Translate Danish to English
Danish text shows up in LEGO instructions, Maersk shipping documents, IKEA-style product names, correspondence from Copenhagen offices, Danish news articles, and messages from friends in Denmark. The pronunciation may be notoriously tricky, but the translator reads the written text just fine. Paste your Danish text above.
Common Danish to English translations
| Danish | English | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hej | Hello | hay | ||
| Godmorgen | Good morning | go-MOR-en | ||
| Tak | Thank you | tahk | ||
| Vær så venlig | Please | vehr saw VEN-lee | ||
| Hvad koster det? | How much is this? | vad KOS-ter deh | ||
| Hvor er toilettet? | Where is the bathroom? | vor ehr toy-LET-eth | ||
| Jeg forstår ikke | I do not understand | yay for-STOR ik-keh | ||
| Kan du hjælpe mig? | Can you help me? | kan doo YELL-peh may | ||
| Jeg vil gerne have en kaffe | I would like coffee | yay vil GEHR-neh hah en KAH-feh | ||
| Regningen, tak | The bill, please | RYE-ning-en tahk | ||
| Hyggeligt at møde dig | Nice to meet you | HOO-geh-leet at MUH-theh day | ||
| Farvel | Goodbye | fah-VEL | ||
| Jeg har brug for en læge | I need a doctor | yay hahr broo for en LAY-eh | ||
| Undskyld | Excuse me | oon-SKOOL |
Tips for Danish to English translation
Danish written text is generally clear and follows predictable grammar, but the suffix-based articles can confuse translators when they appear inside compound words. Hospitalssenge (hospital beds) is a compound of hospital + s (linking) + senge (beds). If a translation seems to miss part of a compound word, the segmentation may have gone wrong.
Danish uses du for almost everyone in modern usage. The formal De exists but has largely fallen out of everyday use except in very formal written communication or when addressing royalty. This means that Danish-to-English translations rarely need to worry about formal/informal register distinctions.
Danish numbers are notoriously complex. The number 50 is halvtreds (short for “half-third-times-twenty”), 70 is halvfjerds, and 90 is halvfems. This vigesimal (base-20) counting system surprises even speakers of other Scandinavian languages. Translators convert these to standard English numerals without issue, but if you see an odd number word in the source, this is why.
Danish passive voice uses the suffix -s: bygge (to build) becomes bygges (is built). This is compact but can be confused with other -s forms. Translators usually identify passive constructions correctly, but in ambiguous cases the English output may use active voice where passive was intended.
About the Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language descended from Old Norse, the language of the Vikings. It is closely related to Norwegian and Swedish, and more distantly to Icelandic and Faroese. Denmark controlled Norway for several centuries, which is why written Danish and Norwegian Bokmal remain remarkably similar today.
Denmark consistently ranks among the happiest and most prosperous countries in the world. Danish is the gateway language for understanding Scandinavian culture, from the works of Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard to modern Danish television (like Borgen and The Killing) that has gained international audiences. The Danish concept of hygge has become globally known and represents a cultural value that extends far beyond its literal meaning.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Unlimited, no registration.
Danish has undergone significant sound changes that the spelling did not follow. Consonants are softened, vowels shift, and syllables are often swallowed. Written Danish is clearer than spoken Danish for non-natives.
Yes. Click the speaker icon.
Yes. Danish compounds are split and translated into natural English phrases.
Good for everyday use. Professional review recommended for contracts and formal documents.
No. Danish is North Germanic (Scandinavian); Dutch is West Germanic. They are different languages despite the similar-sounding names.
Visit our English to Danish page.
Three Danish vowels at the end of the alphabet. Æ sounds like the “a” in “bad,” ø like the “u” in “burn,” and å like the “o” in “more.”
No. Completely private, real-time processing.
Over 60 pairs including Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, German, and more.
Looking for the reverse? Try English to Danish translation.
