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Kitchen Fun Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Sep 30, 2018
Køkkenet (the kitchen, also spelt køknet) is the heart of a Danish home. When rain is falling from a grey sky – and eating out feels a bit too complex and pricey – it’s great for familien (the family) or vennerne (friends) to gather around spisebordet (the dining table). Traditionally, husmødre (housewives, singular husmoder) were…
The rooms of a Danish home Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Sep 29, 2018
Ding dang! Døren går op. (The door opens.) Velkommen til et meget gennemsnitligt dansk hus! (Welcome to a very average Danish house!) Because of klimaet (the climate), a lot of family & social life in Denmark happens indoors. Let’s go for a walk in the different værelser (rooms). Entréen (the hallway) is where you –…
How to write a Danish postcard Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Aug 31, 2018
Writing a postkort (postcard) can be a great way to practice your language skills. It’s also a nice way to show people you think about them. While firing off a digital message is quicker, receiving a postcard is funnier, and most people will appreciate the extra effort… Postkort (postcards) are sold in many different places…
Nothing and everything Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Aug 24, 2018
Sometimes *everything* seems chaotic, and *nothing* makes sense. Fortunately, the language we speak provides us with words to communicate these extremes. Let’s look at the Danish all-inclusive menu of nothingness… In order to ”remove” things when speaking Danish, ingen (no one) and ikke (not) are your best tools. Combine ikke with noget (anything) or nogen…
Silent Letters in Danish Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Jul 31, 2018
Ever thought about all the letters we don’t say out loud – like the h in ’hour’? Just like English, Danish is notorious for its strange relationship between pronunciation and spelling, including a bunch of stumme bogstaver (silent letters, literally ”mute letters”). Hvem, hvad, hvor og hvornår? (Who, what, where and when?) The H of…
Feeling Bored in Danish Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Jul 21, 2018
Ej hvor kedeligt! (How boring!) Late summer is a time when some people start feeling bored – kids are tired of their parents dragging them through verden (the world) on a jet-set sommerferie (summer holiday) and just want to go hjem [yem] (home), while the adults probably have started longing for their quiet kontor [konTOHR]…
Happy Summer in Denmark Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Jun 30, 2018
Jubi, der er sommer! (Hooray, it’s summer!) For most danskere (Danes), that means ferie (vacation). Fortunately, in a hyggelig country like Danmark, there’s always a lot to do – especially when solen skinner (the sun is shining)! 🙂 Kan du li’ at bade? (Do you like bathing?) Find badetøjet frem (find your bathing clothes) and…