# Danish: Måske / kanske



## sindridah

Hey, I'm just very curious to know if kanske is acceptable synonym for the
word måske? Would a danish person understand this word?


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## piccando

I think most danes will understand the word but it is old-fashioned. The to parts of the word "kan" ad "ske" can be translated as may or can happen.


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## Sepia

I'd even say - extremely old-fashioned. Many people wouldn't even know it.


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## nsv

Not that old-fashioned, it's still used in dialects, but it would sound strange if you use it and don't speak dialect.


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## Sepia

Where/Which dialect?

(Everybody speaks some kind of dialect.)


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## jette(DK)

In ordnet.dk  - which is a very reliable online dictionary on Danish - the word 'kanske' is stated in Den Danske Ordbog which deals with contemporary Danish, but it is noted as 'gammeldags' = old usage. It says nothing about dialectical. If the word was altogether obsolete, it would not have been stated here but only in Ordbog over Det Danske Sprog (same webpage) which deals with 1700-1950 Danish. The word 'kanske' was apparently quite normal in older Danish and is quite similar (in spelling but not in pronunciation) to the Swedish word with the same meaning. According to Ordbog over det Danske Sprog, the current 'måske' dates back as far as 'kanske'. When 'måske' took over, I can't tell.
Note equally that 'kanske' and 'måske' have almost the same 'root' meaning 'can/may happen' and 'may happen'.

I think anyone - also young people - would understand a phasing like this (two words instead of one): Det kan ske, at han køber ind på hjemvejen. = He may (occasionally) shop on his way home


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## bicontinental

jette(DK) said:


> I think anyone - also young people - would understand a phasing like this (two words instead of one): Det kan ske, at han køber ind på hjemvejen. = He may (occasionally) shop on his way home



I agree. And that construction seems common in contemporary Danish. Although _kanske_ (the adverb) and _kan ske_ (modal _kunne_ + the infinitive _ske_) are related semantically, the usage of these is obviously different, and the former sounds quite dated to my ear.

*Kanske *_det tordner i morgen/Kanske vi får torden i morgen_. (I’d say, _Måske får vi torden i  morgen)_

Vs.

_Det *kan* (godt) *ske*, at det tordner, mens det sner_ (at least in my neck of the woods!)

I’d suggest to the OP to use _måske _or rephrase the sentence, (_Det er muligt at, det kan godt være at,_ etc.)

Bic.


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## Sepia

Can you find us a contemporary text or videoclip where somebody under 30 uses "kanske" (not "det kan ske" - that is not the word; that is refrasing it)?


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## bicontinental

Who are you asking, Sepia?


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## Sepia

bicontinental said:


> Who are you asking, Sepia?


 
Anyone here claiming it is contemporary ...


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## nsv

If 'contemporary' means 'used by people under 30 making videoclips' it's perhaps not contemporary, but I did not claim it's commonly used; I just hear it occasionally in midtjysk and nordvestsjællandsk (pronounced "kaskie"). If proving that means that I need to have my cellphone constantly ready and recording, I rest my case.

NSV


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