Informal Address With Du
In Denmark, everyone is addressed as 'du' (you), regardless of their job, age, or status. It is the polite, neutral default for strangers, bosses, and teachers alike.
How It Works
In many languages, you must choose between a 'formal' and 'informal' way to say 'you'. In Danish, this choice has effectively disappeared. Since the social reforms of the 1960s and 70s, du-tiltale has become the universal standard.
Key points to remember:
- Universal Usage: You use du with your boss, your doctor, a police officer, and people you have just met on the street. In a Danish context, this is neutral and implies social equality.
- The Formal Alternative: The formal De still exists but is reserved for the Royal Family, some extremely elderly people, or high-end service contexts.
- Mandatory Capitalization: A critical rule is that certain pronouns must always be capitalized in Danish. This includes the formal forms De (subject), Dem (object), and Deres (possessive). Additionally, the informal plural pronoun I (you plural) must always be capitalized to distinguish it from the preposition i (in).
- Grammar Forms: To become proficient in address, remember the informal forms: subject du, object dig, and possessive din/dit/dine. Danish verbs do not change based on the person; whether you use 'du' or 'De', the verb remains the same.
Examples (4)
- Undskyld, ved du, hvad klokken er?
Excuse me, do you know what time it is?
Word by Word: Excuse, know you, what clock-the is?
This is the standard, polite way to ask a complete stranger for the time.
- Hej Søren, kan du hjælpe mig med det her?
Hi Søren, can you help me with this?
Word by Word: Hi Søren, can you help me with it here?
In a Danish workplace, you address your boss by their first name and use 'du'.
- Hvad vil du gerne have at drikke?
What would you like to drink?
Word by Word: What will you gladly have to drink?
A waiter or shop assistant will almost always address customers as 'du'.
- Jeg er glad for at møde dig.
I am happy to meet you.
Word by Word: I am happy for to meet you.
When 'du' is the object of a sentence, it becomes 'dig'.
Common Mistakes
Using the formal 'De' to be 'safe' with strangers.
Different MeaningUndskyld, ved De, hvor stationen er?Undskyld, ved du, hvor stationen er?Using 'De' with a stranger can make you sound like you are intentionally creating distance or being sarcastic. Stick to 'du' to sound natural and friendly.
Using 'du' to address a group of people.
Hej alle sammen, er du klar?Hej alle sammen, er I klar?'du' is strictly singular. If you are talking to more than one person, you must use the plural pronoun 'I'.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- jeg/du/han/hunSubject Pronouns Singular
'du' is the subject form of the second-person singular pronoun.
Level 1 - mig/dig/ham/hendeObject Pronouns Singular
'dig' is the object form used when 'you' is the recipient of an action.
Level 1 - vi/I/deSubject Pronouns Plural
'I' is the plural version of 'you', used when addressing more than one person.
Level 1 - din/dit/dineYour (Singular)
These are the possessive forms ('your') corresponding to 'du'.
Level 1 - De/Dem/DeresFormal Address with De
The rare formal alternative to 'du', used for the Royal Family.
Level 4 - Polite Expressions
Since Danish doesn't use formal pronouns for politeness, it relies on specific phrases like 'værsgo' or 'tak'.
Level 1
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Patterns that build on this one.
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Practice Informal Address With Du in Bubblegum
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