Lesson 3 - Self introduction (selv introduktion)
In this lesson you are going to learn how to introduce yourself in Danish! You are going to meet a lot of new people throughout your journey of learning Danish, so being able to introduce yourself is essential. As of now, just try to memorize the phrases and don’t worry about the grammar.
First meeting
1. Hej! Hello!
2. Jeg hedder ______. My name is ______.
or
Mit navn er ______. My name is ______.
3. Hyggeligt at møde dig. Nice to meet you.
4. I lige måde. You too.
Taking the conversation a step further
1. Hvor gammel er du? How old are you?
2. Jeg er ___ år gammel. I am ___ years old.
3. Hvor er du fra? Where are you from?
4. Jeg er fra ______. I am from ______.
5. Hvor bor du? Where do you live?
6. Jeg bor i ______. I live in ______.
7. Hvad med dig? How about you?
Example conversation between Marie and Michael
Marie: Hej! Mit navn er Marie. Hyggeligt at møde dig. Michael: Hej Marie. Jeg hedder Michael. I lige måde. Hvor er du fra? Marie: Jeg er fra Danmark. Hvad med dig? Michael: Jeg er fra Amerika. Marie: Hvor gammel er du? Michael: Jeg er 27 (syvogtyve) år gammel. Hvor gammel er du? Marie: Jeg er 25 (femogtyve).
The translation: Marie: Hello. My name is Marie. Nice to meet you. Michael: Hello Marie. I’m called Michael. You too. Where are you from? Marie: I am from Denmark. How about you? Michael: I am from America. Marie: How old are you? Michael: I am 27 years old. How old are you? Marie: I am 25.
Note: This is of course a “perfect example” conversation utilizing only phrases you have learned from above. A first encounter with someone is almost always varying and it all depends on the setting, context and the people you meet. However, with these phrases in mind, you are off to a good start!
The handshake
In Denmark when greeting someone for the first time (in a formal setting) it is common courtesy to shake their hand. Examples of such formal settings are: meetings (e.g. job interviews) formal dining (e.g. dinner parties with your company) celebrations (e.g. weddings)
When greeting someone, make sure to have eye contact, grab their hand firmly and shake.
The hug
In Denmark it is very common to hug your friends and family as a greeting or when saying goodbye. Danes will most likely even hug friends that they made online when meeting for the first time! So don’t be afraid if a Dane is hugging you. Just smile and hug back! ☺
