It’s hard to believe that a country that was once the homeland of the fierce Vikings now largely follows the concept of ‘Hygge’, which translates into cozy, comfortable and underrated, private and quiet lives at home. Yes, the Danes are modest, minimalist and kind people, and if you ever find yourself lost somewhere in this beautiful country, any local would be happy to get you out of trouble.
Still, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Here are some important Danish words for every traveler to keep in mind when in Denmark.
1. Ambassade: translates to “Embassy.” This is a word to keep in mind in any foreign country. No one is guaranteed to have an uneventful journey, and if you need to find it, you need to know what the word “embassy” translates to in the local dialect. The complete sentence will be: “Jeg leder efter den embasade” – “I’m looking for the embassy.”
2. Herrer: translates as “Men.” This would come in handy when you are looking for restrooms in restaurants and public places.
3. Damer: The Danish word for “Women.” Again, it comes in handy when looking for a bathroom.
4. Politiet: translates to “Police.” The easiest way to find help in a foreign country is through the local police, known as “Politiet” on the spot.
5. Et offentligt WC: This translates to “A public toilet”. You can also use the word “Toiletter” if the phrase is too difficult to remember. An example: «Jeg leder efter et offentligt toilet / Jeg leder efter et toiletter» – I am looking for a public toilet / toilet.
6. Lufthavn: translates to “airport”. It is another essential word that one must remember when traveling in Denmark.
7. Taxa: translates as “Taxi”. This is one of the most basic words to know when traveling abroad, so you can stop transportation when needed. Also, tipping taxi drivers and waiters is not the norm in Denmark. Of course, it is appreciated, but not considered necessary, so you can waive the tip if you wish.
8. Indgang: translates as “Entrance”. Of course, you don’t want to walk in the wrong door to embarrass yourself in front of foreign people. So you must have your inputs and outputs correct.
9. Udgang: translates as “Exit.” Knowing which way to go is useful anywhere. But hey, if you don’t know the term, you can follow the crowd.
10. Tid: translates to “Time.” This is the “generic” term for the weather in Denmark. However, if he wants to know someone’s time, he usually says: “Hvad er Klokken”: What is the time?
11. Marked: translates to “Market”. The Danish word is almost the same as the English word, so it should be easy to remember. As you ask the price, you can say, “Hvor meget koster?” – How much?
12. Mit hotel: technically a phrase, but important nonetheless. It translates as “My hotel.” This is also easy to remember, as the word is the same as it is in English.
13. Turist Informationen: translates to “Tourist Office”. You should know the official term in emergencies or if you need help or information.
14. Tjeneren: translates to “waiter.” The pronunciation of this can be a bit tricky. It is pronounced as “Je-na-an.” When you want to get the attention of waiting, you generally say, “Undskyld mig?” – “Excuse me waiter!”
15. Telefon: translates to “telephone.” This is also quite close to its English equivalent, which makes it quite obvious. An example might be: “Kan jeg bruge din telefon?” – “Can I use your phone?”
You generally won’t need to learn a large number of words to travel in Denmark, but a working knowledge of pronouns, greetings, and basic words and phrases is also helpful.
