Diving into a new language can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be! The key to building confidence and making rapid progress is to start with a strong foundation of essential vocabulary. If you're ready to explore the beautiful Danish language, you've come to the right place.
At WordWise, we believe in making language learning accessible and fun. That's why we've curated a list of over 200 crucial Danish words that will give you a significant head start. These aren't just random words; they're the building blocks for everyday conversations, understanding basic texts, and navigating life in Denmark.
Ready to expand your vocabulary and unlock the secrets of Danish? Let's get started!
Your First Steps: Core Vocabulary
We'll begin with some fundamental categories that are essential for any beginner, giving you immediate tools for basic communication.
Numbers: Counting Your Way to Fluency
Knowing your numbers is indispensable for everything from telling time to shopping. Let's start with the basics.
Numbers 1-20
Practice counting from one to twenty with these essential Danish numbers.
0
nul
zero
1
en
one
2
to
two
3
tre
three
4
fire
four
5
fem
five
6
seks
six
7
syv
seven
8
otte
eight
9
ni
nine
10
ti
ten
11
elleve
eleven
12
tolv
twelve
13
tretten
thirteen
14
fjorten
fourteen
15
femten
fifteen
16
seksten
sixteen
17
sytten
seventeen
18
atten
eighteen
19
nitten
nineteen
Numbers 21-100 (and beyond!)
Once you've mastered the basics, you'll find the pattern for larger numbers quite intuitive! Get ready to count higher.
20
tyve
twenty
30
tredive
thirty
40
fyrre
forty
50
halvtreds
fifty
60
tres
sixty
70
halvfjerds
seventy
80
firs
eighty
90
halvfems
ninety
100
hundrede
hundred
1K
tusind
thousand
1M
million
million
Colors: Adding Vibrancy to Your Danish
Describe the world around you with these basic color terms. Adding colors to your vocabulary helps you express yourself more vividly.
⚪
hvid
white
⚫
sort
black
🔴
rød
red
🔵
blå
blue
🟡
gul
yellow
🟢
grøn
green
🟣
lilla
purple
🟤
brun
brown
🟠
orange
orange
🌸
lyserød
pink
⭐
guld
gold
🌑
sølv
silver
☁️
grå
grey, gray
Animals: Meet the Danish Fauna
Learn to name some common animals – a fun way to expand your vocabulary and connect with nature in Danish!
🐶
hund
dog
🐱
kat
cat
🐴
hest
horse
🐮
ko
cow
🐷
gris
pig
🐦
fugl
bird
🐟
fisk
fish
🐭
mus
mouse
🦊
ræv
fox
🐇
kanin
rabbit
🐻
bjørn
bear
🐼
panda
panda
🐨
koala
koala
🐘
elefant
elephant
🐢
skildpadde
turtle
🦒
giraf
giraffe
🦆
and
duck
🕷️
edderkop
spider
Everyday Essentials: Words for Daily Life
These words will help you in common situations, from greetings to talking about your surroundings. Master these for smoother daily interactions.
People and Family: Who's Who in Danish
Learn the words for people and family members. These are crucial for introducing yourself and understanding others.
👨👩👧👦
familie
family
🧔
mand
man, husband
👩
kvinde
woman, wife
👦
dreng
boy
👧
pige
girl
👶
barn
child
👨🦳
far
father, dad
👩🦳
mor
mother, mom
👴
bedstefar
grandfather
👵
bedstemor
grandmother
🧑🦰
bror
brother
👩🦱
søster
sister
🧑
ven
friend
👥
folk
people, folks
🙋
person
person
Common Objects & Places: Navigating Your Day
Expand your vocabulary with words for everyday objects and places. This section helps you describe your environment and get around.
🏠
hus
house, home
🏢
bygning
building
🏫
skole
school
🏪
butik
shop, store
🛣️
vej
road, way
🌆
by
city, town
🌳
træ
tree
💧
vand
water
☀️
sol
sun
☁️
sky
cloud
📚
bog
book
🖊️
pen
pen
📱
telefon
phone, telephone
🔑
nøgle
key
🚗
bil
car
Food & Drink: Essential for Eating Out (or In!)
Whether you're visiting Denmark or just want to talk about your favorite meals, these food and drink words are indispensable.
🍎
æble
apple
🍌
banan
banana
🍞
brød
bread
🧀
ost
cheese
🥩
kød
meat
🥛
mælk
milk
☕
kaffe
coffee
🍵
te
tea
💧
vand
water
🍺
øl
beer
🍷
vin
wine
🍽️
mad
food
🍳
æg
egg
🍚
ris
rice
🥕
grøntsager
vegetables
Days of the Week & Time: Keeping Track
Mastering days and time is fundamental for scheduling and planning. Never miss an appointment again!
☀️
dag
day
🌙
nat
night
⏰
time
hour
🗓️
uge
week
📅
måned
month
🗓️
år
year
🗓️
mandag
monday
🗓️
tirsdag
tuesday
🗓️
onsdag
wednesday
🗓️
torsdag
thursday
🗓️
fredag
friday
🗓️
lørdag
saturday
🗓️
søndag
sunday
🌅
morgen
morning
🌆
aften
evening
🕛
nu
now
🔜
snart
soon
🕒
tid
time
Action & Description: Verbs and Adjectives
Now let's add some dynamism and detail to your Danish! Verbs let you talk about actions, and adjectives help you describe things.
Verbs: The Power of Action
These essential verbs will help you construct simple sentences and express what people are doing.
🗣️
tale
to speak, to talk
🚶
gå
to walk, to go
🏃
løbe
to run
🍽️
spise
to eat
🍷
drikke
to drink
😴
sove
to sleep
📖
læse
to read
✍️
skrive
to write
👀
se
to see, to look
👂
høre
to hear
💭
tænke
to think
🤔
vide
to know
❤️
elske
to love
👍
lide
to like
👋
komme
to come
🚪
åbne
to open
🔒
lukke
to close
💡
lære
to learn
➕
give
to give
💸
købe
to buy
Adjectives: Describing the World
Add detail and nuance to your conversations with these descriptive words. Adjectives make your Danish much more expressive.
😊
glad
happy, glad
😢
trist
sad
😠
vred
angry
👍
god
good
👎
dårlig
bad
⬆️
stor
big, large
⬇️
lille
small, little
🆕
ny
new
🕰️
gammel
old
💯
mange
many, much
🤏
få
few
🥵
varm
warm, hot
🥶
kold
cold
💪
stærk
strong
👶
svag
weak
✨
smuk
beautiful, pretty
👹
grim
ugly
✅
rigtig
right, correct, true
❌
forkert
wrong, incorrect
⚡
hurtig
fast, quick
Connecting Ideas: Essential Connectors
Connectors are the glue that holds sentences together, making your speech flow naturally. Learn these to link your thoughts smoothly.
➕
og
and
➡️
men
but
👉
eller
or
🤔
fordi
because
👉
så
so, then
�
dog
however, though
🤔
derfor
therefore
➕
også
also, too
🕒
når
when
🤔
hvis
if
🕒
før
before
🕒
efter
after
🕒
siden
since, ago
🕒
mens
while
More Useful Words: Expanding Your Horizon
Beyond the absolute essentials, this category will deepen your vocabulary and prepare you for more specific conversations.
Professions: What Do You Do?
Learn to talk about different jobs and professions. This is great for meeting new people and understanding their lives.
👨🏫
lærer
teacher
🧑⚕️
læge
doctor, physician
👩💻
ingeniør
engineer
👨🍳
kok
chef, cook
🧑🌾
landmand
farmer
👮
politibetjent
police officer
🧑🎨
kunstner
artist
🧑💼
kontorassistent
office worker, clerk
🔬
forsker
scientist, researcher
🛒
sælger
salesperson
Your Danish Journey Starts Now!
Congratulations! You've just learned over 200 essential Danish words. This list is a fantastic starting point, but remember that consistency is key to true fluency.
Ready to take your Danish learning to the next level?
Download the WordWise app today and unlock interactive exercises, personalized flashcards, and smart repetition features designed to help you master these words and many more. With WordWise, you can:
We're excited to be a part of your Danish learning adventure. Keep practicing, keep exploring, and soon you'll be conversing confidently in Danish!