Why learn Danish?

Articles and news for global professionals living and working in Denmark

Why learn Danish?

Photo: Malene Neergaard & Karen Bahamondes from 'Danish for You'.

23 MARCH 2021

NEWS

DENMARK

Three reasons why you should learn Danish if you live and work in Denmark Expat in Denmark teamed up with Malene Neergaard and Karen Bahamondes from 'Danish for You' to a talk about the importance of learning Danish as an expat in Denmark.

As an expat you probably arrived in Denmark full of enthusiasm or at least with good intentions.

But after six months in Denmark you may have found it harder than you thought to get past the initial stages of language learning. You probably also found that most Danish people already speak English so it is fair to wonder why you should even bother learning Danish.

Well, Karen and Malene have quite a few reasons for why learning Danish is both important and beneficial for you as an expat in Denmark. As they will point out in this article, there are many reasons why it is a good idea to learn a language from the pure joy of it to the enhanced career prospects. Let’s take a look, shall we?

1. It makes (social) life easier As a tourist in Denmark you may be able to get by with English but you will find it worth your while to learn Danish if you plan on getting established here. Learning Danish will open doors for you socially and culturally as it is important to know the language to not end up in what Malene describes as the ‘Expat bubble’: If you do not learn the language you are very likely to end up in the “Expat bubble" where you live in a parallel society together with other expats, never really getting behind the surface and never digging deeply into the various aspects of Danish culture and thus feeling a profound connection to the country.

Most Danes are really good at English and they also like speaking it. However, it is not everywhere in Denmark that the locals master – and/or enjoy - speaking English in their daily lives. Some parts of Danish culture can be somewhat insular and you will most likely have an easier time making real connections if you speak the local language. Speaking Danish as an expat will help you better understand social dynamics and underlaying meanings. Especially when it comes to the Danish humor, it is a great advantage being able to speak and understand the language as it enables you to engage with other people in a relaxed and informal way. So, no matter how good your expat network is, at some point you will find yourself in a situation where speaking a little — or a lot — of the local language will come in handy.

2. It improves your career opportunities You may wonder if speaking English is enough to get by in a Danish company. In most cases it is not. Even though many companies in Denmark have English as their corporate language, it is a huge advantage and sometimes even a requirement that you know how to communicate in Danish.

Karen and Malene stress the importance of speaking Danish in order to improve your career opportunities and explain that not speaking the local language can for some companies

Photo: Getty Images.

be a deal-breaker when it comes to hiring or deciding who should lead the next big project. The explanation is that some providers and customers prefer to speak Danish and that many important decisions are taken at the coffee machine - in Danish.

As an expat speaking Danish will help you get by in the work environment and build relationships with your colleagues and other important stakeholders. Therefore, it is a good idea to enroll in language courses to improve your proficiency in Danish if you want to build a solid career in Denmark.

3. It helps you show them the 'real' you It is not uncommon for expats to experience that they feel and act different across the languages they speak. You might already have experienced this phenomenon yourself where you feel like you have different personalities when speaking different languages. Some find that they start to have a different tone of voice or even different body language depending on what language they speak.

Malene explains that when she lived in France, she did not feel like the people she met got to know the 'real' her as she could not communicate with them in French. After practicing French and becoming more fluent, she slowly began to show people who she really was. Karen also explains how not being able to express yourself might affect your sense of belonging and how well you thrive in a foreign country: When you speak another language you become another version of yourself. Therefore it is important to build a vocabulary that enables you to demonstrate all the many qualities and facettes which you entail as a person. If you are not able to express these it can affect your well-being.

There are many other reasons to learn Danish than the ones listed here. Remember that learning a new language can take time and be difficult. However, it should always be a fun process. Below we have gathered a few tips on how you can improve your Danish skills yourself. Also remember that if you are 18, live in Denmark and have a CPR number, you are eligible for Danish courses offered by your local municipality.

Tips & Tricks on how to learn Danish Watch Danish tv shows and movies. DR.dk has many options to pick between, e.g. Borgen and Matador Listen to Danish music and radio (and sing in Danish!)

Ask people to speak slowly when you are speaking Danish with them Read easy-to-read books in Danish, e.g. children's books Speak a mix of English and Danish. Use Danish words when possible Speak Danish even if your Danish is not perfect! People usually get the point anyway Photo: Getty Images.

Have fun and be patient, you are learning a whole new language Source: Danish for You

Written by Emilie Langkilde Sukstorf