Lesson 01

Danish Level 1

Danish, a North Germanic language based on Old Norse, is spoken by some 6 million people, primarily in Denmark, although there are some speakers in Norway, Sweden, the Faroese Islands, and Greenland. Within the country of Denmark, there are many different dialects spoken. Generally, the newscast or Standard Danish (also referred to as rigsdansk), which is based on the dialects spoken in and around Copenhagen, is considered the most desirable dialect. This course adheres as closely as possible to Standard Danish. Because of the large number of similarities between Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, knowledge of any one of these languages makes it possible to understand the others. This is true for both spoken and written forms.

The recorded portion of the reading materials will be found at the end of most units. Full instructions on how to proceed with the readings are contained in the audio portion of the course. Welcome!