Copenhagen City Guide - Language

Dansk (Danish) is the national language but almost all Danes speak some English. Those involved in the tourist industry will have impeccable English and are likely to speak German as well. The Danes are used to communicating in other languages and seem perfectly willing to do so. English is used in a variety of situations throughout the city and may be the language of choice for establishments catering to a predominantly international or young and cosmopolitan clientele.

Danish is one of the Scandinavian (Germanic/Teutonic) languages and closely related to Swedish. To foreign eyes, written Danish seems to be infested with bizarre symbols including typically å, ø and æ, which translate into an array of vowel sounds which the non-Danish ear may have trouble distinguishing. Other distinctive characteristics of Danish to bear in mind are the weak pronunciation of unstressed syllables, and the glottal stop.

Phrases

Yes - Ja
No - Nej
Hello - Hej/Goddag
Goodbye - Farvel, Hej-Hej
Please - No single word in Danish
Thank you - Tak
My name is … - Jeg hedder …
How are you? - Hvordan har du det?
I'm very well - Jeg har det godt
I feel ill - Jeg har det dårligt
How much does it cost? - Hvor meget koster det?
Do you speak English? -Taler du engelsk?
I don't understand - Jeg forstår ikke
Where is …? - Hvor er …?
Entrance - Indgang
Exit - Udgang
Danger - Fare
Open - Åben
Closed - Lukket
Toilets - Toiletter
Doctor - Læge
Hotel - Hotel
Restaurant - Restaurant
Beer - Øl
Wine - Vin
Menu - Menu
Today - Idag
Tomorrow - Imorgen
Monday - Mandag
Tuesday - Tirsdag
Wednesday - Onsdag
Thursday - Torsdag
Friday - Fredag
Saturday - Lørdag
Sunday - Søndag
One - En
Two - To
Three - Tre
Four - Fire
Five - Fem
Six - Seks
Seven - Syv
Eight - Otte
Nine - Ni
Ten - Ti
Twenty - Tyve
Thirty - Tredive
Forty - Fyrre
Fifty - Halvtreds
Sixty - Tres
Seventy - Halvfjerds
Eighty - Firs
Ninety - Halvfems
One Hundred - Hundrede
One Thousand - Tusind

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