Learn The Most Common Danish Words
It is necessary to be able to understand basic Danish vocabulary in order to communicate with others in Danish. You are likely to use basic Danish words, nouns, adjectives and verbs in your daily interactions, whether with coworkers, friends, or neighbors.
One of the keys to fluency in any language is learning the most common vocabulary first. According to research, 92% of spoken Danish is made up of 2500 words. Additionally, 82% of all Danish text is made up of the top 2500 Danish words. This is remarkable, considering there are around 150,000 words in modern use. Learning by frequency is an excellent way to quickly increase your knowledge of common words in Danish.
Learning common Danish words can help you communicate more easily and effectively. If you don't know much about grammar or verb conjugation, you can still get by if you know enough words. If you have a broad enough vocabulary, it will be easier for you to understand, read, speak and write Danish. You may not be a Pulitzer Prize winner, but you'll be able to go about your daily life well enough.
To build a solid foundational vocabulary, you must be familiar with all the words used in each language. Start by learning the most commonly used words. Then, expand your vocabulary and add more terms that relate to your situation. Example: You are going to go surfing in a foreign country. The first step is to build your vocabulary. Then, find or create a vocabulary that teaches you specific surfing related vocabulary.
The MostUsedWords Lists of Common Danish Words
Frequency dictionaries help you quickly learn Danish vocabulary. Our Danish series offers a well-organized list of all the most frequently used words in Danish. You can purchase them instantly as ebooks on our website, or from Amazon as paperbacks.
Our books are organized alphabetically, by frequency, and by part of speech frequency. Each entry comes with IPA phonetic spelling to help you pronounce Danish words correctly. All the word entries come with a Danish to English sample sentence, because you learn best when you learn vocabulary in chunks, rather than bulk.
Below are the links to the paperbacks on Amazon. They are affiliate links. That means we might get a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking these links.
- Danish Frequency Dictionary 1 - Beginner Vocabulary
- Danish Frequency Dictionary 2 - Intermediate Vocabulary
Get the most out of your Danish studies by purchasing two sets of our Danish Frequency Dictionaries, available on our website. With 5000 common words, you can communicate confidently in various situations.
Danish Words for Beginners
Here are some of the most common Danish words and sentences to help you get started learning Danish. These are a great way to get your basic Danish vocabulary started.
Common Danish Greetings
If you want to communicate effectively with small groups of people in Danish-speaking countries, it's important to know some basic Danish greetings. Here are a few to get you started:
“God morgen” which means “Good morning”
“God eftermiddag” which means “Good afternoon”
“God aften” which means “Good evening”
“Godnat” which means “Good night”
“Hvordan har du det?” which means “How are you?” or “How are you feeling?”
“Hvordan går det?” which means “How’s it going?” or “How are you?”
“Hvad laver du?” which means “What are you doing?”
“Hvad sker der?” which means “What’s happening?”
You can use these following conversational Danish phrases as a reply if someone asks you those questions:
“Godt, tak”, meaning: Good, thank you
“Meget godt”, meaning: Very well or very good
“så, så”, meaning: So, so
“Som altid”, meaning: As always
“Og dig?” meaning: And you?
How to Introduce Yourself in Danish
You can say these to introduce yourself:
“Mit navn er” - My name is
“Jeg er” - I am
You can ask for the name of the person you are talking to by saying:
“Hvad hedder du?” - What is your name?
And you can answer them by saying:
“dejligt at møde dig”, which means “nice to meet you”
Common Polite Words and Expressions in Danish
These Danish phrases are sure to come in handy to avoid offending anyone during a conversation. Being polite can take you anywhere! Try it by saying:
“tak skal du have!” - Thank you!
“Mange tak!” - Thank you very much!
“selv tak!” - You’re welcome!
“Intet problem!” - No problem!
“Vær venlig” - Please
“Undskyld!” - Sorry!
“undskyld mig” - Excuse me
Common Question Words in Danish
To make your conversations with people more effective, you need to be able to ask questions. Here are some Danish question words that you can learn immediately:
“hvad?” - What?
“hvem?” - Who?
“hvornår?” - When?
“hvor?” - Where?
“hvorfor?” - Why?
“hvilken?” - Which?
“hvordan?” - How?
Here are more useful questions you might like to know:
Saying “hvad er klokken?” is how you ask what time is it
Saying “hvor er du fra?” is how you ask where they are from
Saying “hvor bor du?” is how you ask where they live
Saying “kan du hjælpe mig?” is how you ask if they can help you
Saying “Kan jeg hjælpe dig?” is how you ask if you can help them
Saying “hvor meget koster det?” is how you ask how much it cost
Saying “forstår du?” is how you ask if they understand
Saying “taler du engelsk?” is how you ask if they speak English
Saying “what does it mean?” is how you ask what does it mean
Saying “kan du tale langsomt” is how you ask them if they can speak slowly
Saying “hvor man kan finde en taxa?” is how you ask where to find a taxi
And you should know what to answer:
“ja” means: Yes
“ingen” means: No
“måske” means: Maybe
“altid” means: Always
“aldrig” means: Never
“selvfølgelig” means: Of course
“Intet problem!” means: No problem!
“jeg forstår ikke!” means: I don’t understand!
“Jeg ved ikke” means: I don’t know
“Jeg har ingen ide” means: I have no idea!
“Jeg taler ikke dansk” means: I don’t speak Danish
“jeg er faret vild” means: I’m lost
“mit dansk er dårligt” means: My Danish is bad
Celebrate in Danish
Danish has many expressions that can be used to celebrate special occasions. These phrases are ideal for events such as birthdays or parties with friends:
“Tillykke med fødselsdagen!!” to say “Happy Birthday!”
“Tillykke” to say “Congratulations!”
“Hav det sjovt!” to say “Have fun!”
“Velbekomme” to say “Bon appetit!”
“Velkommen” to say “Welcome!”
“Skål!” to say “Cheers!”
Saying goodbye in Danish
It's difficult to say goodbye, especially if you don’t know how. Here are some Danish phrases you can use to end a conversation and leave:
“Farvel” means “Goodbye”
“Vi ses senere” means “See you later”
“Vi ses i morgen” means “See you tomorrow”
“Vi ses” means “See you”
“pas på dig selv!” means “Take care of yourself!”
“Hav en god dag!” means “Have a nice day!”
“vi ses snart!” means “See you soon!”
“Hav en god tur!” means “Have a nice trip!”
You will be able to have a conversation with native speakers of Danish if you know all the common Danish words. To improve your language fluency, you only have to practice the vocabulary and phrases frequently. You will soon be able to recognize these words naturally if you practice them often.
Resources for Adding More Danish Words to Your Vocabulary
However, not all Danish vocabulary can be contained in one article. A reliable, practical source is essential if you are really going to learn Danish. Danish frequency dictionaries have been created specifically for learners looking to improve their Danish. They can be used by students at all levels: from absolute beginners to intermediates to advanced and near-fluent students.
- Danish Frequency Dictionary 1 - Beginner Vocabulary
- Danish Frequency Dictionary 2 - Intermediate Vocabulary
These books were created by MostUsedWords for language learners who want to improve their fluency. These books contain 5000 Danish words, which are divided into two books, so that learners of different languages can use them. Frequency dictionaries can be used either alone or in combination with other language learning apps, books, and programs. They are available as e-books on our website or paperbacks at Amazon.