thanks)
Tak for ... (thanks for ...)
Reply to thank you Det var så lidt
Ingen årsag
Where's the toilet / bathroom? Hvor er toilettet?
This gentleman will pay for everything Denne herre betaler for alt
This lady will pay for everything Denne dame betaler for alt
Would you like to dance with me? Vil du danse med mig?
Do you come here often? Kommer du her ofte?
I miss you Jeg savner dig
I love you Jeg elsker dig
Get well soon God bedring
Go away! Gå væk!
Leave me alone! Lad mig være i fred!
Call the police! Ring efter politiet!
Christmas greetings Glædelig jul
New Year greetings Godt nytår
Easter greetings God påske
Birthday greetings Tillykke med fødselsdagen
Congratulations! Tillykke!
One language is never enough Ét sprog er aldrig nok
My hovercraft is full of eels Mit luftpudefartøj er fyldt med ål
Min luftpudebåd er fyldt med ål

Hear some Danish phrases

Notes (by Henrik Dalsager)

Please as a polite way of requesting assistance, or as a polite way of ending a sentence, that may have started neutrally, to provide a cultural gesture, does not exist in Danish.

Please used as a translated phrase (Vær så venlig), and applied seemingly at random as a formal phrase, is considered snobbish, and is typically used as a way of hurrying people in a passive aggresive way.

There is no cultural need for such a word. Instead the Danes have specific polite opening phrases, and gestures, such as Hvis du vil være så venlig at ...(If you’ll be so kind, as to ...).

It is polite simply to state the request, and then say tak (thanks).

Recordings of Danish phrases provided by: Voice Crafters
Audio production and voice over agency specializing in multi-lingual voice over and translation services for e-learning, audiobooks, and more.

Download all the audio files (Zip format, 940K)

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Information about Danish | Useful phrases | Silly phrases | Numbers | Colours | Family words | Time | Terms of endearment | Tongue twisters | Tower of Babel | Learning materials

Links

Other collections of Danish phrases (some with audio)
http://linguanaut.com/english_danish.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/quickfix/danish.shtml
http://www.speakdanish.dk/html/t_phrasebook.htm
http://www.transparent.com/languagepages/Danish/DnPhrases.htm
http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/knowledgesafety/a/danphrases.htm
http://www.101languages.net/danish/basics.html
http://www.denmarkfacts.com/learn_danish_online.html

Phrases in Germanic languages

Afrikaans, Alsatian, American Norwegian, Bavarian, Cimbrian, Danish, Dutch, Elfdalian, English (British), Faroese, Flemish (West), Frisian (North - Bökingharde), Frisian (North - Sylt), Frisian (Saterland), Frisian (West), German, Gothic, Icelandic, Limburgish, Low Saxon, Luxembourgish, Norwegian, Old English, Pennsylvania German/Dutch, Scots, Stellingwarfs, Swedish, Swiss German (Basel dialect), Swiss German (Chur dialect), Swiss German (Lucerne dialect), Värmlandic, West Jutlandic, Westrobothnian, Wymsorys, Yiddish

Phrases in other languages

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