Tips & Tricks to learn Danish

Learning a new language can be terrifying, especially when you move to a new country and don’t understand any word of it. In order to fully arrive in your new home, it is essential to learn the language spoken there. Here I would like to share some tips and tricks with you on how to learn a new language and, in my particular case Danish.

A picture from a beautiful cycling tour in West Jutland — at Mariendal Strand.

1. Start as soon as possible
   Don’t wait until you’re in Denmark to begin learning the language. Start as early as possible. As soon as I decided that I would move to Denmark, I went to the biggest bookstore in my hometown and bought a Danish language coursebook. I personally bought this one. The good thing about this book is that it also contains audio exercises where you can hear and learn the pronunciation. If German is not your native language, I am sure you will find a similar book written in your mother tongue.
2. Use online resources
   The great thing about living in the twenty-first century is that the internet is packed with useful resources that will help you to learn Danish. There are various blogs, videos on Youtube, and so on. Do a little research, and you will find an incredible amount of helpful material online! One fantastic offer that I would like to highlight is the online language course that Swap Language provides. They offer live and on-demand lessons for free! That’s pretty crazy, isn’t it?
3. Leave your comfort zone
   This is a tricky one! I know that leaving your comfort zone can be quite uncomfortable. Good news: You get used to it. For me, this includes sitting alone in cafés and restaurants and observing the local people, trying to overhear their conversations. But all in good moderation, of course. Nobody wants to be inappropriate. Additionally, I highly recommend you not to walk around with headphones in your ears all day, for example, when you are sitting in public transport or buying groceries. Your subconscious will then absorb more and more of the language naturally.
4. Participate in local sport activities
   Another good method to learn the language is to take part in sports courses, for example, Pilates or Yoga, which are taught in Danish. I would recommend that you choose something that you are already a bit familiar with, so you might already know certain movement principles. I attend yoga classes in Danish. I’ve chosen a yoga studio that welcomes internationals, and I’ve informed the teacher that my Danish skills are still quite basic. The instructor helps me with some extra cues in English when I am totally lost. But already, after a few classes, I need less and less help. That is a great feeling! On top of that: You get to know other people, especially locals!
5. Listen to music and watch movies
   Start listening to Danish music. Listen to the same songs over and over again, and suddenly you will understand the lyrics better. I also recommend you to watch Danish movies where you can add subtitles in English or, for advanced learners, add subtitles in Danish. Both things will help you to become more and more familiar with the Danish pronunciation. On my Instagram account, you can find some recommendations for Danish songs, movies, and series.
6. Attend a language course
   There is no way around to learn a language properly as to participate in a Danish language course, especially for the grammar part. The great thing about Denmark is that internationals can take a language course here for free as soon as they have their residence permit. All you have to do is pay a deposit of 2'000 Danish Kroner, which will be refunded after finishing one module. Another great advantage of a language course is that you meet like-minded people who are in a similar situation. You can help and motivate each other — and we all know: Learning a language together is simply much more fun!
7. Give yourself time
   There are always good and bad days. Especially when it comes to learning a new language, don’t be too harsh on yourself. And don’t have unrealistic expectations of yourself that you will be able to speak a new language fluently after a few weeks. It needs time. Celebrate every small step you take. A certain amount of self-discipline is, of course, still very desirable! As with everything in life: Balance is the key.

The best way to learn a new language is to combine different methods. Learning alone. Learning with others. Listen to music. Watch movies. And almost most important: Be brave and start talking in this language as early as possible! As they so nicely say in Danish: “Øvelse gør mester! ( “Practice makes perfect!”).

I hope that some of the tips & tricks will help you on your personal journey to learn Danish and to feel more comfortable in your new home. If you have other useful tips that helped you learn the language, I would be very happy if you share them with me in a comment, via E-Mail, or on my Instagram. Other questions, feedback, and comments are also warmly welcome!

If you are looking to improve your Danish and immerse yourself in the traditions — you can find it on swaplanguage.com.

Follow me on Instagram: @daily_danish_lessons