Learning a new language can be an exciting yet challenging journey. If you’ve decided to learn Danish, starting with the basics is essential. This article will guide you through some fundamental Danish words and phrases that are crucial for an A1 level learner. Whether you plan to visit Denmark, interact with Danish speakers, or simply have a passion for languages, these words will provide a solid foundation.

Greetings and Basic Phrases

Understanding common greetings and basic phrases is the first step in learning Danish. These are the words and expressions you’ll use daily, so let’s get started!

– **Hej** – Hello
– **Goddag** – Good day
– **Godmorgen** – Good morning
– **Godaften** – Good evening
– **Godnat** – Good night
– **Farvel** – Goodbye
– **Tak** – Thank you
– **Ja** – Yes
– **Nej** – No
– **Undskyld** – Excuse me / Sorry
– **Hvordan har du det?** – How are you?
– **Jeg har det godt** – I am well
– **Hvad hedder du?** – What is your name?
– **Jeg hedder…** – My name is…
– **Hyggeligt at møde dig** – Nice to meet you

Numbers

Knowing numbers is essential for various everyday situations, such as shopping, telling time, and understanding addresses. Here are the numbers from 1 to 20 in Danish:

– **En** – One
– **To** – Two
– **Tre** – Three
– **Fire** – Four
– **Fem** – Five
– **Seks** – Six
– **Syv** – Seven
– **Otte** – Eight
– **Ni** – Nine
– **Ti** – Ten
– **Elleve** – Eleven
– **Tolv** – Twelve
– **Tretten** – Thirteen
– **Fjorten** – Fourteen
– **Femten** – Fifteen
– **Seksten** – Sixteen
– **Sytten** – Seventeen
– **Atten** – Eighteen
– **Nitten** – Nineteen
– **Tyve** – Twenty

Days of the Week

Learning the days of the week will help you understand schedules and plan activities. Here are the days of the week in Danish:

– **Mandag** – Monday
– **Tirsdag** – Tuesday
– **Onsdag** – Wednesday
– **Torsdag** – Thursday
– **Fredag** – Friday
– **Lørdag** – Saturday
– **Søndag** – Sunday

Months of the Year

Knowing the months of the year is useful for discussing dates and events. Here are the months in Danish:

– **Januar** – January
– **Februar** – February
– **Marts** – March
– **April** – April
– **Maj** – May
– **Juni** – June
– **Juli** – July
– **August** – August
– **September** – September
– **Oktober** – October
– **November** – November
– **December** – December

Common Nouns

To build your vocabulary, it’s important to know some common nouns. Here are a few that you will frequently encounter:

– **Mand** – Man
– **Kvinde** – Woman
– **Dreng** – Boy
– **Pige** – Girl
– **Barn** – Child
– **Familie** – Family
– **Ven** – Friend (male)
– **Veninde** – Friend (female)
– **Hus** – House
– **Lejlighed** – Apartment
– **Værelse** – Room
– **By** – City
– **Land** – Country
– **Bil** – Car
– **Cykel** – Bicycle
– **Bus** – Bus
– **Tog** – Train
– **Fly** – Airplane
– **Hund** – Dog
– **Kat** – Cat

Basic Verbs

Verbs are the action words that are essential for forming sentences. Here are some basic Danish verbs you should know:

– **At være** – To be
– **At have** – To have
– **At gå** – To go
– **At komme** – To come
– **At spise** – To eat
– **At drikke** – To drink
– **At sove** – To sleep
– **At arbejde** – To work
– **At læse** – To read
– **At skrive** – To write
– **At tale** – To speak
– **At høre** – To hear
– **At se** – To see

Conjugating Basic Verbs

Understanding how to conjugate verbs in the present tense is crucial for constructing sentences. Here’s how to conjugate some of the basic verbs:

– **At være (To be)**
– Jeg er – I am
– Du er – You are
– Han/Hun/Det er – He/She/It is
– Vi er – We are
– I er – You (plural) are
– De er – They are

– **At have (To have)**
– Jeg har – I have
– Du har – You have
– Han/Hun/Det har – He/She/It has
– Vi har – We have
– I har – You (plural) have
– De har – They have

– **At gå (To go)**
– Jeg går – I go
– Du går – You go
– Han/Hun/Det går – He/She/It goes
– Vi går – We go
– I går – You (plural) go
– De går – They go

Common Adjectives

Adjectives help describe nouns and give more information about them. Here are some common Danish adjectives:

– **Stor** – Big
– **Lille** – Small
– **God** – Good
– **Dårlig** – Bad
– **Ny** – New
– **Gammel** – Old
– **Smuk** – Beautiful
– **Grim** – Ugly
– **Sød** – Sweet
– **Sur** – Sour

Common Adverbs

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, and they provide more details about how, when, or where something happens. Here are some common Danish adverbs:

– **Meget** – Very
– **Lidt** – Little
– **Ofte** – Often
– **Sjældent** – Seldom
– **Aldrig** – Never
– **Alltid** – Always
– **Nu** – Now
– **Senere** – Later
– **Her** – Here
– **Der** – There

Useful Pronouns

Pronouns are words that replace nouns, making sentences less repetitive. Here are some essential Danish pronouns:

– **Jeg** – I
– **Du** – You (singular)
– **Han** – He
– **Hun** – She
– **Det** – It
– **Vi** – We
– **I** – You (plural)
– **De** – They

Useful Phrases for Everyday Situations

Now that you have a basic vocabulary, let’s look at some useful phrases for everyday situations:

– **Hvor er toilettet?** – Where is the bathroom?
– **Hvad koster det?** – How much does it cost?
– **Kan du hjælpe mig?** – Can you help me?
– **Jeg forstår ikke** – I don’t understand
– **Taler du engelsk?** – Do you speak English?
– **Jeg vil gerne have…** – I would like to have…
– **Det er en god idé** – That is a good idea
– **Jeg er sulten** – I am hungry
– **Jeg er tørstig** – I am thirsty
– **Jeg er træt** – I am tired

Asking Questions

Being able to ask questions is vital for communication. Here are some common question words and phrases:

– **Hvad** – What
– **Hvor** – Where
– **Hvornår** – When
– **Hvorfor** – Why
– **Hvordan** – How
– **Hvem** – Who

Example questions:
– **Hvad laver du?** – What are you doing?
– **Hvor bor du?** – Where do you live?
– **Hvornår kommer du?** – When are you coming?
– **Hvorfor er du her?** – Why are you here?
– **Hvordan går det?** – How is it going?
– **Hvem er det?** – Who is it?

Basic Grammar Rules

Understanding some basic grammar rules will help you construct sentences correctly.

Noun Gender and Definite Articles

In Danish, nouns have two genders: common (n-words) and neuter (t-words). The definite article is added to the end of the noun:

– **En mand** (a man) becomes **manden** (the man)
– **Et hus** (a house) becomes **huset** (the house)

Word Order

Danish word order is generally subject-verb-object (SVO), similar to English. However, in questions and some other sentence types, the verb precedes the subject:

– **Du spiser æblet** – You eat the apple
– **Spiser du æblet?** – Are you eating the apple?

Practice Tips

To effectively learn and remember these words, consistent practice is key. Here are some tips to help you:

– **Use Flashcards**: Create flashcards with the Danish word on one side and the English translation on the other.
– **Label Items**: Label items around your house with their Danish names.
– **Practice Speaking**: Try to use the words in sentences and practice speaking with a language partner or tutor.
– **Listen to Danish**: Listen to Danish music, podcasts, or watch Danish TV shows to get accustomed to the pronunciation and usage of the words.

Conclusion

Learning Danish at an A1 level involves familiarizing yourself with basic vocabulary, common phrases, numbers, days of the week, months, and simple grammar rules. By mastering these foundational elements, you will be well on your way to communicating effectively in Danish. Keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes—language learning is a gradual process, and every effort brings you closer to fluency. Good luck on your Danish language journey!