When learning Danish, one of the fundamental aspects to grasp is the usage of adjectives to describe size. The words for “big” and “small” in Danish are stor and lille, respectively. These words are essential in everyday conversations and help in making descriptive sentences. This article will explore the meanings, usage, and examples of these words to enhance your understanding of the Danish language.

Stor – Big

The Danish word for “big” is stor. It is used to describe something that has a large size, extent, or capacity. This word is quite versatile and can be used in various contexts to describe physical size, importance, and intensity.

Stor – Large, big, great
Huset er meget stor.
(The house is very big.)

Stor can also imply greatness in terms of importance or impact.
Det var en stor begivenhed.
(It was a big event.)

Stor is not only limited to physical dimensions but can also refer to age when describing people or animals.
Han er en stor dreng nu.
(He is a big boy now.)

Compound Words with Stor

In Danish, adjectives like stor can combine with other words to form compound nouns, adding more specificity to the description.

Storby – Metropolis, big city
København er en storby i Danmark.
(Copenhagen is a big city in Denmark.)

Storkrig – Great war
Den første verdenskrig var en storkrig.
(The First World War was a great war.)

Storvask – Large wash, big laundry
Vi har en storvask at tage os af i dag.
(We have a big laundry to take care of today.)

Lille – Small

On the other end of the spectrum, the Danish word for “small” is lille. It is used to describe something that has a small size, extent, or capacity. Like stor, lille is also versatile and can be used in various contexts.

Lille – Small, little
Hunden er meget lille.
(The dog is very small.)

Lille can also imply insignificance or lack of importance.
Det var en lille fejl.
(It was a little mistake.)

When describing age, lille can refer to someone young.
Hun er en lille pige.
(She is a little girl.)

Compound Words with Lille

Just like stor, lille can also combine with other words to form compound nouns, providing more detailed descriptions.

Lillebror – Little brother
Min lillebror er seks år gammel.
(My little brother is six years old.)

Lillefinger – Little finger, pinky
Jeg skar mig på min lillefinger.
(I cut myself on my little finger.)

Lillesøster – Little sister
Min lillesøster går i børnehave.
(My little sister goes to kindergarten.)

Comparative and Superlative Forms

In Danish, adjectives change form to express comparative and superlative degrees. Let’s look at how stor and lille transform in these contexts.

Comparative Form

To compare two things, Danish uses the comparative form of adjectives.

Større – Bigger
Dette hus er større end det andet.
(This house is bigger than the other one.)

Mindre – Smaller
Denne kat er mindre end hunden.
(This cat is smaller than the dog.)

Superlative Form

To express the highest degree of a quality, Danish uses the superlative form.

Størst – Biggest
Dette er den største bygning i byen.
(This is the biggest building in the city.)

Mindst – Smallest
Han er den mindste i klassen.
(He is the smallest in the class.)

Idiomatic Expressions with Stor and Lille

Danish, like any language, has idiomatic expressions that use these adjectives. Understanding these can provide deeper insights into the language and culture.

Stor i slaget – Big in words, boastful
Han er altid stor i slaget, men gør aldrig noget.
(He is always boastful, but never does anything.)

Gå i de små sko – To nitpick, be petty
Du skal ikke gå i de små sko over det her.
(You shouldn’t nitpick over this.)

En lille fugl hviskede i mit øre – A little bird told me
En lille fugl hviskede i mit øre, at du har fødselsdag.
(A little bird told me that it’s your birthday.)

Practice Exercises

To solidify your understanding of stor and lille, try these practice exercises.

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of stor or lille:
– Hunden er ikke så ______ som katten.
– Dette er den ________ by i landet.
– Han er min ________ bror.
– Vi har en ________ fest i morgen.

2. Translate the following sentences into Danish:
– The small dog is very cute.
– This is the biggest apple I have ever seen.
– My little sister loves to play with dolls.
– He is bigger than his brother.

3. Create sentences using the following compound words:
– Storby
– Lillefinger
– Storkrig
– Lillebror

Conclusion

Understanding the usage of stor and lille is vital for describing size and importance in Danish. By mastering these adjectives and their various forms, you can create more nuanced and accurate descriptions in your conversations. Practice using these words in different contexts to become more comfortable with their applications. Happy learning!