Learn Danish tips

Here we have gathered a number of tips for learning Danish that you can easily start doing yourself – whether you are taking a Danish course at Speak or not.

There is a lot you can do on your own to strengthen your Danish. First and foremost, it’s about surrounding yourself with the language in your everyday life as much as possible – for example through conversations, media or small daily routines. At the same time, it’s important to be brave and dare to throw yourself into speaking Danish, even if it’s not perfect. It’s through practice, mistakes and repetition that you will become better and more confident in the language.

8 tips and strategies to learn Danish fast

This guide is for those who want to master the Danish language in record time, so we’ve gathered 8 tips and strategies to help you learn Danish fast.

1. Surround yourself with the Danish language

There’s no doubt that if you want to learn a new language quickly, you should first and foremost surround yourself with it. You can do this by listening to Danish music, watching Danish films and TV programmes, visiting Danish museums and, of course, living in Denmark where the language is spoken.

2. Learn the basics of the language

Of course, it’s important to have the basic rules of the Danish language in place. This includes learning the Danish alphabet, basic grammar rules and typical Danish phrases. You can also find online resources such as Duolingo and Babbel.

3. Practise speaking the language

When learning the Danish language, it’s extremely useful to find a Dane to practice speaking with. Of course, you can also practice with yourself, but when you practice with someone who knows the language, you’ll gain a better understanding of correct pronunciation and become more aware of how it sounds when you speak the language fluently. Here you can benefit from participating in Let’s Speak.

4. Read texts in Danish

You can read simple books for adults or easy news articles in Danish. Here you can practise reading aloud while seeing how to spell words and build sentences in Danish. You will then be able to move on to more and more difficult texts as you get better at the language.

5. Listen to the language

Podcasts have become a hugely popular entertainment medium in recent years, so there’s plenty of opportunity to listen to a wealth of exciting podcasts in Danish. Whether you’re interested in economics, true crime or literature, it’s possible to find interesting Danish podcasts that will increase your ability to understand the spoken language.

6. Write in Danish

It’s important to get the new language under your fingernails, and you can do this by practising writing in Danish. You can do this by writing a diary in Danish or by sending emails and messages to friends who speak Danish.

7. Don’t give up

Learning a new language is certainly not easy, but it’s also no secret that practice makes perfect. That’s why it’s important that you keep practising, even if it’s a difficult process. The more you practice, the faster you’ll learn the language.

8. Find a good language school

A good language school is essential if you want to learn a new language quickly. At a language school, you’ll have access to teachers who make a living from structuring teaching programmes and who have years of experience teaching people to speak, write and understand Danish. What’s more, at a language school you can also meet a wealth of like-minded people who, like you, are learning the Danish language.

4 tips to expand your Danish vocabulary

Are you looking for effective ways to expand your Danish vocabulary? – Then you’ve come to the right place.

At Speak – School of Danish, we’ve gathered 4 tips on how to expand your Danish vocabulary and generally improve your language skills.

These are tips that we use ourselves in our professional work and have therefore been chosen with care. We hope that you – like us – will find these tips to be incredibly effective ways to expand your Danish vocabulary.

Let’s get started!

1. Use flashcards

Flashcards are an incredibly effective way to learn. You write a word in your own language on one side and translate it into Danish on the other. You can also write an example sentence on the Danish side so you can see how and when to use the word.
Flashcards help train long-term memory when you use them regularly. Repetition is generally a good way to effectively store information in your memory.

2. Play word games

Fortunately, there are also many ways to expand your Danish vocabulary that are both fun and educational. One of them is to play word games and quizzes to help you learn new words. For example, word games that work like turn-taking games or quizzes that are filled with Danish proverbs and sayings that can give you a broader understanding of the Danish language.

3. Read articles and non-fiction books on topics that interest you

If you struggle to find the motivation to do flashcards or similar exercises, you may want to read specialised articles or textbooks on topics that already interest you. It could be politics, music, literature or something else entirely.
In specialised books and research publications, you’ll learn new Danish terms and new ways of talking about things you already know. If your ultimate goal is to expand your Danish vocabulary, this is a really effective way to do it without it feeling like homework.

4. Surround yourself with the Danish language

It’s always effective to surround yourself with the language you want to improve. You can do this by listening to Danish music in different genres, where you will often find that the artists use the Danish language in very different ways.
You can also listen to Danish podcasts about things you don’t necessarily know much about, or go to Folkeuniversitet and listen to professionals talk about a specific topic.

7 common grammatical errors in Danish

In this guide, we’ve compiled an overview of the most common grammatical errors in Danish. These are errors that creep up on both beginners and those who have grown up with the language, so everyone can benefit from reading this post.

Look over the rules and write them down so you can actively learn to avoid them in the future.

1. Incorrect use of present tense -r

This is a common grammatical mistake that many people make. Luckily, there’s an easy mnemonic to make sure you don’t make it again. Present -r refers to adding -r to the end of a verb that is used for an active action and therefore something that happens in the present tense. If you’re unsure whether to add present tense -r to the verb in this sentence: “Lise kører hurtigt”, you can replace the word “kører” with another verb such as “spiser”. Would you write: “Lise spiser hurtigt” or “Lise spise hurtigt”? You would obviously write “spiser” with -r, and therefore you should also write “Lise kører hurtigt” with present tense -r.

2. Incorrect use of “ligger” (lies) and “lægger” (lays)

This is an incredibly common grammatical error that some people never learn to avoid. However, there is a very simple mnemonic that can ensure you’re not one of them: “Ligge” refers to standing still, while “lægge” is a movement. Others also find it helpful to remember that “ligge” is interchangeable with sitting, while “lægge” is interchangeable with to put. An example is:

“Madpakken ligger på bordet”. Here it’s “ligger” because the lunch box is already on the table and you and the lunch box are therefore not moving.
“Jeg lægger madpakken på bordet”. Here it’s “lægger” because you and the packed lunch are in motion – so you put the packed lunch on the table.

3. Incorrect use of “hendes/hans” and “sin/sit/sine”

This is a grammatical error that is noticeable in both written and spoken language and is therefore very attractive to avoid. Fortunately, there is also a very easy mnemonic that you can use. When you use “sin/sit/sine”, it always leads back to the owner of the sentence in question – this owner is also called the root of the sentence. An example is:

“Han tog sit tøj på”. Here it’s “sit” because “han” is the owner of the clothes.

When you use “hendes/hans” you are referring to someone other than the owner. For example:

“Politiet gav ham hans telefon tilbage”. In this case, the owner is not the police, but someone else, so you use “hans”.

4. Incorrect use of the endings -ende or ene

Since the d in -ende is silent, it often happens that these two endings are mixed up. However, this grammatical error is very easy to avoid. When it is a verb, it is always conjugated with the -ende ending. Nouns/nouns, on the other hand, have the ending -ene. It’s also worth remembering that -ende is added when you/something is or does It’s therefore called “Lise kom løbende” because it’s something she does. Instead, you use -ene to create a plural. That’s why it’s “Lise vandt alle løbene“.

5. Writing compound nouns in two words

The Danish language has a great love for compound words. In fact, we use compound words so much that if you’re unsure whether to write something in one or two words, it’s almost always correct to choose one word. Despite this, it’s still a very common grammatical error. But once you’ve learnt why it is the way it is, it’s rarely something you’ll forget.

To emphasise the importance of this grammatical rule, consider the following example: “Dansklærer (teacher in Danish)” should be written in one word. If you don’t write it in one word and instead write “Dansk lærer (Danish teacher)”, it will imply that the teacher is from Denmark – instead of that the teacher teaches Danish.
It’s the same case with the word “fladfisk (flatfish)”. A flatfish is a specific species of fish that has this name, whereas a “flad fisk (flat fish)” is just any fish that is flat.
If in doubt, you can always say the word out loud. If you don’t pause while you say it, the word shouldn’t be split up when you write it either.

6. Incorrect use of “nogle (some)” and “nogen (any)”

This is a grammatical error that is very common, as you rarely emphasise the difference between them when speaking. However, it is essential for the meaning of the sentence that you distinguish between them correctly in written language. You use “nogle” when referring to a couple, part, certain or single objects/persons. On the other hand, “nogen” is used when referring to someone (random), anyone at all and any object/person. Here are examples:

“Hun fik nogle mandler”. This means that she got a few or single almonds.

“Hun fik slet ikke nogen mandler”. This means that she didn’t get any at all.

7. Incorrect use of “af (of)” or “ad (by)”

Again, this is a grammatical error where you can’t tell the difference between the two words, which is why many people end up using the wrong one in their written language. Luckily, there are some good mnemonics to help you get a handle on “af” and “ad”. The best mnemonics are:

If you can replace “a(d/f)” with “fra (from)”, it should always be “af”. “Af” is therefore often also used to talk about moving away from something: “Tag gryden af komfuret” (away from).

If you can replace “a(d/f)” with “alongside”, “across” or “through”, it should always be ad. For example: “Hun stirrede ud ad vinduet” (through the window).

More tips for learning Danish at home

In addition to the activities mentioned above, here are some extra tips to help you learn Danish:

1. Write a diary in Danish

One of the best ways to practice and improve your Danish skills is by writing a diary in Danish. It allows you to apply the vocabulary and grammar rules you’ve learnt while improving your writing skills – in a safe environment. Start by writing a few sentences every day about your experiences, thoughts or feelings in Danish and practice including new words or expressions you’ve recently learnt. This exercise will not only help you become more comfortable with the language, but will also serve as a personal record of your language journey.

2. Use apps on your smartphone

In today’s digital age, there are many language apps that can help you learn Danish with your smartphone. Many apps, such as Duolingo, Memrise and Babbel, offer interactive lessons, vocabulary and pronunciation exercises – and even the ability to connect with other language learners. Incorporate the use of these apps into your daily routine, for example during your commute or before bedtime.

3. Have a coffee with a Danish friend or colleague

Practising your Danish with a native Danish speaker is an invaluable opportunity to improve your oral Danish skills. If you have a Danish friend, acquaintance or colleague, you could benefit from practising and improving your language skills. You can talk about daily life, family matters or various topics such as hobbies or current events. This will increase your knowledge of the sounds, intonations and expressions of the language, as well as authentic Danish conversation culture.

4. Speak Danish with your family or roommates

If you have family members or roommates who are also interested in learning Danish, consider setting aside specific times to practice speaking together in Danish. Create an environment where you can take turns asking and answering questions and giving feedback to each other.

5. Use your surroundings

Learning a new language takes practice and patience. In addition to the advice above, one of the best ways to learn Danish is to actually live in Danish society. Speak Danish whenever you have the opportunity. This is the best complement to professional Danish lessons at Speak – School of Danish.