Although English is widely spoken and understood if you intened to live in Denmark for any period of time you will have to make at least some attempt to learn Danish, however basic this might be. One of the things that might make this challenge a little easier, is understanding more about the language itself, why it is the way it is, and how best to approach it.
Nearly all languages belong to language families, that is groups of languages, usually spoken in neighbouring countries, that come from the same ancestor language and have many similar features. Danish belongs to the "Germanic" family of languages, sometimes more colloquially called, North European and is in the Scandinavian sub-group. Thus it is grouped with Icelandic, Faeroese, Swedish and Norwegian. Indeed, especially in its written form it is very similar to Norwegian (especially) and Swedish.
Although it represents a major challenge for many people, the need to gain some knowledge of Danish is unquestionable if you are going to make a success of living in Denmark. However well the Danes speak English, there are scores of situations in which Danish is needed or helpful from shopping and ordering in a restaurant, to dealing with workmen and Danish officialdom, and communicating in a wide range of unpredictable situations such as medical emergencies, theft, traffic incidents and insurance claims.
You will receive bills, bank statements and other communications through the post, and will have to cope with cooking instructions and operating manuals for the products you buy.
Apart from these practical considerations, you will undoubtedly feel less isolated in a country if you understand some of its language. If you have no knowledge of the local language and customs everything can seem alien and unwelcoming. Once you start tuning into the life around you, things can start to make sense and you will feel more relaxed and at home.
Danish people can often seem serious and straight-faced on first encounter - remember that they too are regarding you as a stranger whom they are fearful of not understanding. If you break the ice with a few pleasantries, and make some attempt to speak Danish properly, you will often find a warm and appreciative response and this will make you feel more at ease.
So the need is clear, but how are we to go about learning Danish? Many people buy language courses and phrasebooks and enrol on Danish courses, only to end up feeling defeated. There are no tricks or short cuts to successful learning, but some hints may help.
For all but a few gifted people, the need for personal contact with the language is essential. If social contact with Danish people is limited, the only other answer is a Danish class. Make sure that the approach adopted in the class is practical and relevant.
It is perfectly possible to gain a working knowledge of the language without having to memorise endless grammar rules, which most people find difficult, if not impossible to cope with. Make sure too that you are being taught spoken Danish and are given plenty of practice in speaking it. If you only learn to read and write the language you will be none the wiser when trying to communicate in real situations.
Another decision is whether to learn Danish over a long term period or on a short intensive course. As a general rule intensive courses are useful for getting a "kick-start" in the language, especially if you need to learn quickly for a specific reason. Otherwise it is generally advisable to learn at a more measured pace over a longer period of time.
Apart from this basic requirement, they are many other ways of exposing yourself to the Danish language. Probably the easiest and most obvious way is to watch Danish television. Although the quality is often criticised, it is an enormously rich source of language, with even the most inane quiz shows and adverts being fruitful from a language learner's point of view.
Along with this there is listening to the radio, watching videos of familiar films, reading gossip magazines, tuning into conversations in the street, reading signs and billboards, in other words, opening your ears and eyes to the language that is all around you. As a supplement to these things, there are many learning aids available.
DanskKompetence ApS – Simply Danish
Crash Courses and Tailored courses
· We organize courses fitted to suit each participant's specific aims and needs.
· The course could be for employees, who need to strengthen specific language skills.
· We begin the course with a competence clarification and a language profile. These form part of the planning of a customized language course. This is standard procedure, whether it comes to basic Danish, Danish within a specific professional subject area or intensive writing / pronunciation courses.
We can arrange lessons and courses to take place in the work place (all Denmark and abroad), over the Internet (e-learning) or at our facilities in Nordsjælland (Northern Zealand) and Copenhagen.
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