# Norsk til dansk: common words for expressing myself



## frugihoyi

I am neither Norwegian nor Danish, but I lived in Norway for a while and got pretty comfortable with expressing myself in Norwegian. There are certain words I used a lot, and for which I am not sure of the proper Danish translation.
I hope you guys can answer my questions and translate my example sentences to Danish.

*fornøyd *(ex: Jeg fikk gode karakterer så jeg er fornøyd / I got good grades so I am pleased)

Norwegian: I have learned that this word is more positive than tilfreds, which basically means that something is just good enough.
Danish: I know that the word fornøjet exists, but I don't think I hear it very often. Is the word "tilfreds" more positive in Danish than in Norwegian? Or is there another word I can use?

*spent *(ex: Jeg er spent fordi jeg skal på stranden / I am excited because I am going to the beach)

Norwegian: It means excited.
Danish: I am very confused about when to use the word "spændt" in Danish. Apparently it can be translated both to "excited" and to "tense." Yesterday I wanted to ask someone who was going to drive for the first time if she was "spændt" but I realized that it would be equally plausible for her to be excited as it would have been for her to be tense. How would she have interpreted the question? Which words would native Danes use for "excited" and for "tense"?
*
flink *(ex: Du er flink til å spille guitar / You are good at playing guitar)

Norwegian: good, talented
Danish: I know that flink means "nice" in Danish, so what word should I use if I wanted to say "good/talented"? The only word I can think of is "dygtig" but it doesn't seem so natural to me. I mean, you could also use "dygtig" in Norwegian, but I think "flink" is much more common in this context. Is there a more common word to use in Danish?

*å lure på *(ex: Jeg lurer på, om der er kommet noe post til meg / I wonder if any mail came for me)

Norwegian: to wonder
Danish: I think I've heard "at lure på" once in Danish. I know the verb exists, but again my question is about what is the most common way to express the idea since "at lure på" doesn't seem so common (I could be wrong). I've taken to using "at spekulerer på" but I find it really awkward. Which is better? Is there another alternative?


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## Ben Jamin

frugihoyi said:


> *spent *(ex: Jeg er spent fordi jeg skal på stranden / I am excited because I am going to the beach)
> 
> Norwegian: It means excited.



I don't know much about Danish, but I would like to comment your explanation of the meaning of the word "spent" in Norwegian. In English the expression "I am excited" means usually that you look forward to something with positive emotions, even enthusiasm. Not so in the case of "_Jeg er spent_" which means basically that you are insecure about something that is going to happen, and can have both positive and negative consequences, that you are under stress, or even anxious.

And yes, the apparent similarity between Norwegian and Danish may be tracherous, there are plenty of false friends, for example "oppegående" in Norwegian may mean that somebody is bright and clever, but in Danish it is only used in the literal sense: "the person is in upright position and can walk".


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## Billebob

frugihoyi said:


> *fornøyd *(ex: Jeg fikk gode karakterer så jeg er fornøyd / I got good grades so I am pleased)
> 
> Norwegian: I have learned that this word is more positive than tilfreds, which basically means that something is just good enough.
> Danish: I know that the word fornøjet exists, but I don't think I hear it very often. Is the word "tilfreds" more positive in Danish than in Norwegian? Or is there another word I can use?



I would use "Tilfreds" or even "begejstret" if I'm really stoked about it.



frugihoyi said:


> *spent *(ex: Jeg er spent fordi jeg skal på stranden / I am excited because I am going to the beach)
> 
> Norwegian: It means excited.
> Danish: I am very confused about when to use the word "spændt" in Danish. Apparently it can be translated both to "excited" and to "tense." Yesterday I wanted to ask someone who was going to drive for the first time if she was "spændt" but I realized that it would be equally plausible for her to be excited as it would have been for her to be tense. How would she have interpreted the question? Which words would native Danes use for "excited" and for "tense"?



When you address yourself as a whole and not a part of you, "spændt" just about always means "excited". You would say "det spænder i min ryg" (My back is tense) but never "min ryg er spændt" (because that would actually translate into: "my back is excited"). 

I would however probably not use it in the sentence you use. Instead i would probably just say "jeg glæder mig til at jeg skal på stranden" (I'm looking forward ...). 



frugihoyi said:


> *
> flink *(ex: Du er flink til å spille guitar / You are good at playing guitar)
> 
> Norwegian: good, talented
> Danish: I know that flink means "nice" in Danish, so what word should I use if I wanted to say "good/talented"? The only word I can think of is "dygtig" but it doesn't seem so natural to me. I mean, you could also use "dygtig" in Norwegian, but I think "flink" is much more common in this context. Is there a more common word to use in Danish?



"Flink" in Danish means "nice" as you point out. The proper word in Danish is "dygtig".



frugihoyi said:


> *å lure på *(ex: Jeg lurer på, om der er kommet noe post til meg / I wonder if any mail came for me)
> 
> Norwegian: to wonder
> Danish: I think I've heard "at lure på" once in Danish. I know the verb exists, but again my question is about what is the most common way to express the idea since "at lure på" doesn't seem so common (I could be wrong). I've taken to using "at spekulerer på" but I find it really awkward. Which is better? Is there another alternative?



Using "spekulerer" in that context would not be grammatically incorrect but way too "heavy" for normal use. I would wrap it around and go "Gad vide om der er kommet noget post til mig". (I would like to know if any mail arrived for me)


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## sjiraff

Ben Jamin said:


> And yes, the apparent similarity between Norwegian and Danish may be tracherous, there are plenty of false friends, for example "oppegående" in Norwegian may mean that somebody is bright and clever, but in Danish it is only used in the literal sense: "the person is in upright position and can walk".



Just to check (Sorry for interjecting a bit) - but this isn't the same as oppadgående is it?  (Things like, nedadpekende/oppadpekende etc)


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## Ben Jamin

sjiraff said:


> Just to check (Sorry for interjecting a bit) - but this isn't the same as oppadgående is it?  (Things like, nedadpekende/oppadpekende etc)


No, sorry, *oppegående *(en som er oppe og går) means primarily a person that is able to stand and walk, figurativeley a person that is  alert, clever, smart, skillful.
*Oppadgående *means anything that is moving *upwards*.


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## sjiraff

Ben Jamin said:


> No, sorry, *oppegående *(en som er oppe og går) means primarily a person that is able to stand and walk, figurativeley a person that is  alert, clever, smart, skillful.
> *Oppadgående *means anything that is moving *upwards*.



Got it, just making sure since I think in the past I have misheard them before.
Thanks


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## frugihoyi

Billebob said:


> When you address yourself as a whole and not a part of you, "spændt" just about always means "excited". You would say "det spænder i min ryg" (My back is tense) but never "min ryg er spændt" (because that would actually translate into: "my back is excited").
> 
> I would however probably not use it in the sentence you use. Instead i would probably just say "jeg glæder mig til at jeg skal på stranden" (I'm looking forward ...).


Var det så korrekt at spørge pigen, om hun var spændt på at køre bil?


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## Billebob

frugihoyi said:


> Var det så korrekt at spørge pigen, om hun var spændt på at køre bil?



Det ville være ganske korrekt


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## Sepia

Danish: fornøjet/tilfreds - it is not that one is stronger than the other. It is only that they are partly overlapping in their meaning. The emotion behind "fornøjet" will clearly be stronger because there is usually a whole range of things influencing you, while when you are "tilfreds" it is usually one specific thing like work you have just had finished that you are satisfied with.

"spændt" is like when you are exited by the expectation of the outcome of something - like your results from a test or what is happening next a film you are watching.

"flink" - basically "nice". At least a description of the character and not the abilities of a person. "dygtig" would describe the abilitiy and not the character.

"at spekulerer på" is wrong. When you use the infinitive marker "at", you also need to use an infinitive and not the present tense. "at spekulere på". 
"at lure på" means exactly the same, but is probably more used in Jutland. Maybe als a bit archaic. I have never heard it used in Copenhagen. But it is about things that really demand some consideration. Not just wondering if there is mail for you. In that case I'd also go for "Gad vide om der er kommet noget post til mig"-


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## frugihoyi

I'm still unsure about lure/spekulere/gad vide...

A couple of you have suggested that I should use "gad vide om der er kommet noget post til mig." But what about a phrase like "I was wondering if you had a chance to read my application"? What would be the most correct and common way to say such a thing?

I think I could say "Jeg ville høre om du har haft chance til at kigge på min ansøgning" but it doesn't have the exact same meaning, does it?


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## Billebob

frugihoyi said:


> I'm still unsure about lure/spekulere/gad vide...
> 
> A couple of you have suggested that I should use "gad vide om der er kommet noget post til mig." But what about a phrase like "I was wondering if you had a chance to read my application"? What would be the most correct and common way to say such a thing?
> 
> I think I could say "Jeg ville høre om du har haft chance til at kigge på min ansøgning" but it doesn't have the exact same meaning, does it?



"Jeg ville høre om du har haft _en_ chance til/_for_ at kigge på min ansøgning" works just fine as a translation. You can make it a bit more casual by saying "jeg ville _lige_ høre om .." 

Regards


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