List of the 1000 most common Danish words

To produce this list of the 1000 most common Danish words, we processed a large number of Danish texts. Vocabulary words were converted to their dictionary form (inflections were removed) through a process called lemmatization.

The purpose of this list is to provide a resource for language learners who want to focus on assimilating the most frequently used Danish vocabulary words.

Filter by word type

Show comments for some of the words

og

[conjunction]

(and)

So the most common Danish word is the conjunction “og” (which translates to “and”). With only two letters, this is a short word. In fact, linguists have observed across many languages that frequently used words tend to be shorter, a phenomenon known as the “brevity law” or “Zipf's law of abbreviation”. What may surprise you is that the most common word in Danish is not a definite article, as is the case in many languages; we explain the reason for this below, in the entry for the word “den”.
være

[verb]

(to be)
i

[preposition]

(in)
en

[article]

(a, an)
at

[particle]

(to)
den

[article]

(the)

In many of the languages that have them, the definite articles appear right at the top of the most commonly used words. This is not the case in Danish. The reason is that in Danish, the definite article is often a postpositive article (which means that it is attached to the end of the noun like a suffix). In Danish, it is only when the noun has an adjective or a genitive that the definite article is a separate word placed in front of the noun.
til

[preposition]

(to)
på

[preposition]

(on)
af

[preposition]

(of)
med

[preposition]

(with)
det

[pronoun]

(it)

The Danish word “det” is very common because not only does it serve as the definite article (for nouns with neuter grammatical gender), but in addition, it is also used as a pronoun —in which case it can be translated as “that” or “it”.
have

[verb]

(have)
for

[preposition]

(for)
der

[adverb]

(there)
kunne

[verb]

(can)
jeg

[pronoun]

(I)
som

[conjunction]

(as)
ikke

[adverb]

(not)
du

[pronoun]

(you)

In the modern Danish language, the informal pronoun “du” has become more common, and the formal pronoun “De” has become rarer. This is due to a shift that started in the 1970s in Danish society towards a more egalitarian and informal culture. This reflects a broader societal trend towards flattening social hierarchies and promoting a more casual and friendly atmosphere.
vi

[pronoun]

(we)
om

[preposition]

(about)
så

[adverb]

(so)
blive

[verb]

(to be)
fra

[preposition]

(from)
skulle

[verb]

(should)
men

[conjunction]

(but)
få

[verb]

(to get)
de

[pronoun]

(they)
ville

[verb]

(will)
man

[pronoun]

(you)
denne

[pronoun]

(this one)
eller

[conjunction]

(or)
også

[adverb]

(also)
meget

[adverb]

(much)
mange

[adjective]

(many)
ved

[preposition]

(at)
han

[pronoun]

(he)
al

[pronoun]

(all)
nogen

[pronoun]

(someone)
anden

[pronoun]

(other)
sig

[pronoun]

(oneself, itself)
god

[adjective]

(good)
hvor

[adverb]

(where)
se

[verb]

(to see)
stor

[adjective]

(large)
komme

[verb]

(to come)
din

[determiner]

(your, yours)
år

[noun]

(year)
ny

[adjective]

(new)
efter

[preposition]

(after)
her

[adverb]

(here)
hvis

[conjunction]

(if)
ud

[adverb]

(out)
når

[conjunction]

(when)
over

[preposition]

(above)
min

[adjective]

(my, mine)
gøre

[verb]

(to do)
nu

[adverb]

(now)
da

[conjunction]

(as)
dag

[noun]

(day)
op

[preposition]

(up)
gå

[verb]

(to go)
sin

[pronoun]

(his, her, its)
vores

[pronoun]

(ours)
tage

[verb]

(to take)
give

[verb]

(to give)
hun

[pronoun]

(she)
sige

[verb]

(to say)
selv

[pronoun]

(self)
finde

[verb]

(to find)
bruge

[verb]

(to use)
gang

[noun]

(a time, a time)
lille

[adjective]

(small)
hvad

[pronoun]

(what)
lidt

[adverb]

(a little)
tid

[noun]

(time)
deres

[pronoun]

(their)
lige

[adverb]

(just)
dansk

[adjective]

(Danish)
kun

[adverb]

(only)
helt

[adverb]

(quite)
end

[conjunction]

(than)
arbejde

[verb]

(work)

The spelling difference between this Danish word and its German counterpart, “Arbeit”, illustrates a linguistic phenomenon called the High German consonant shift. This is discussed in this language comparison article on Danish versus German.
ind

[adverb]

(in)
hel

[adjective]

(whole)
to

[numeral]

(two)
godt

[adverb]

(well)
måtte

[verb]

(must)
lave

[verb]

(to make)
under

[preposition]

(under)
barn

[noun]

(child)

In linguistics and among language learners, a word like this is called a “false friend” because it resembles a word from another language (in this case the word “barn” in English), but it has a completely different meaning.
derfor

[adverb]

(therefore)
mod

[preposition]

(against)
Danmark

[proper noun]

(Denmark)
sted

[noun]

(place)
første

[adjective]

(first)
klokke

[noun]

(bell)

The reason why the word “klokke” is frequently used in Danish is that in addition to meaning “bell”, it is also used when telling the time. For example, the phrase “Klokken er fem” means “It's five o'clock”.
del

[noun]

(part)
mere

[adjective]

(more)
både

[conjunction]

(both)
hver

[pronoun]

(each)
bare

[adverb]

(just)
uden

[preposition]

(without)
stå

[verb]

(to stand)
skrive

[verb]

(to write)

Danish is not a Latin-based language, but it has adopted some Latin words over time. One such example is the Danish verb “skrive,” meaning “to write.” It is derived from the Latin verb “scribo,” which shares the same meaning and is the root of several words in modern Romance languages like “escribir” in Spanish and “écrire” in French.
dog

[adverb]

(however)

The Danish word “dog” is an example of what is called a “false friend” in the context of language learning: it resembles an English word, but it has an entirely different meaning. In Danish, the word “dog” has no relation to the canine animal. It is an adverb that translates to “however”.
sammen

[adverb]

(together)
side

[noun]

(page)
mulighed

[noun]

(possibility)
hos

[preposition]

(at x's place)
holde

[verb]

(to hold)
rigtig

[adjective]

(right)
igen

[adverb]

(again)
mellem

[preposition]

(between)
samt

[conjunction]

(as well)
vise

[verb]

(to show)
forskellig

[adjective]

(different)
sætte

[verb]

(to put)
siden

[adverb]

(since)
læse

[verb]

(to read)
samme

[adjective]

(same)
hvordan

[adverb]

(how)
ingen

[pronoun]

(none)
følge

[verb]

(to follow)
sidste

[adjective]

(last)
inden

[preposition]

(before)
nok

[adverb]

(enough)
ligge

[verb]

(to lie, to be located)
hvilken

[pronoun]

(which)
krone

[noun]

(crown)

“Krone” is a common word in Danish because it refers to the Danish currency. The Danish krone has been the official currency of Denmark since 1875 and is also used in the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The word “krone” literally means “crown” in Danish.
egen

[adjective]

(own)
ønske

[verb]

(to wish)
I

[pronoun]

(you - plural)

In Danish, the word “I” is a second-person plural pronoun used to address multiple people. It is translated to English as “you.” This may confuse English speakers learning Danish because “I” in English is the first-person singular pronoun. (see this guide to Danish pronouns)
vælge

[verb]

(choose)
sådan

[adverb]

(like that)
gerne

[adverb]

(gladly)
før

[conjunction]

(before)
billede

[noun]

(image)
altid

[adverb]

(always)
måske

[adverb]

(perhaps)
spille

[verb]

(to play)
fordi

[conjunction]

(because)
gammel

[adjective]

(old)
måde

[noun]

(way)
høj

[adjective]

(tall)
ske

[verb]

(happen)
vide

[verb]

(to know)
land

[noun]

(country)
tilbage

[adverb]

(left)
pris

[noun]

(price)
omkring

[preposition]

(around)
købe

[verb]

(buy)
ret

[adverb]

(rather)
endnu

[adverb]

(yet)
uge

[noun]

(week)
sende

[verb]

(send)
by

[noun]

(city)
lang

[adjective]

(long)
vej

[noun]

(road)
brug

[noun]

(use)
køre

[verb]

(to drive)
hans

[pronoun]

(his)
kommune

[noun]

(municipality)

“Kommune” is a frequently used Danish word because it refers to an important administrative subdivision in Denmark. The country is divided into approximately a hundred of these units, each one being responsible for local governance and urban planning.
liv

[noun]

(life)
frem

[adverb]

(forward)
møde

[verb]

(to meet)
blandt

[preposition]

(among)
tro

[verb]

(to believe)
tale

[verb]

(to speak)
lade

[verb]

(let)
synes

[verb]

(to seem)
plads

[noun]

(place)
forhold

[noun]

(relationship)
vigtig

[adjective]

(important)
menneske

[noun]

(human)
skabe

[verb]

(to create)
ned

[preposition]

(down)
ung

[adjective]

(young)
mand

[noun]

(man)
lægge

[verb]

(to lay)
område

[noun]

(area)
ting

[noun]

(thing)
kamp

[noun]

(struggle, battle, match)
verden

[noun]

(world)
par

[noun]

(couple)
cirka

[adverb]

(approximately)
gennem

[preposition]

(through)
problem

[noun]

(problem)
tre

[numeral]

(three)
kort

[adjective]

(short)
mulig

[adjective]

(possible)
mest

[adverb]

(mostly)
medlem

[noun]

(member)
klar

[adjective]

(clear)
stadig

[adverb]

(constantly)
høre

[verb]

(to hear)
prøve

[verb]

(to try)
længe

[adverb]

(long)
kommentar

[noun]

(comment)
fortælle

[verb]

(to tell)
først

[adverb]

(first)
måned

[noun]

(month)
hjælpe

[verb]

(to help)
række

[noun]

(row)
mens

[conjunction]

(while)
bog

[noun]

(book)
mene

[verb]

(to think)
produkt

[noun]

(product)
starte

[verb]

(to start)
betyde

[verb]

(to mean)
København

[proper noun]

(Copenhagen)

The word “København” is frequently found in Danish texts because it is the Danish name for the city of Copenhagen, the capital and largest city of Denmark.
næste

[adjective]

(next)
time

[noun]

(hour)
spørgsmål

[noun]

(question)
person

[noun]

(person)
samtidig

[adverb]

(at the same time)
allerede

[adverb]

(already)
samle

[verb]

(collect)
skole

[noun]

(school)
begynde

[verb]

(begin)
hjem

[adverb]

(home)
tænke

[verb]

(to think)
findes

[verb]

(to exist)
sidde

[verb]

(to sit)
grund

[noun]

(reason)
søge

[verb]

(to search)
sag

[noun]

(thing, affair)
projekt

[noun]

(project)
tur

[noun]

(turn, tour)
form

[noun]

(form)
forbindelse

[noun]

(connection)
penge

[noun]

(money)
burde

[verb]

(should, ought)
vand

[noun]

(water)
samarbejde

[noun]

(cooperation)
rundt

[adverb]

(around)
stille

[verb]

(to put)
sikre

[verb]

(ensure)
masse

[noun]

(mass)
folk

[noun]

(people)
deltage

[verb]

(participate)
ofte

[adverb]

(often)
hold

[noun]

(team)
hjemmeside

[noun]

(homepage)
vinde

[verb]

(win)
aldrig

[adverb]

(never)
resultat

[noun]

(result)
hus

[noun]

(house)

Danish and Dutch are both Germanic languages and they have some similar words in common. For instance, the Danish word “hus,” meaning “house,” resembles its Dutch counterpart, “huis.” For more similar words, see this language comparison of Danish and Dutch.
videre

[adverb]

(further)
bil

[noun]

(car)
gælde

[verb]

(to be valid)
løb

[noun]

(running)
ja

[interjection]

(yes)
faktisk

[adjective]

(factual)
opgave

[noun]

(task)
således

[adverb]

(thus)
mål

[noun]

(goal)
udvikling

[noun]

(development)
familie

[noun]

(family)
dejlig

[adjective]

(lovely)
aften

[noun]

(evening)
fin

[adjective]

(fine)
kvinde

[noun]

(a woman)
kende

[verb]

(know)
navn

[noun]

(name)
historie

[noun]

(history)
udvikle

[verb]

(to develop)
lide

[verb]

(suffer)
opleve

[verb]

(to experience)
betale

[verb]

(to pay)
blot

[adverb]

(only)
netop

[adverb]

(just)
hjælp

[noun]

(help)
næsten

[adverb]

(almost)
lære

[verb]

(to learn)
hendes

[pronoun]

(her)
nemlig

[adverb]

(namely)
igennem

[preposition]

(through)
desuden

[adverb]

(moreover)
farve

[noun]

(color)
nummer

[noun]

(number)
glæde

[verb]

(to delight)
film

[noun]

(film)

The wide use of the word “film” in the Danish language reflects the fact that Denmark has a vibrant film industry that has produced many critically acclaimed movies. Danish cinema is also known for an influential film movement, “Dogma 95”, founded by Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, which advocated for a more back-to-basics approach to filmmaking.
rejse

[verb]

(to travel, to raise)
modtage

[verb]

(to receive)
falde

[verb]

(to fall)
handle

[verb]

(act)
tilbyde

[verb]

(offer)
aftale

[noun]

(agreement)
begge

[pronoun]

(both)
kalde

[verb]

(to call)
million

[noun]

(a million)
gruppe

[noun]

(a group)
fri

[adjective]

(free)
virke

[verb]

(to function, to have an effect)
let

[adjective]

(easy)
passe

[verb]

(to attend to)
svar

[noun]

(answer)
ramme

[verb]

(to affect)
ende

[verb]

(to end)
mindst

[adverb]

(least)
behov

[noun]

(need)
hurtigt

[adverb]

(quickly)
især

[adverb]

(especially)
kræve

[verb]

(to require)
start

[noun]

(start)
direkte

[adverb]

(directly)
spændende

[adjective]

(exciting)
tak

[noun]

(thanks)
kunde

[noun]

(customer)
leve

[verb]

(to live)
stykke

[noun]

(piece)
bag

[preposition]

(behind)
procent

[noun]

(percent)
sen

[adjective]

(late)
dermed

[adverb]

(thus)
selvfølgelig

[adverb]

(of course)
hvorfor

[adverb]

(why)
information

[noun]

(information)
elev

[noun]

(student)
sælge

[verb]

(to sell)
kvalitet

[noun]

(quality)
svær

[adjective]

(difficult)

The Danish word “svær” is an adjective that means “difficult” in English. It is interesting to note that this word also exists in Norwegian but with a different meaning. In Norwegian, “svær” means “heavy” instead of “difficult.” For more on this, see this language comparison of Danish and Norwegian.
ændre

[verb]

(to change)
ord

[noun]

(word)
støtte

[verb]

(to support)
tidlig

[adjective]

(early)
tilbud

[noun]

(an offer, a proposition)
nå

[verb]

(to reach)
bestå

[verb]

(to pass an exam)
selvom

[conjunction]

(although)
fantastisk

[adjective]

(fantastic)
heller

[adverb]

(either)
tæt

[adverb]

(closely)
grad

[noun]

(degree)
bo

[verb]

(to live)
spise

[verb]

(to eat)
sort

[adjective]

(black)
vare

[noun]

(a product, a commodity)
mad

[noun]

(food)
uddannelse

[noun]

(education)
hånd

[noun]

(hand)
lov

[noun]

(law)
marts

[noun]

(March)
maj

[noun]

(May)
føle

[verb]

(to feel)
dyr

[noun]

(animal)
oplysning

[noun]

(information)
ekstra

[adjective]

(extra)

The Danish word “ekstra” and the English word “extra” are cognates, meaning they share the same etymological origin. Both words can be traced back to the Latin term “extrā.” Interestingly, while the Danish alphabet includes the letter “x,” it is not often used in spelling Danish vocabulary words. Instead, many words that would traditionally be spelled with “x” in other languages are spelled with “ks” in Danish.
medarbejder

[noun]

(employee)
mærke

[verb]

(to mark)
senere

[adjective]

(later)
glad

[adjective]

(happy)
håbe

[verb]

(to hope)
lokal

[adjective]

(local)
eksempel

[noun]

(example)

The Danish word “eksempel” translates to “example” in English, and it comes from the Latin word “exemplum.” However, the Danish language typically avoids using the letter “x,” so the word is spelled differently. Many Latin words that contain “x” are spelled with “ks” in Danish.
forsøge

[verb]

(try)
slå

[verb]

(to beat)
hinanden

[pronoun]

(each other)
gratis

[adverb]

(free)
ven

[noun]

(friend)
forstå

[verb]

(to understand)
bygge

[verb]

(to build)
minut

[noun]

(minute)
tidligere

[adverb]

(formerly)
trække

[verb]

(drag)
ude

[adverb]

(out)
periode

[noun]

(period)
artikel

[noun]

(article)
desværre

[adverb]

(unfortunately)
fire

[numeral]

(four)
april

[noun]

(April)
mangle

[verb]

(lack)
levere

[verb]

(to supply)
føre

[verb]

(to lead)
hund

[noun]

(dog)
forvente

[verb]

(to expect)
huske

[verb]

(to remember)
billig

[adjective]

(cheap)

The Danish adjective “billig” translates to “cheap” in English. Interestingly, this word has its origin in the German language. The term “billig” in German also means “cheap”, and it is likely that the word was introduced into Danish through trade and commerce relations between the two countries.
alligevel

[adverb]

(anyway)
smuk

[adjective]

(beautiful)
lyde

[verb]

(to sound)
ligesom

[conjunction]

(like)
sjov

[adjective]

(fun)
kontakt

[noun]

(contact)
spil

[noun]

(a game)
øje

[noun]

(eye)
vente

[verb]

(wait)
krav

[noun]

(a requirement)
regel

[noun]

(rule)
antal

[noun]

(number)
fuld

[adjective]

(full)
lys

[noun]

(light)
januar

[noun]

(January)
september

[noun]

(September)
eneste

[adjective]

(only)
fald

[noun]

(decrease)
almindelig

[adjective]

(ordinary)
åben

[adjective]

(open)
fylde

[verb]

(to fill)
aktivitet

[noun]

(activity)
indenfor

[adverb]

(inside)
offentlig

[adjective]

(public)
ene

[adjective]

(alone)
endelig

[adverb]

(finally)
indtil

[conjunction]

(until)
ifølge

[preposition]

(according to)
pige

[noun]

(girl)
varm

[adjective]

(warm)
december

[noun]

(December)
forælder

[noun]

(parent)
benytte

[verb]

(to use)
forslag

[noun]

(proposal)
forening

[noun]

(association)
spørge

[verb]

(to ask)
sikker

[adjective]

(sure)
system

[noun]

(system)
lukke

[verb]

(to close)
fortsætte

[verb]

(to continue)
nødvendig

[adjective]

(necessary)
flytte

[verb]

(move)
stærk

[adjective]

(strong)
krop

[noun]

(body)
musik

[noun]

(music)
lørdag

[noun]

(Saturday)
stige

[verb]

(to increase)
søndag

[noun]

(Sunday)
social

[adjective]

(social)
politisk

[adjective]

(political)
væk

[adverb]

(away)
regering

[noun]

(government)
hvid

[adjective]

(white)
svare

[verb]

(reply)
åbne

[verb]

(to open)
besøge

[verb]

(to visit)
herunder

[adverb]

(below)
lav

[adjective]

(low)
økonomisk

[adjective]

(economic)
hvem

[pronoun]

(who)
adgang

[noun]

(access)
morgen

[noun]

(morning)
viden

[noun]

(knowledge)

Given the Danish emphasis on education and lifelong learning, it comes as no surprise that the word “viden” (which translates to “knowledge”) is an extensively used term in the Danish language.
ligne

[verb]

(look like)
november

[noun]

(November)
sikkert

[adverb]

(certainly)
oktober

[noun]

(October)
ansætte

[verb]

(employ)
kigge

[verb]

(to look)
anbefale

[verb]

(recommend)
vis

[adjective]

(certain)
valg

[noun]

(election)
rød

[adjective]

(red)
foregå

[verb]

(to happen, to take place)
formål

[noun]

(purpose)
vende

[verb]

(to turn)
kendt

[adjective]

(known)
salg

[noun]

(sale)
øge

[verb]

(to increase)
februar

[noun]

(February)
sidst

[adjective]

(last)
derefter

[adverb]

(thereafter)
bedst

[adjective]

(best)
mor

[noun]

(mother)
spiller

[noun]

(player)
rest

[noun]

(remainder)
international

[adjective]

(international)
vel

[adverb]

(well)
lyst

[noun]

(desire)
hedde

[verb]

(to be called)
formand

[noun]

(chairman)
løbe

[verb]

(to run)
fungere

[verb]

(to function)
lejlighed

[noun]

(apartment)
naturligvis

[adverb]

(of course)
råd

[noun]

(advice)
tidspunkt

[noun]

(time)
trods

[preposition]

(despite)
fælles

[adjective]

(common)
grøn

[adjective]

(green)
fredag

[noun]

(Friday)
juni

[noun]

(June)
bestemt

[adverb]

(certainly)
tanke

[noun]

(thought)
klub

[noun]

(a club)
jeres

[pronoun]

(your)
selskab

[noun]

(company)
fremtid

[noun]

(future)
fordel

[noun]

(advantage)
slags

[noun]

(a kind of)
kæmpe

[verb]

(battle)
størrelse

[noun]

(size)
imod

[preposition]

(against)
millimeter

[noun]

(millimeter)
klasse

[noun]

(class)
død

[noun]

(death)
velkommen

[interjection]

(welcome)
dansker

[noun]

(Dane)
indhold

[noun]

(content)
egentlig

[adverb]

(really)
snart

[adverb]

(soon)
dække

[verb]

(cover)
bruger

[noun]

(a user)
bede

[verb]

(to ask)
borger

[noun]

(a citizen)
august

[noun]

(August)
besøg

[noun]

(a visit)
marked

[noun]

(market)
hente

[verb]

(fetch)
skifte

[verb]

(to change)
sæson

[noun]

(season)
interesse

[noun]

(interest)
dårlig

[adjective]

(bad)
kilometer

[noun]

(kilometer)
personlig

[adjective]

(personal)
koste

[noun]

(cost)
perfekt

[adjective]

(perfect)
bane

[noun]

(track, lane)
slet

[adverb]

(at all)
politi

[noun]

(police)
forskel

[noun]

(difference)
emne

[noun]

(subject)
ad

[preposition]

(by)
aktiv

[adjective]

(active)
nævne

[verb]

(to mention)
hurtig

[adjective]

(quick)
mindre

[adverb]

(smaller, lesser)
enten

[conjunction]

(either)
Peter

[proper noun]
sød

[adjective]

(sweet)
elske

[verb]

(to love)
arrangement

[noun]

(arrangement)
samfund

[noun]

(society)

The frequent usage of the word “samfund” (which can be translated as “community” or “society”) reflects the strong sense of community and social cohesiveness in Denmark.
materiale

[noun]

(material)
natur

[noun]

(nature)
inde

[adverb]

(inside)
nær

[adjective]

(near)
byde

[verb]

(bid)
Jensen

[proper noun]
kirke

[noun]

(church)
dele

[verb]

(share)
positiv

[adjective]

(positive)
job

[noun]

(job)
sommer

[noun]

(summer)
fem

[numeral]

(five)
Hansen

[proper noun]
venstre

[adjective]

(left)
bred

[adjective]

(wide)
leder

[noun]

(manager)
ringe

[verb]

(to call)
nyde

[verb]

(enjoy)
hverdag

[noun]

(weekday)
træ

[noun]

(tree)

Given Denmark’s commitment to sustainability, biodiversity, and environmentally friendly living, it comes as no surprise that the word “træ” (meaning “tree”) is often used in the Danish language
ansvar

[noun]

(liability)
læge

[noun]

(doctor)
udfordring

[noun]

(a challenge)
dreng

[noun]

(boy)
bygning

[noun]

(a building)
kontakte

[verb]

(to contact)
bank

[noun]

(bank)
herefter

[adverb]

(hereafter)
undervisning

[noun]

(education, instruction)
skøn

[adjective]

(beautiful)
tvivl

[noun]

(doubt)
stand

[noun]

(position)
hoved

[noun]

(head)
Nielsen

[proper noun]
stemme

[noun]

(vote)
tekst

[noun]

(a text)
lækker

[adjective]

(delicious)
beslutte

[verb]

(decide)
fortsat

[adverb]

(constantly)
voksen

[adjective]

(adult)
vokse

[verb]

(to grow)
oplyse

[verb]

(illuminate)
torsdag

[noun]

(Thursday)
hård

[adjective]

(hard)
bolig

[noun]

(residence)
værdi

[noun]

(value)
hyggelig

[adjective]

(cozy)

“Hyggelig” is a frequently-used word in Danish because it is a key part of Danish culture and values. It is a difficult word to translate directly into English, but it can be described as a feeling of coziness, comfort, and warmth, often associated with spending time with friends and loved ones in a relaxed and informal setting.
interessere

[verb]

(to interest)
sørge

[verb]

(mourn)
placere

[verb]

(place)
betydning

[noun]

(meaning)
færdig

[adjective]

(finished)
ren

[adjective]

(pure)
jord

[noun]

(earth)
oprette

[verb]

(to create)
hotel

[noun]

(hotel)
afdeling

[noun]

(section)
nej

[interjection]

(no)
liste

[noun]

(a list)
weekend

[noun]

(weekend)
kraft

[noun]

(force)
bringe

[verb]

(to bring)
meter

[noun]

(a meter)
spare

[verb]

(to save)
Tue

[proper noun]
selve

[adjective]

(itself)
fejl

[noun]

(error)
niveau

[noun]

(level)
køb

[noun]

(purchase)
lykkes

[verb]

(to succeed in)
løse

[verb]

(to solve)
vejr

[noun]

(weather)
hensyn

[noun]

(consideration)
vurdere

[verb]

(assess)
undgå

[verb]

(to avoid)
rette

[verb]

(to adjust, to rectify)
net

[noun]

(net)
onsdag

[noun]

(Wednesday)
tabe

[verb]

(to lose)
enhver

[determiner]

(anyone)
øjeblik

[noun]

(moment)
universitet

[noun]

(university)
behandle

[verb]

(treat)
far

[noun]

(father)
fysisk

[adjective]

(physical)
producere

[verb]

(to produce)
amerikansk

[adjective]

(American)
skade

[noun]

(damage)
senest

[adjective]

(latest)
ændring

[noun]

(change)
tøj

[noun]

(clothing)
træne

[verb]

(to train)
forklare

[verb]

(to explain)
klare

[verb]

(to handle)
beskrive

[verb]

(to describe)
Århus

[proper noun]
idet

[conjunction]

(since, because)
tysk

[adjective]

(German)
opmærksom

[adjective]

(attentive)
patient

[noun]

(patient)
Europa

[proper noun]

(Europe)
omfatte

[verb]

(to include)
effektiv

[adjective]

(efficient)
vin

[noun]

(wine)
ferie

[noun]

(holiday)
sygdom

[noun]

(disease)
funktion

[noun]

(function)
pakke

[noun]

(package)
stof

[noun]

(fabric)
computer

[noun]

(computer)
tirsdag

[noun]

(Tuesday)
sund

[adjective]

(healthy)
engang

[adverb]

(once)
mandag

[noun]

(Monday)
sejr

[noun]

(victory)
forbi

[adverb]

(finished, over)
hjemme

[adverb]

(at home)
idé

[noun]

(idea)
etablere

[verb]

(to establish)
lede

[verb]

(to lead)
konkurrence

[noun]

(competition)
adresse

[noun]

(address)
telefon

[noun]

(telephone)
øvrig

[adjective]

(other)
rum

[noun]

(room)
opdatere

[verb]

(to update)
nat

[noun]

(night)
Lars

[proper noun]
sang

[noun]

(song)
forår

[noun]

(spring)
tv

[noun]

(tv)
jul

[noun]

(Christmas)
halv

[adjective]

(half)
fisk

[noun]

(fish)

Denmark has a long coastline along the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Because of this, Danes have been fishing for centuries and seafood is an important part of the local cuisine. That explains why the word “fisk” is a common term in the Danish language.
føde

[verb]

(to deliver, to bear)
Aarhus

[proper noun]

The word “Aarhus” frequently appears in Danish texts because it is the name of the second-largest city in Denmark, located on the eastern coast of the Jutland peninsula. Aarhus is home to Aarhus University, one of the top universities in Denmark, and the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum.
forbedre

[verb]

(improve)
godkende

[verb]

(to approve)
frisk

[adjective]

(fresh)
vægt

[noun]

(weight)
eksistere

[verb]

(to exist)
nem

[adjective]

(easy)
bestille

[verb]

(to order)
miste

[verb]

(to lose)
pludselig

[adverb]

(suddenly)
undersøge

[verb]

(examine)
stat

[noun]

(a state)
dør

[noun]

(door)
Andersen

[proper noun]
gæst

[noun]

(guest)
daglig

[adjective]

(daily)
behøve

[verb]

(to need)
medie

[noun]

(medium)
beslutning

[noun]

(decision)
udtryk

[noun]

(expression)
succes

[noun]

(success)
naturlig

[adjective]

(natural)
stoppe

[verb]

(to stop)
bord

[noun]

(a table)
point

[noun]

(a point)
Odense

[proper noun]

The word Odense frequently appears in Danish texts because it is the name of Denmark’s third-largest city, located on the island of Funen. In addition, it is the birthplace of the famous Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, known for his fairy tales such as “The Little Mermaid” and “The Ugly Duckling”.
melde

[verb]

(report)
ligeledes

[adverb]

(likewise)
mail

[noun]

(email)
stilling

[noun]

(position)
tal

[noun]

(number)
køkken

[noun]

(a kitchen)
engelsk

[adjective]

(English)
hænge

[verb]

(to hang)
chance

[noun]

(chance)
praktisk

[adjective]

(practical)
regne

[verb]

(rain)
imellem

[preposition]

(between)
juli

[noun]

(July)
dens

[pronoun]

(its)
præsentere

[verb]

(to present)
Aalborg

[proper noun]
søn

[noun]

(son)
leje

[verb]

(lease)
typisk

[adjective]

(typical)
effekt

[noun]

(effect)
nyhed

[noun]

(news)
skyldes

[verb]

(to be caused by)
sol

[noun]

(sun)
efterhånden

[adverb]

(gradually, over time)
virkelighed

[noun]

(reality)
sikkerhed

[noun]

(safety)
blød

[adjective]

(soft)
Jens

[proper noun]
helst

[adverb]

(preferably)
snakke

[verb]

(to talk)
overfor

[adverb]

(opposite)
uanset

[adverb]

(whatever)
fest

[noun]

(party)
forsøg

[noun]

(an attempt)
Søren

[proper noun]
smag

[noun]

(taste)
udgave

[noun]

(an edition)
økonomi

[noun]

(economy)
væsentlig

[adjective]

(essential)
såkaldt

[adjective]

(so-called)
populær

[adjective]

(popular)
vild

[adjective]

(wild)
optage

[verb]

(record)
inspirere

[verb]

(to inspire)
drive

[verb]

(drive)
grænse

[noun]

(border)
sprog

[noun]

(language)
bund

[noun]

(bottom)
lærer

[noun]

(teacher)
Per

[proper noun]
tilføje

[verb]

(to add)
slutte

[verb]

(to end)
opstå

[verb]

(to arise)
anderledes

[adjective]

(different)
dreje

[verb]

(to turn)
luft

[noun]

(air)
kold

[adjective]

(cold)
gengæld

[noun]

(return)
fed

[adjective]

(fat)
forfatter

[noun]

(author)

The Danish word “forfatter” means “author”. It is a common Danish word because Denmark has a well-developed literary tradition, with well-known authors such as Hans Christian Andersen, who is known for his fairy tales “The Little Mermaid” and “The Ugly Duckling”. Other famous Danish authors include Karen Blixen, who wrote “Babette's Feast”, and Søren Kierkegaard, who wrote important philosophical works.
hverken

[adverb]

(neither)
ben

[noun]

(leg)
love

[verb]

(to promise)

The Danish verb “love” is a false friend to English speakers as it does not have the same meaning as the English verb “to love”. Instead, “love” in Danish means “to promise”. The Danish equivalent of the English verb “to love” is “at elske”.
årsag

[noun]

(cause)
studerende

[noun]

(student)
beskrivelse

[noun]

(description)

“Beskrivelse” is a Danish noun that translates to “description” in English. The word is derived from the verb “beskrive”, which means “to describe”, and is constructed using the suffix “-else”. This suffix is commonly used in Danish to transform verbs into nouns.
link

[noun]

(link)
klassisk

[adjective]

(classical)
blad

[noun]

(leaf)
risiko

[noun]

(a risk)
ejendom

[noun]

(property)
højre

[noun]

(right)
restaurant

[noun]

(restaurant)
produktion

[noun]

(production)
Thomas

[proper noun]
interessant

[adjective]

(interesting)
blog

[noun]

(blog)
dels

[adverb]

(partly)
miljø

[noun]

(environment)
Henrik

[proper noun]
butik

[noun]

(store)
presse

[verb]

(to press)
glemme

[verb]

(to forget)
anmeldelse

[noun]

(a review)
præcis

[adverb]

(precisely)
sammenhæng

[noun]

(context)
the

[noun]

(tea)
strand

[noun]

(beach)

The word “strand,” which means “beach,” is widely used because Denmark has a long coastline with many beautiful beaches. For example, “Skagen Strand” is located at the northernmost tip of Denmark and is known for its scenic dunes and clear water. Another example is “Amager Strandpark,” a large urban beach in Copenhagen.
generelt

[adverb]

(generally)
tegne

[verb]

(draw)
skov

[noun]

(forest)

“Skov” is a Danish word that means “forest”. It is a common word because Denmark has several famous forests that attract visitors from all over the world. For example, “Rold Skov” and “Grib Skov” are two of Danemark’s largest forests.
omgang

[noun]

(round)
blande

[verb]

(to mix)
slippe

[verb]

(to let go)
bedre

[adjective]

(better)
Christian

[proper noun]
havn

[noun]

(a port, a harbour)

The Danish word “havn”, which means “harbor” or “port”, is a frequently-used word because Denmark is a coastal country with over 8000 km of coastline and has many ports, including the Port of Copenhagen and the Port of Aarhus. Tourists may visit Copenhagen’s famous “Nyhavn” (New Harbor) to experience the city’s maritime atmosphere and enjoy fresh seafood.
imidlertid

[adverb]

(however)
hvornår

[adverb]

(when)
blå

[adjective]

(blue)
højt

[adverb]

(loudly, aloud)
udsigt

[noun]

(view)
krig

[noun]

(war)
efterår

[noun]

(autumn)
hest

[noun]

(horse)
styre

[verb]

(rule)
udgøre

[verb]

(constitute)
endda

[adverb]

(even)
tillade

[verb]

(to allow)
hår

[noun]

(hair)
evne

[noun]

(ability)
bryde

[verb]

(to break)
konkret

[adjective]

(concrete)
politiker

[noun]

(politician)
vejledning

[noun]

(guidance)
vurdering

[noun]

(assessment)
Hans

[proper noun]
alder

[noun]

(age)
fremgå

[verb]

(to appear)
punkt

[noun]

(point)
afslutte

[verb]

(finish)
Michael

[proper noun]
forkert

[adjective]

(wrong)
eje

[verb]

(own)
overveje

[verb]

(to consider)
data

[noun]

(data)
Tyskland

[proper noun]

(Germany)

The term “Tyskland” frequently appears in Danish texts because it is the Danish word for Germany. The two nations share a border and have a long history of trade and cooperation. The proximity of Denmark and Germany has led to a significant cultural and linguistic exchange between the two countries.
gemme

[verb]

(to hide)
Pedersen

[proper noun]
fange

[verb]

(to capture)
stil

[noun]

(style)
bibliotek

[noun]

(library)
praksis

[noun]

(practice)
Anders

[proper noun]
direktør

[noun]

(a director)
kategori

[noun]

(category)
kultur

[noun]

(culture)
institution

[noun]

(institution)
milliard

[noun]

(a billion)
afgørende

[adjective]

(decisive)
avis

[noun]

(newspaper)
rapport

[noun]

(a report)
detalje

[noun]

(a detail)
Niels

[proper noun]
opdage

[verb]

(to discover)
påvirke

[verb]

(to affect)
simpelthen

[adverb]

(simply)
europæisk

[adjective]

(European)
bold

[noun]

(ball)
aktuel

[adjective]

(current)
forlade

[verb]

(to leave)
invitere

[verb]

(to invite)
derimod

[adverb]

(however)
foto

[noun]

(photo)
vækst

[noun]

(growth)
Morten

[proper noun]
kaffe

[noun]

(coffee)
retning

[noun]

(direction)
beløb

[noun]

(an amount of money)
værelse

[noun]

(room)
smage

[verb]

(to taste)
frivillig

[adjective]

(voluntary)
debat

[noun]

(debate)
standard

[noun]

(standard)
seks

[numeral]

(six)
kærlighed

[noun]

(love)
grundlag

[noun]

(basis)
måle

[verb]

(measure)
ens

[adjective]

(alike)
tilfreds

[adjective]

(satisfied)
skære

[verb]

(to cut)
Sverige

[proper noun]

(Sweden)
video

[noun]

(video)
eksempelvis

[adverb]

(for example)
fod

[noun]

(foot)
hud

[noun]

(skin)
hjerte

[noun]

(heart)
Roskilde

[proper noun]
fransk

[adjective]

(French)
politik

[noun]

(politics)
anvendelse

[noun]

(application)
forventning

[noun]

(expectation)
mængde

[noun]

(quantity)
lege

[verb]

(to play)
yde

[verb]

(to provide)
minde

[verb]

(to remind)
værk

[noun]

(work)
alternativ

[noun]

(alternative)
utrolig

[adverb]

(incredible, unbelievable)
felt

[noun]

(field)
brev

[noun]

(letter)
kaste

[verb]

(to throw)
runde

[noun]

(a round)
bære

[verb]

(to carry)
central

[adjective]

(central)
titel

[noun]

(a title)
dygtig

[adjective]

(skilled)
lyd

[noun]

(sound)
sove

[verb]

(sleep)
traditionel

[adjective]

(traditional)
umiddelbart

[adverb]

(immediately)
forsvinde

[verb]

(to disappear)
koncert

[noun]

(concert)
befolkning

[noun]

(population)
betaling

[noun]

(a payment)
arrangere

[verb]

(arrange)
røre

[verb]

(to touch)
tjene

[verb]

(to serve)
gram

[noun]

(gram)
holdning

[noun]

(posture)
knap

[adverb]

(scarce)
værd

[adjective]

(worth)
eftermiddag

[noun]

(afternoon)
smide

[verb]

(to throw)
Larsen

[proper noun]
turde

[verb]

(to dare)
vinter

[noun]

(winter)
maskine

[noun]

(machine)
score

[verb]

(to score)
myndighed

[noun]

(authority)
kurs

[noun]

(course)
tredje

[numeral]

(third)
kunst

[noun]

(art)

The Danish word “kunst” means “art”. Denmark has produced many renowned artists, including painters such as Vilhelm Hammershøi, known for his atmospheric interiors, and P.S. Krøyer, known for his luminous landscapes and portraits.
udtale

[verb]

(to pronounce)
udenfor

[adverb]

(outside)
Gud

[proper noun]

(God)
hav

[noun]

(sea)

In terms of its geography, Denmark consists of the Jutland Peninsula and a multitude of islands; as a result, the country is surrounded by sea on almost all sides, except in the south where it borders Germany. This is reflected in the frequent use of the Danish word “hav” (which means “sea”)
følelse

[noun]

(feeling)
svensk

[adjective]

(Swedish)
drikke

[verb]

(drink)
slem

[adjective]

(bad)
skyde

[verb]

(to shoot, to push)
skærm

[noun]

(screen)
vindue

[noun]

(window)
Rasmussen

[proper noun]
frugt

[noun]

(fruit)

The frequent use of the word “frugt” in Danish can be explained by the fact that —just like its English counterpart— it can refer to both a fruit in the botanical sense as well as in a figurative sense, in which case it refers to the result of an effort.
sæt

[noun]

(set)
automatisk

[adverb]

(automatically)
middel

[noun]

(means)
smule

[noun]

(a little bit)
glas

[noun]

(glass)
udstyr

[noun]

(equipment)
smart

[adjective]

(smart)
enhed

[noun]

(unit)
udgift

[noun]

(expense)
bestemme

[verb]

(to determine)
overraske

[verb]

(to surprise)
vidt

[adverb]

(widely)
dø

[verb]

(die)
syg

[adjective]

(ill)
bevare

[verb]

(preserve)
brænde

[verb]

(to burn)
begyndelse

[noun]

(beginning)
skyld

[noun]

(guilt)

The Danish word “skyld” can be translated to “guilt” or “fault” in English, but it can also mean “debt” or “obligation.”
datter

[noun]

(daughter)
forskning

[noun]

(research)

The Danish word “forskning” means “research.” Denmark has a long tradition of scientific and academic research, dating at least as far back as the 18th century with the founding of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters. Today, Denmark has many universities and research institutions, and a reputation as a leader in fields such as renewable energy, environmental science, and biotechnology.
aktieselskab

[noun]

(stock-based company)
acceptere

[verb]

(to accept)
art

[noun]

(a kind, nature)
samtale

[noun]

(conversation)
olie

[noun]

(oil)

Just like its English counterpart, the Danish word “olie” can be used to refer to both edible oils as well as petroleum. The word has been used a lot in discussions about Denmark's plans to phase out its oil and gas extraction in the North Sea.
uddanne

[verb]

(educate)
slutning

[noun]

(conclusion)
Jan

[proper noun]
unik

[adjective]

(unique)
element

[noun]

(element)
kombinere

[verb]

(combine)
Sørensen

[proper noun]
udsætte

[verb]

(to postpone)
kæreste

[noun]

(boyfriend, girlfriend)

The Danish word “kæreste” refers to a romantic partner (boyfriend or girlfriend). It is derived from the adjective “kær,” meaning “dear” or “beloved”. In Danish, the word “kæreste” is gender-neutral and can refer to a partner of any gender.
angreb

[noun]

(attack)
besked

[noun]

(message)
gave

[noun]

(gift)
konsekvens

[noun]

(consequence)
ejer

[noun]

(owner)
udnytte

[verb]

(exploit)
rent

[adverb]

(purely)
Ole

[proper noun]
bevæge

[verb]

(to move)
lager

[noun]

(warehouse)
bevægelse

[noun]

(movement)
gade

[noun]

(street)
ledig

[adjective]

(unoccupied)
fag

[noun]

(a subject)
fællesskab

[noun]

(a community)
Martin

[proper noun]
post

[noun]

(post)
straks

[adverb]

(immediately)
Erik

[proper noun]
historisk

[adjective]

(historical)
Christensen

[proper noun]
henholdsvis

[adverb]

(respectively)
overhovedet

[adverb]

(at all)
løfte

[verb]

(lift)
udland

[noun]

(abroad)

“Udland” is a Danish word that comes up a lot in conversations about travel, foreign policy, and global issues. The term translates to “abroad” or “foreign”, and it refers to parts of the world outside of the Danish borders.
nede

[adverb]

(down)
foreslå

[verb]

(suggest)
Jørgen

[proper noun]
museum

[noun]

(museum)

The word “museum” appears among the frequently used Danish words. This is probably because Denmark has several world-class art museums, including the National Gallery of Denmark (SMK) in Copenhagen, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, and the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum.
tung

[adjective]

(heavy)
derved

[adverb]

(thus, thereby)
vedrøre

[verb]

(to concern)
beskytte

[verb]

(protect)
opfordre

[verb]

(encourage)
økologisk

[adjective]

(ecological, organic)

The Danish adjective “økologisk” means “ecological”. When used in the context of agricultural products, it translates to “organic” and refers to food grown without pesticides. The frequent use of the word “økologisk” in Danish reflects the importance of environmental sustainability in Denmark.
fint

[adverb]

(finely)
hygge

[verb]

(to have a nice time)

In Danish, the word “hygge” can be used as a noun. The noun form has been translated as “coziness”. When used as a verb, it can be translated as “to enjoy oneself”. This frequently-used Danish word is difficult to accurately translate into English because it represents a concept that is specific to Danish culture.
pause

[noun]

(pause)
seng

[noun]

(bed)
henvende

[verb]

(address)
øl

[noun]

(beer)

Denmark has a longstanding tradition of beer brewing, dating at least as far back as the Viking era. Today the country has a large number of breweries, including the globally famous Danish brand, Carlsberg. All this explains the frequent usage of the term “øl” in Danish conversations.
karakter

[noun]

(character)
træt

[adjective]

(tired)
afstand

[noun]

(distance)
heldig

[adjective]

(lucky)
henvise

[verb]

(to refer)
ansøgning

[noun]

(a request, an application)
magt

[noun]

(power)
mørk

[adjective]

(dark)
diverse

[adjective]

(miscellaneous)
ryg

[noun]

(back)
and

[noun]

(duck)
kommunikation

[noun]

(communication)
Anne

[proper noun]
spor

[noun]

(track)
ro

[noun]

(calmness, rest)
dukke

[verb]

(doll, puppet)
oprindelig

[adjective]

(original)
sø

[noun]

(lake)

Denmark has an enormous number of lakes (over 120,000 in total). That explains why the Danish word “sø” (which means “lake”) is a very common term in the Danish language.
drift

[noun]

(operation)