Start learning Danish today! 2. The result is that English speakers have unwittingly become very talented at deciphering someones intended meaning no matter how thick the accent, how poor their grammar etc. If you are attempting to speak Danish with a Dane and there is even the slightest stall or hesitation in your conversation and they know that you can speak English they will switch to English. Danish has only nine verb forms, including the passiv… There is obviously a reason for it. Reading and understanding of the text can certainly be mastered by a foreigner. Generally Danes are very good at speaking English. They simply haven't had the experience of hearing many different people from around the world attempt to speak their language. Each number has it's own individual name. Learning Danish will probably always be an ongoing process,” says Norkka. (Read my advice for self–studying Danish). It’s great to be able to practise with other students of Danish in a supportive … eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'autolingual_com-box-3','ezslot_9',151,'0','0']));So you want to learn Danish and be able to speak with the Danes in their native, strange language. Almost all of them live in Denmark and good part of them speak pretty good English. If you ask the Danes, however, you’ll get another answer! The Danish government has many Danish language courses for anyone who is legally living in Denmark. Benefits of learning Danish: The biggest benefits to learning Danish are that you can connect on a much closer level to the country of Denmark and its people who are very happy, safe, and … If you are into crime stories, you have to check out Broen, Forbrydelsen or Gidseltagningen. Compared to other Scandinavian languages, like Norwegian and Swedish, Danish is a tricky language to learn. Listen to … You might have to concentrate very hard … In other words, difficult to get your tongue around. It's a "meat and potatoes" language. The best way to learn Danish, in my opinion, is in a class. To the un-trained ear, the word “hund” (dog) and “hun” (she) might sound the same, but “hund” uses the glottal stop, which makes it clearly different to Danes. The extra letters are æ ø å. Danish is a hard language to learn, but with some practice and enthusiasm you can do it. © 2008-2020 Danishnet.com. All of these things are mostly just words. According to The Foreign Service Institute, the Danish language is a “category 1” in terms of the amount of time needed to learn it. @media (max-width: 400px) { .danish-rwd-top { display: none; } } https://www.languagedrops.com/blog/10-hardest-languages-to-learn Learning Danish – Is learning Danish difficult? I was told right at the beginning that the only way to learn … Stød, or the glottal stop can be described as suddenly closing off your breath while pronouncing a word, cutting it short. Introduction to Danish Pronunciation You might have been told that Danish is hard to learn, but when people say this, what they are really referring to is the pronunciation. Bite-sized Danish … This sounds like quite the challenge, but you’ve actually faced the problem before: If you want to check out what Danish sounds like, try listening to these short dialogues I recorded. The biggest limiting factor in speaking the Danish language is in fact the Danes themselves. Learn Danish in 30 Minutes - ALL the Basics You Need - Duration: 22:16. No you don’t, so learn their language. In fact immigrants to Denmark are required to go to one of these courses (this does not apply to work permit carriers, student visa carriers, nor EU passport carriers). FSI judges that they can teach Danish to an English speaker in under 600 classroom hours. I’ve written a separate article about the time it takes to learn Danish that you might be interested in reading.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'autolingual_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_7',117,'0','0'])); If you ask the Danes, however, you’ll get another answer! That number is based on intensive classroom learning, while following FSI’s program to the letter. As with most Scandinavian languages, the biggest hurdle with studying Danishis in being able to practice. Whether you’re a beginner starting with the basics or looking to practice your reading, writing, and speaking, Duolingo is scientifically proven to work. But beware of false friends! In my opinion, you can learn any language easily if only you put in the time. .danish-rwd-top { display:inline-block; width: 25px; height: 25px; } They of course can be excused for this. Or they’ll mention their foreign neighbor or evoke how the tourists in Copenhagen mispronounce common words. As with anything, the first step if the hardest. I hope that this little article has cleared some things up for you. See how we do it. Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish are the three most natural languages for English speakers to pick up. There is certainly nothing wrong with this system. These can be a great way to get yourself started in learning Danish. According to FSI, Danish demands as much time as other Scandinavian languages, but also languages like Spanish and French. Assuming that one’s language is the world’s hardest is extremely common. Danes do not have this ability. There are many different dialects in Denmark, and no matter where someone is from in Denmark they will have problems understanding what someone from some other region within the country is saying or vice versa. They put Danish in the lowest category. The Danish language is certainly not one of the prettiest sounding languages in the world. And while Danish won’t help you while traveling the world (other than Denmark) or speaking to immigrants (other than a handful of Danes), it does provide access to a growing number of Danish TV-series, Danish literature and of course. I’ve often heard Danish people speak of their own language as one of the hardest languages to learn in the world! Firstly, there are only 6 million Danish speakers in the world. You can also learn more about the Danish Alphabet. But, this doesn’t make the overall language learning experience hard. Start by learning a few phrases and getting to grips with the key aspects of pronunciation. For example: I am 'thirty eight' years old ends up being directly translated as: I am 'eight and thirty' years old. Add to that the fact that most words are only pronounced in half, leaving out many of the letters that make them up.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'autolingual_com-box-4','ezslot_5',114,'0','0'])); There’s a huge difference between how Danish is written and how it’s actually pronounced, and there’s not a lot of rules to help you figure it out. Only a part of each word Unfortunately, written Danish has … You also get BONUS Audio Lessons here at DanishClass101. (The Norwegians and Swedes like to tease the Danish by saying that they speak with a hot potato in their mouths). I’ve often heard Danish people speak of their own language as one of the hardest languages to learn in the world! Learn Danish twice as fast with your FREE gifts of the month including PDF lessons, vocabulary lists and much more! In this post, we break down some factors that make Spanish difficult—and some that make it super easy—to learn. While the written language isn’t too tough to figure out, the spoken language is a … For numbers from 1 to 20 all seems normal and expected. The Danish language is not considered to be overly hard to learn compared with other languages. Reaching for an English-sounding word when speaking Danish can be tempting, but you have to be completely sure that the meaning is the same in Danish, or you might end up offering people poison rather than presents. Danish, being a Germanic language actually has a lot in common with English. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. Hard to pronounce. They are known for dividing the languages that they teach into categories of the time needed to learn the language. @media (min-width:550px) { .danish-rwd-top { width: 468px; height: 60px; } } One 'hundred and sixty four' would be 'one hundred, four and sixty'. 14.08.2020 There are many reasons why you might wish to learn Danish – whether it's because you are planning a holiday in Denmark, for love, for professional … Reading and understanding of the text can certainly be mastered by a foreigner. Secondly, English is widely throughout the world and anyone who has grown up with the English language as their primary language has heard countless people from all over the world speak very poor English. As you start taking tentative steps to speak Danish you meet the frustration of speaking Danish … @media (min-width:825px) { .danish-rwd-top { width: 728px; height: 90px; } } However, speaking … Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. These will make learning the Danish language a lot easier. You can decide for yourself how difficult learning … The same goes for “mor” (mother) and “mord” (murder) and “hej” (hello) and “haj” (shark). If you read our article on the easiest languages to learn, you may remember that the Germanic languages from Scandinavia largely dominated that list. In fact, Norwegian and Swedish took the top two spots. Several years ago I left Denmark to go to Berlin to learn and study german. But you won’t learn any Danish if you spend all of your time worrying, hesitating and beating around the bush. The third factor surprises many visitors. Learn Danish vocabulary, phrases and words FAST with TONS of FREE lessons! This means that you must say the last number before you say the first. By using this website, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to all the terms of our privacy policy and legal disclaimer. Or they’ll mention their foreign neighbor or evoke how … There are in fact a couple of generally accepted reasons. For any language I learn, the first product I pick up is a copy Assimil with Ease written for learners of that language.. For Danish, I use Le Danois sans Peine (the French version) because, unfortunately, no … (The word “gift” means poison in Danish). And like those languages, Danish has relatively simple grammar concepts and shares plenty of cognates with English. So why is Danish on this list of hardest languages? Danish is a gutteral language, and this enunciation is hard … Whether you are trying to learn the whole language or you would just like to learn a couple useful words and phrases your efforts will be appreciated. “Danish has an extremely high number of vowels – an analysis has shown that it has four times as many vowel sounds as Italian, for example – so many people will find it difficult to learn the difference between Danish … I personally believe that you can learn Danish faster by yourself than by taking an intensive course. It is generally spoken more quickly and more softly than other Scandinavian languages. “There are many mute syllables in Danish. Pronunciation. Danish is no exception, and it might actually be one of the easier ones to learn. The majority of Danes seem to be incapable of understanding even the slightest mispronunciation or improperly conjugated verb or noun. Intimidatig vowels via Wikimedia / Wikimedia. The Danish language is not considered to be overly hard to learn compared with other languages. Danes generally have enormous difficulties in understanding foreigners. Miscellaneous Pronunciation Issues. Yes, we have crowned Danish as the least hard of the hardest languages. Danes pronounce words completely different to how they are written, which … However, it can be a little difficult to master in your head, as it requires you to know the last digit before you say the first, and if you are the listener you must listen to the last digit before you listen to the first. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Attempting to learn any foreign language can be a difficult undertaking. Which of these is not like the others? The Danes. Watch the below video, to get a better idea of the stød in Danish: Another problem is that Danes are known for speaking in a weirdly monotone manner. It can be in your own country, or in Denmark at a summer school. The difficulty of Danish according to linguists. Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian are all very beautiful, but choosing which … It’s really just a kind of vanity. However, after the number 20 the numbering system does become  difficult for someone who does not have experience with such a numbering system. It should also be mentioned that Danes also have difficulties in understanding each other. Why this should be the case escapes me, but the people who think so speak of unnamed scientific research and second-hand anecdotes. English is spoken widely and fluently across northern European countries. Here are some Danish phrases to start you on your way. It’s a long hard struggle to learn Danish. I was once told that the only way to truly learn a new language is the pillow way. But the 600 hours estimate allows us to compare Danish with other languages. “The course was intense, there was a lot to take in” says Miriam, an American student majoring in Danish and Film, before adding that it was a great way to meet new people. When you’re learning Danish, you get used to these new ideas and … While the vocabulary and grammar are quite easy to master, the pronunciation in Danish has a bit of a reputation. So, just how hard is it to learn Spanish? It can be a little distracting, but with some practice you will get used to it. There are a lot of cognates between Danish and English. Words sound … So go for it! Danish is a mumbly, confusing language. A great part of the grammar is related and much of the vocabulary will look like English.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'autolingual_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',112,'0','0'])); The two languages do, in fact, share a great deal of history, which explains many of these similarities. They’ll tell you about the Queen’s husband, a Frenchman who’s not mastered the Danish tongue even though he’s been in the country for over 50 years. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'autolingual_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_8',118,'0','0'])); Danish is not difficult at all, so don’t be scared by the stories the Danish people like to tell you! Written Danish wasn’t too hard; it’s straightforward and free of all the kaleidoscopic verb endings of Spanish and French and the silly old-fashioned spellings of English. But a video might make it a little clearer. But his Danish was above functional. Newcomers to Denmark might recognise the warning often … They also seem to have incredible difficulties in picking up what someone is trying to say who has an accent. The grammar has some similarities to that of English, which technically makes it one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. It is difficult learning Danish. Always Updated. Danish is a very vowel-centric language and consonants often disappear into the ether when they are swallowed up. Don’t put off learning Danish. Learn Danish with DanishClass101.com 220,093 views Danish is a Scandinavian language spoken by less than 6 million people in the world. They’ll tell you about the Queen’s husband, a Frenchman who’s not mastered the Danish tongue even though he’s been in the country for over 50 years. So according to FSI, Danish is not the biggest challenge in the world. A pocket Danish-English dictionary is a very useful tool. For the Dane, this is an opportunity to improve their English. If you know English, you will notice many cognates right at the start, and it is relatively easy to learn … Why this should be the case escapes me, but the people who think so speak of unnamed scientific research and second-hand anecdotes. Although not technically "language", be forewarned that the Danish numbering system can be difficult to master. Yet, there’s a growing interest in the world for learning Danish! But they don’t really have the experience of studying it, so how would they know? Making a decision and getting your feet wet will be the start of an exiting journey. In fact, Norwegian, Danish and … Denmark’s language, with its eclectic-sounding consonants and plethora of vowels, has a reputation as being one of the world’s hardest to learn. When it comes to learning a Scandinavian language, it’s difficult to determine which is the easiest to learn. Not only do they tend to be able to speak English, but they're also very willing to use it. In addition, if you have a smart phone or tablet you can use Google Translate as needed. The prince (who has now passed) could maybe have benefited from a stronger focus on pronunciation and grammar. It is not generally harder than languages like German, French … The government wants immigrants to integrate into Danish society and language is always a good place start. Norwegians and Swedes like to tease the Danish by saying that they speak with a hot potato in their mouths), Danish demands as much time as other Scandinavian languages, learn any language easily if only you put in the time, learn any Danish if you spend all of your time worrying, How To Learn Russian By Yourself (From Beginner To Fluency). However, speaking Danish is a different story. Grammatically, though, it’s relatively easy. Learn Danish in just 5 minutes a day with our game-like lessons. If you started last year, you could have been fluent today! I’d argue that Spanish and French might be on the upper level of the scale, whereas the other Scandinavian languages would demand a little less effort than Danish. Students unanimously agreed that pronunciation was the biggest challenge involved in learning Danish. Watch something Danish. As native Danish speakers we kinda like to let all the sounds "merge" together, as much as possible, into a short smoothed out sentence. You are not likely to think of the language as smooth, romantic, or elegant. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'autolingual_com-banner-1','ezslot_11',157,'0','0']));You just have to know. And why would anyone expect tourists to pronounce languages they don’t know correctly? This of course can be very frustrating for anyone who is trying to learn Danish, but it can be very comforting to anyone who simply wants to have a conversation without the misunderstandings. Learning to speak Danish can be difficult, even if you speak its close linguistic cousins, English and German. Not very difficult for English speaker. For those of you whose native language is either Danish, Dutch, German, or Swedish, then you’ll find learning Norwegian significantly easier to understand and to learn. If you ask the native speaker of almost any language, they’ll tell you why their language is hard. Well – you need to take the number “600 hours” with a grain of salt. Danish is also flatter and more monotonous than English. The difficulty lies in that numbers above 20 are reversed when spoken. Danish is said to be the hardest Scandinavian language to learn because of its speaking patterns. For those of you who are not in Denmark there are many online Danish language courses available, as well as audio language courses. It is also important to know that the Danish alphabet has 3 extra letters at the end of their alphabet compared with the the Engish alphabet. One thing is that Danish adds a few extra letters to the Latin alphabet, like Æ, Ø and Å, and pronounces the “r” a little like a weak form of the French R. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'autolingual_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',113,'0','0'])); There’s also the glottal stop, called “stød” in Danish which is a way of pronouncing certain words. 10. I obviously speak a little slower and a little clearer than I normally would in Danish, but it should give you an idea about the pronunciation.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'autolingual_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',115,'0','0'])); The FSI (Foreign Service Institute) is the US government institution charged with teaching foreign languages to American diplomats. If you want to spice up your Danish learning game, you should start watching Danish series. Then there’s German, which takes 25% longer than Danish to learn, Hindi and Russian take something like twice as long to learn and languages like Arabic or Chinese take a whooping 4 times longer than Danish. The Danes consider their language very hard! There are a few aspects of Danish that are hard to learn. If you have to concentrate very hard … No you don ’ t really have the of. So according to FSI, Danish is No is danish hard to learn, and website in this browser for the Dane, doesn! 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