Mastering the Danish language takes a long time. Both the grammar and the pronunciation can be quite challenging for many foreign nationals. In this post, we present you with 7 grammar rules to help you improve your Danish.
1. Ligge or lægge
It can be difficult to hear the difference in when to use which word. As a helpful rule, use "ligge" when referring to something at rest, and "lægge" when referring to movement.
Example:
- Hønen lægger æg
- Hønen ligger på rede i hønsehuset
- Fjernbetjeningen ligger på bordet
- Far lægger madpakken i tasken
2. Present tense 'r'
A grammatical mistake that even many Danes make is the use of the present tense 'r'. The 'r' should be added to the word when it describes an active action taking place right now. It can be hard to hear when words with a silent 'r' in the present tense should end with an 'r'. For example, lærer or kører. Fortunately, there is a simple way to remember it.
Try replacing the word with another verb that has a clear 'r' sound. For example, spiser or læser.
Example:
- Jeg kører bil - (an 'r' must be added at the end here, because if you test the sentence with spise, it only makes sense if there is an 'r': Jeg spiser)
- Min datter lærer at cykle - (the same here: - If you test the sentence with spise, it only makes sense if there is an 'r' on: Min datter spiser)
3. Nogen or nogle
Another typical speech and spelling mistake is confusing nogen and nogle. Use nogen when referring to someone unspecified, "anybody at all" or "whoever". Nogle is used more concretely, when referring to "some", "a couple", "a few" or "certain ones".
Example:
- Kan du anbefale nogle gode spisesteder i byen?
- Har du inviteret nogle venner til middag i morgen?
- Er der nogen, som vil hjælpe mig?
- Kender du nogen, der bor i udlandet?
4. Får or for
How do you know the difference between these two words? Får is the present tense form of "to receive", while for can function as a preposition, conjunction, and adverb. If you can replace får with at få/må få in the sentence, får is the correct word to use.
Example:
- Hvornår får vi noget at spise?
- Jeg får ferie fra mit arbejde på fredag
- Min bedstefar er meget træt for tiden
- Jeg har spist for mange karameller
5. Hans/hendes/sin
To understand the difference in the use of hans, hendes, and sin/sine/sit, there is a very simple rule. When using sin, it refers back to the owner, while hans/hendes refers to someone other than the owner.
Example:
- Thomas er hjemme hos sin mor hver søndag (because it is Thomas’ own mother)
- Min 5-årig datter tager selv sit tøj på om morgenen (because it is the daughter's own clothes)
- Mia går tur med hans hund efter skole (because it is not Mia’s own dog)
6. Compound words
You can often hear whether two independent words should be combined by saying them out loud. If the stress is on the first part of the word, it should be written as one compound word. If there is a pause between the words, they should be written separately.
Example:
- Telefonsælger
- Kattemad
- Matematiklærer
- Flad fisk (a flat fish. If written as one word, it refers to the type flatfish (fladfisk))
- Dyr læge (an expensive doctor. If written as one word, it refers to a veterinarian (Dyrlæge))
7. Hvis or vis
The words are pronounced almost the same, which can lead to confusion. The word hvis is both an interrogative and relative pronoun, often introducing a sentence. Vis is used both as an adjective and a noun, and is often used in the middle of a sentence.
Example:
- Hvis vi skal nå toget, skal vi afsted nu
- Hvad hvis jeg falder og slår mig
- Min bedstemor er en vis kvinde (Here, vis means wise)
- Jeg har en vis fornemmelse for, at det snart går galt (Here, vis means substantial)
Proverbs and Sayings
Have you ever wondered about Danish expressions that don't seem to make any sense? We've gathered a few humorous proverbs and sayings that you’ve likely encountered—and if not, it won’t be long before you're introduced to the first ones.
Først til mølle:
It refers to “He who arrives first at the mill, grinds first.” For example, the person who lines up first gets the best offers or can choose the best spot.
Mange bække små:
This refers to “Many small streams make a large river.” For example, 5 kroner might not seem like much on its own. But if large parts of the population each contribute 5 kroner to a collection, it amounts to a huge sum in total.
Når katten er ude, spiller musene på bordet:
If there is no supervision, it can lead to disorder and more relaxed behavior. For instance, when parents leave their children home alone, they might indulge in eating ice cream and candy, playing video games, and doing things they normally aren't allowed to.
Det regner skomagerdrenge:
This is a reference to it raining large raindrops. The expression dates back to 1758 and has a sad story behind it.
The story tells of a strict cobbler who punished his apprentices for even the slightest mistakes. When one of the apprentices accidentally made a bigger mistake, he was thrown out of the second floor. The other apprentices protested and unfortunately suffered the same fate.