Learn some Danish phrases your Danish professor won't teach you
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Anna: Hi everyone! I’m Anna. |
| Becky: And I’m Becky. Welcome back to DanishClass101.com. This is All About, lesson 13: Top 5 Phrases your Danish Teacher Will Never Teach You. |
Lesson focus |
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| Anna: I'm telling you right now, this lesson is really fun! |
| Becky: That’s because in this lesson you will learn some phrases your teacher might not teach you! |
| Anna: Now we don't want you to get the wrong idea. You won't find any swear words or anything like that here! |
| Becky: No, they are conversational phrases that may only be learned in daily life, rather than from books. |
| Anna: These are words that you will encounter EVERY DAY in Denmark. |
| Becky: Yeah, they are that common. Okay, so the first word we’ll go over is... |
| Anna: "Ikke også?" The phrase means “right?” and is used the same way as in English. “Ikke også?” is added at the end of a sentence when you are seeking confirmation. |
| Becky: Or making sure that the person you are talking to is with you so far and most likely agrees with you, if you are expressing your opinion about something. |
| Anna: That’s right. And like in English, exclusively saying “Ikke også?” is also possible. But note that “Ikke også?” in spoken language is more like “Ik’ ogs’?” or just “Ik’?” depending on which part of Denmark you are in. |
| Becky: The whole phrase in spoken language is... |
| Anna: “Ik’ ogs’?” |
| Becky: Our next phrase is… |
| Anna: "Træls. " |
| Becky: Literally this is translated as “irritating”, “annoying” or “tiring”. |
| Anna: The word originated from Jutland, but during the last decade or so it has traveled from Jutland, across Funen, and to Zealand where the adjective has been almost fully embraced today. |
| Becky: Listen again for a better sense of the pronunciation. |
| Anna: “Træls.” |
| Becky: What's our next phrase? |
| Anna: "Hvad så?" or “Hva’ så?” in spoken language. |
| Becky: This phrase is literally translated as “What so?” but is equivalent to the English “What’s up?” or “So what?” depending on your tone. This phrase can also be used as a “What is happening here?!”-type of phrase. |
| Anna: Yes, it is often something you would say when starting a conversation with someone or even after you’ve greeted them. |
| Becky: Let’s hear an example. If I say “Hej, Anna”, then your reply is... |
| Anna: “Hej, Becky. Hva’ så?” |
| Becky: You will definitely surprise Danish people with this response. A very commonly used phrase, so remember it! |
| Anna: Right. And our next phrase is “Fedt!” or “Sejt!” |
| Becky: Both mean “´Cool!” But “Fedt!” actually means “fat” as in the fat in meat or on your body, if you translate it literally. |
| Anna: Yes, and “Sejt!” is also a meat reference. It literally means “tough” and is actually used to describe the texture of a given piece of meat when chewing it. |
| Becky: You can only guess how these two words ended up as Danish slang. |
| Anna: Again, “Fedt!” and “Sejt!” |
| Becky: What's our last phrase? |
| Anna: "Kvajebajer." |
| Becky: This literally means “screw-up beer.” |
| Anna: This phrase is used when someone has made a mess of the situation in one way or another, or otherwise made a fool of him or herself. |
| Becky: “To screw up” is “at kvaje sig” in Danish and “bajer” is slang for “beer,” which is the most popular drink in Denmark. |
| Anna: Yes, so it’s understandable why some people seize the opportunity to make someone buy them beer at some point to make up for his or her “mistake.” |
| Becky: It sure is! |
| Anna: But don’t worry about screwing up. Danes can be quite sarcastic so “kvajebajer” is all in good fun. Except for the effect on your wallet, of course. |
| Becky: Alright, all these phrases are definitely good to know. |
| Anna: Yeah, even if you don't use them, just knowing them for when you come across them is good enough. |
| Becky: And believe us, you'll come across them at some point! |
Outro |
| Anna: Well, that's it for this lesson! Farvel! |
| Becky: Thanks for listening, bye everyone! |
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