Language/Danish/Vocabulary/Idiomatic-Expressions

Danish Vocabulary - Idiomatic expressions

Hi Danish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will cover some Danish idiomatic expressions that are commonly used in daily conversations. Mastering these phrases will help you sound more fluent and natural when speaking Danish. We will also provide cultural insights to help you understand the origin and meaning of these expressions.

Expressions with Body Parts

People often use idiomatic expressions that involve body parts in Danish. Let’s take a look at some of these expressions:

Head

• At forstå med sit hoved – (To understand with your head):

   * Person 1: Jeg forstår ikke matematik. (I don't understand math.)
   * Person 2: Prøv at forstå det med dit hoved. (Try to understand it with your head.)

• At slå hovedet på sømmet – (To hit the nail on the head):

   * Person 1: Jeg tror, ​​at han har brug for nogle nye venner. (I think he needs some new friends.)
   * Person 2: Du slår hovedet på sømmet. (You hit the nail on the head.)

Nose

• At sætte næsen op efter noget – (To set your nose up for something):

   * Person 1: Hun tror hun får jobbet. (She thinks she will get the job.)
   * Person 2: Hun har sat næsen op efter det. (She has set her nose up for it.)

• At trække nogen i næsen – (To pull someone's nose):

   * Person 1: Tror du virkelig, han kan lide hende. (Do you really think he likes her?)
   * Person 2: Nej, tror jeg ikke. Hun trækker ham i næsen. (No, I don’t think so. She is pulling his nose.)

Mouth

• At have en stor mundfuld – (To have a big mouthful):

   * Person 1: Han påstår, at han kan løse problemerne. (He claims he can solve the problems.)
   * Person 2: Han har en stor mundfuld at sluge. (He has a big mouthful to swallow.)

• At lukke munden på nogen – (To shut someone's mouth):

   * Person 1: Hun snakker hele tiden og lytter aldrig. (She talks all the time and never listens.)
   * Person 2: Nogle gange bør du lukke munden på hende. (Sometimes you should shut her mouth.)

Idiomatic Expressions related to Animals

Danish people often use idiomatic expressions related to animals. Let's take a look at some examples:

Dog

• At have en hund efter nogen – (To have a dog after someone):

   * Person 1: Jeg er bange for ham. (I'm afraid of him.)
   * Person 2: Der er ingen grund til det. Han har ikke en hund efter dig. (There is no reason for that. He doesn't have a dog after you.)

• At grave sig ned som en hund – (To dig yourself down like a dog):

   * Person 1: Hvorfor kom hun ikke til festen? (Why didn't she come to the party?)
   * Person 2: Hun har gravet sig ned som en hund efter sin breakup. (She has dug herself down like a dog after her breakup.)

Cat

• At dræbe katten på vejen – (To kill the cat on the street):

   * Person 1: Jeg vil gerne vide, hvorfor han sagde det. (I want to know why he said that.)
   * Person 2: Lad være med at dræbe katten på vejen. (Don’t kill the cat on the street.)

• At have kattepine – (To have cat pain):

   * Person 1: Har du hovedpine? (Do you have a headache?)
   * Person 2: Nej, jeg har kattepine. (No, I have cat pain.)

Idiomatic Expressions for Everyday Life

Now, let’s take a look at some of the Danish idiomatic expressions that are used in everyday life.

The Weather

• Det regner skomagerdrenge – (It's raining shoemakers' apprentices):

   * Person 1: Hvad skal vi lave i dag? (What should we do today?)
   * Person 2: Det regner skomagerdrenge, så lad os se en film. (It’s raining shoemakers’ apprentices so let’s watch a movie.)

• At fyre for gråspurve – (To shoot at sparrows):

   * Person 1: Hun fyrede ham, fordi han var for sent på arbejde. (She fired him because he was late for work.)
   * Person 2: Det var at fyre for gråspurve. (That was shooting at sparrows.)

Food and Drinks

• At tage en kølig én – (To take a cool one):

   * Person 1: Er du tørstig? (Are you thirsty?)
   * Person 2: Ja, jeg vil tage en kølig én. (Yes, I will take a cool one.)

• At slubre – (To slurp):

   * Person 1: Hvorfor slurper du suppen? (Why are you slurping the soup?)
   * Person 2: Undskyld, det er en dårlig vane. (Sorry, it’s a bad habit.)

That's it for today! We hope you learned some Danish idiomatic expressions that you can use in your conversations. To improve your Danish Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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