Danish Greetings and Basic Phrases for Beginners

Quick answer

The most common Danish greeting is "Hej" (hello), used at any time of day and with anyone. Other essentials are "Tak" (thanks), "Undskyld" (sorry or excuse me), "Farvel" (goodbye) and "Hej hej" (bye).

Danes keep greetings short and relaxed. A handful of phrases will get you through most first conversations.

Greetings

Danish	English	Use
Hej	Hello / hi	Any time, any person
Goddag	Good day	More formal
Godmorgen	Good morning	Morning
Godaften	Good evening	Evening
Godnat	Good night	Before sleep
Hej hej	Bye	Casual goodbye
Farvel	Goodbye	Formal
Vi ses	See you	Casual

Polite phrases

Danish	English
Tak	Thanks
Mange tak	Thank you very much
Selv tak	You're welcome
Undskyld	Sorry / excuse me
Værsgo	Here you go / please
Ja / Nej	Yes / No

Introducing yourself

Jeg hedder Anna. My name is Anna.
Hvordan har du det? How are you?
Det går godt, tak. I'm fine, thanks.
Jeg forstår ikke. I don't understand.
Kan du tale langsomt? Can you speak slowly?

Next steps

Learn these phrases with audio in the A0 course lessons, and build your word bank with common Danish words for beginners.

FAQ

How do you say hello in Danish?

Say "Hej" (pronounced roughly "hi"). It is used in both formal and informal situations.

How do you say thank you in Danish?

The word "Tak" means thanks and "mange tak" means thank you very much. The reply "selv tak" means you're welcome.

How do you say goodbye in Danish?

The casual goodbye is "hej hej", and "farvel" is a more formal one. "Vi ses" means see you.