120+ Basic Danish Words and Phrases for Travel & Tourists
Planning a trip to Denmark this year? Review these basic Danish words and phrases for travel to help you get around a little easier. These important Danish language phrases are the most common and helpful ones you’ll need to know!
Luckily for English speakers, it’s fairly easy to travel around Denmark – especially in Copenhagen – without knowing much Danish. Most people in the service industry speak English, and that makes it easy to rest on your laurels. But in our opinion, learning a bit of the local language is part of the fun, and we think it makes you a more well-rounded traveler. Plus, learning a few basic Danish words and phrases for travel will go a long way in warming the locals to you, or even making a new friend! With that in mind, we’ve curated this list of the most important Danish language phrases you should learn before your trip to help you with the essentials – ordering at restaurants, checking in at the hotel, and just saying “thank you.” And for anything more complicated? There’s always Google Translate 😉
Visiting Copenhagen on your trip? Check out our fully premade Copenhagen itinerary and travel guide here.
No Time to Read Now? Pin this Post for Later!
Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you visit a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we trust, and all opinions are our own.
The Basic Danish Words and Phrases for Travel You Need to Know:
Basic Danish Words and Phrases for Travel
We’ve broken up our list of important Danish phrases for travel into logical categories below to help you digest things easier. Each word or phrase in English is followed by the equivalent in Danish as well as a phonetic spelling afterwards, to help you pronounce it properly. As always with our blog, the foreign language words will be in italics. When relevant, we’ve included some helpful notes on when it’s appropriate (or not) to use the word or phrase. Without further ado, let’s get into the basic Danish words you need to know to travel Denmark as a tourist!
The Basics
Let’s start off with something simple – everyday basics like “hello,” “goodbye,” “please,” and “thank you” – the most important Danish words for tourists!
- Hello – Hej – hay
- Goodbye – Farvel – far-VELL
- See you later – Vi ses – vee SESS
- Nice to meet you – Rart at møde dig – rart at MUH-thuh dye
- Please – Vær så venlig – vair soh VEN-lee
- Thank you – Tak – tahk
- You’re welcome – Selv tak – sell tahk
- Yes – Ja – yah
- No – Nej – nye
- Excuse me / Beg pardon – Undskyld – OON-skool
- I’m sorry – Det er jeg ked af – det er yeh KED ah
- I don’t speak Danish – Jeg taler ikke dansk – yeh TAY-lur EEK-uh dansk
- Do you speak English? – Taler du engelsk? – TAY-lur doo ENG-elsk
- Are dogs allowed? – Må hunde komme ind? – moh HOON-uh KOM-uh in
Getting Around
Google Maps not working? These basic Danish phrases for travel will help you out in a pinch.
- Where is…? – Hvor er…? – vor er
- How do I get to…? – Hvordan kommer jeg til…? – vor-DAN KOM-ur yeh til
- I’m lost – Jeg er faret vild – yeh er FAR-uh vild
- Left – Venstre – VEN-struh
- Right – Højre – HOY-ruh
- Straight ahead – Lige ud – LEE-uh ood
- Train – Tog – toh
- Bus – Bus – boos
- Airport – Lufthavn – LOFT-havn
- Train station – Togstation – tohg-stah-SYOHN
- Platform – Perron – peh-ROHN
- Stop – Stoppested – STOP-uh-sted
- A ticket for… – En billet til… – en bee-LET til
- One-way – Enkeltbillet – EN-kelt-bee-LET
- Round-trip – Returbillet – reh-TOOR-bee-LET
- When does it leave? – Hvornår kører den? – vor-NOR KUR-ur den
- When does it arrive? – Hvornår ankommer den? – vor-NOR AHN-kom-ur den
- Bike – Cykel – SOO-kul (Copenhagen essential)
- Bike lane – Cykelsti – SOO-kul-stee
One of the most famous ways to travel around Denmark is by cykel. But be prepared – they take their biking very seriously here! Wear a helmet, look both ways, or better yet, join a bicycle tour to help you navigate the rules of traffic.
Drinking and Dining
Ready to eat? Here are the important Danish words and phrases you need to know to order Denmark’s delicious cuisine.
- Restaurant – Restaurant – reh-stoh-RAHNG
- A table for two – Et bord til to – et bor til toh
- Menu – Menu – meh-NOO
- Waiter / Waitress – Tjener – CHEN-ur
- I’d like… – Jeg vil gerne have… – yeh vil GAR-nuh hay
- What do you recommend? – Hvad kan du anbefale? – vath kan doo AHN-uh-fay-luh
- Where is the bathroom? – Hvor er toilettet? – vor er twa-LET
- Can I get this for takeaway? – Kan jeg få den med? – kan yeh foh den meth
- Can I pay? – Må jeg betale? – moh yeh beh-TAY-luh
- The bill / check – Regningen – RYE-ning-en
- Water, still – Vand uden brus – van OOH-thun broos
- Water, sparkling – Vand med brus – van meth broos
- Red wine – Rødvin – ROOD-veen
- White wine – Hvidvin – VEE-veen
- A glass of… – Et glas… – et glahs
- Beer – Øl – uhl
- Coffee – Kaffe – KAF-uh
- Silverware – Bestik – beh-STEEK
- Napkins – Servietter – ser-vee-ET-ur
- Cheers! – Skål! – skohl
- Delicious – Lækkert – LEK-urt
- I’m allergic to… – Jeg er allergisk over for… – yeh er ah-ler-GEESK oh-vur for
- Vegetarian – Vegetar – veh-geh-TAR
Shopping
Whether you’re buying a souvenir or just some groceries at the market, here are some basic Danish words for tourists to help you complete your purchase.
- What is this? – Hvad er det? – vath er det
- How much is this? – Hvad koster det? – vath KOSS-tur det
- Do you accept cash? – Tager I kontanter? – TAY-ur ee kon-TAN-tur (rare, as Denmark is predominantly a cashless society)
- Do you have change? – Har du byttepenge? – har doo BOOT-uh-pen-guh
- Do you have…? – Har I…? – har ee
- Where can I find…? – Hvor finder jeg…? – vor FIN-ur yeh
- I’m just looking – Jeg kigger bare – yeh KEE-gur BAR-uh
- Can I try it on? – Må jeg prøve den? – moh yeh PROO-vuh den
- I’ll take it – Jeg tager den – yeh TAY-ur den
- Size – Størrelse – STUR-uhls-uh
- Small – Lille – LIL-uh
- Medium – Mellem – MEL-um
- Large – Stor – stor
- Open – Åben – OH-ben
- Closed – Lukket – LOO-ket
Denmark is famous for style and design, so make sure to leave some time for shopping in your itinerary. We highly recommend a stroll along Jægersborggade for unique, artisan items. Learn more in our Copenhagen itinerary and travel guide.
At the Hotel
Checking in at the hotel always leads to a few key questions to facilitate your stay. Ask for extra towels and make sure you don’t miss breakfast with the important Danish language phrases below.
- Hotel – Hotel – hoh-TELL
- Hostel – Vandrehjem – VAN-druh-yemw
- I have a reservation – Jeg har en reservation – yeh har en reh-ser-vah-SYOHN
- Do you have a room available? – Har I et ledigt værelse? – har ee et LEE-uht VARE-el-suh
- What time is checkout? – Hvornår er checkout? – vor-NOR er CHEK-owt
- What time is breakfast? – Hvornår er morgenmad? – vor-NOR er MOR-gen-math
- Can we leave our bags here? – Kan vi stille vores tasker her? – kan vee STIL-uh VOR-us TAS-ker her
- More towels – Flere håndklæder – FLER-uh HON-klay-thur
- Key – Nøgle – NUR-gluh
- Elevator – Elevator – eh-leh-VAY-tor
- Wi‑Fi password – Wi‑Fi kode – WEE-fee KOH-thuh
Numbers and Time
Keeping track of time is key on vacation to make sure you don’t miss out on any of your activities! Use these basic Danish words to make sure you get to the ticket office on time – and understand the price, too.
- One – En – en
- Two – To – toh
- Three – Tre – treh
- Four – Fire – FEE-ur
- Five – Fem – fem
- Six – Seks – seks
- Seven – Syv – soo
- Eight – Otte – OT-uh
- Nine – Ni – nee
- Ten – Ti – tee
- Eleven – Elleve – EL-uh-vuh
- Twelve – Tolv – tolv (or Middag – MID-dah if you mean noon)
- Twenty – Tyve – TOO-vuh
- One hundred – Hundrede – HOON-druh
- What time is it? – Hvad er klokken? – vath er KLOK-en
- Today – I dag – ee day
- Tomorrow – I morgen – ee MOR-gen
- This morning – I morges – ee MOR-gus
- In the afternoon – I eftermiddag – ee EF-tur-mid-dah
- Tonight – I aften – ee AF-ten
In an Emergency
Sometimes, bad things happen. While we hope your vacation goes flawlessly, it’s best to be prepared with these important Danish phrases for travel emergencies, just in case.
- Help! – Hjælp! – yelp
- Can you help me? – Kan du hjælpe mig? – kan doo YEL-puh my
- Can I borrow your phone? – Må jeg låne din telefon? – moh yeh LOH-nuh deen teh-leh-FOHN
- Call the police! – Ring til politiet! – ring til poh-lee-TEE-et
- They took my bag! – De tog min taske! – dee toh min TAS-kuh
- Call an ambulance! – Ring efter en ambulance! – ring EF-tur en am-boo-LANS
- Emergency – Nødsituation – NURTH-see-too-ah-SYOHN
- I’m sick – Jeg er syg – yeh er soo
- I need a doctor – Jeg har brug for en læge – yeh har broo for en LAY-uh
- Pharmacy – Apotek – ah-poh-TEHK
- Hospital – Hospital – hoh-spih-TAL
- I lost my passport – Jeg har mistet mit pas – yeh har MIS-tet mit pahs (we really, really hope you don’t need this one)
Denmark is a very safe country, but make sure to take common sense precautions, especially when you’re in crowded tourist areas. Wear a purse with a zipper, don’t keep your phone in your back pocket, and watch your drink. We also suggest you leave your passport locked in the safe at your hotel room to be extra secure.
Bonus: Colloquial Phrases
Want to really impress the locals? Move beyond the basic Danish words and learn some of these fun Danish language phrases to sling around.
- What’s up? – Hvad så? – vath soh (Very common, casual greeting)
- Really? – Virkelig? – veer-KEH-lee
- No way! – Ej! – eye (a common reaction)
- Well… you know… – Altså… – AL-suh (classic Danish filler word)
- It’s beautiful – Det er smukt – det er smookt
- Cool – Fedt – fed (super common slang)
- Relax / take it easy – Bare rolig – BAR-uh ROH-lee
- That’s cozy – Det er hyggeligt – det er HOO-guh-lit (hygge is core to Danish identity)
- No problem – Det er fint – det er feent
- Sounds good – Det lyder godt – det LOO-thur got
- Let’s go – Lad os gå – lad os goh
- I love Denmark – Jeg elsker Danmark – yeh EL-skur DAN-mark
FAQs - Other Denmark Travel Tips
When Is the Best Time to Visit Denmark?
Denmark is best visited in the summer, between June and August, when the days are warm and long. Being so far north and on the coast, Denmark can get quite cold and dark in the winter. However, we also personally recommend visiting in the fall. While it will be brisk, Tivoli Garden is incredible when decorated for Halloween, and lodging will be (slightly) cheaper during shoulder season.
Which Destinations Should I Visit in Denmark?
Denmark is a small country, but it’s full of beautiful places. We visited Copenhagen during our time in Denmark, and you can check out our travel guide here:
Aarhus is another great destination, similar to Copenhagen in many ways but smaller and easier to get around, as is Odense, famous for being the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. Better yet, we recommend visiting nearby Sweden while you’re in the area! We lived in Stockholm for a month and absolutely loved it. You can check out our Stockholm guides here:
Do I Need a Visa to Visit Denmark?
Visitors from many countries can travel to Denmark (and the rest of the EU) visa-free for up to 90 days. Check if Denmark requires a visa for visitors from your home country here.
Are There Helpful Apps I Should Download Before I Visit Denmark?
Absolutely! These are the top apps we recommend you download before your trip to Denmark:
- Airalo – having full use of your phone while traveling is incredibly important! eSIM apps like Airalo make getting cell service anywhere you travel easy and affordable. If you haven’t used it before, you can use this Airalo code to get a discount on your first purchase.
- Omio – one of the greatest joys of European travel is their incredible train network. Use Omio to find and compare routes and purchase your tickets. And, if you’re on a budget, they show bus routes too!
- Wolt – this is your go-to for food delivery, in case you’re too tired to go out for the night.
- TooGoodToGo – perfect for budget-conscious and sustainability-driven travelers, this app sells surplus food from restaurants and bakeries at a fraction of the cost, saving your budget and the planet from excess food waste.
- Google Translate – we recommend downloading the Danish language for offline use on Google Translate, so you can always communicate even if you lose cell service. While this guide to basic Danish words and phrases is helpful, we don’t expect you to memorize it all before your trip!
- Google Maps – for the same reason, we also recommend downloading the offline map of the city you’re visiting on Google Maps.
Which Travel Resources Should I Use to Plan My Trip to Denmark?
For starters, use our site! Check out our premade Copenhagen itinerary and travel guide here, including tips on where to stay, where to eat, and, of course, all the top activities and sights to see.
Once you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend the following resources:
- Flights – we use Google Flights and Skyscanner to book our flights. These resources help you compare all the airlines at once, plus give you tips on the best times to purchase. I use their price tracking features religiously to make sure we get the best deal. If you’re ready to book, head to Skyscanner now to get started:
- Hotels – we always use Booking.com for choosing hotel stays. We think they have the best prices, their star ratings are super reliable, and we love the perks we get with their rewards system.
- Transit – if you’re traveling throughout Denmark on anything other than planes – like trains and buses – we recommend Omio. Omio lets you find and compare and buy bus, train, flight, and ferry routes across Europe in one easy-to-use platform.
- Trip Planning – the most frequently opened app on our phone, regardless of our destination, is Wanderlog. This app makes travel planning SO easy. You can import all your flights, hotels, and transit information, add top sites to your itinerary, and even track and split your budget amongst your travel buddies. It also provides recommendations on where to visit and a map of all the attractions you plan to see, with transit time between each.
Do I Need Travel Insurance to Visit Denmark?
While it’s not required, we highly recommend it. You never know when something might go wrong, and it’s best to be prepared. We use and recommend SafetyWing, which is an especially good option for those traveling for a month or more. For as little as $56, it covers everything from lost luggage to hospital stays – a heck of a deal if you encounter any emergencies while abroad.
Final Thoughts on Basic Danish Words and Phrases for Travel
Altså – that’s all she wrote for our list of basic Danish words and phrases for travel and tourists! We hope these important Danish language phrases make your vacation go a little smoother. Showing your respect for the country you’re visiting by speaking the native language can lead to special encounters that may become some of your fondest memories. Share your favorite memory from visiting Denmark with us below!
After you’ve learned the important Danish phrases for travel, make sure to check out our travel guide and itinerary for Copenhagen! Let us help you make planning your trip to this incredible city stress-free.
You May Also Like
Related Posts
