Prepositions are the glue of any language, and Danish is no exception. Get them wrong, and suddenly you’re telling someone you’ll meet them on the train instead of in it. Let’s fix that.
The Basics: What Even Is a Preposition?
A preposition shows the relationship between nouns, pronouns, and other words in a sentence. In Danish, they’re just as crucial as in English - but often more confusing. Here’s the lowdown.
På
[pʰɔ̽]“On/At”
I
[i]“In”
Til
/te(l)/“To/For”
The Tricky Ones That Trip Everyone Up
Some Danish prepositions don’t map neatly to English. Here’s where learners usually faceplant.
Af
[a]“Of/From”
Med
/mɛð/“With”
Overfor
/ɔvərfɔr/“Opposite/Facing”
Prepositions of Time: When Danish Defies Logic
Time-related prepositions in Danish follow their own rules. No, they don’t always match English. Deal with it.
| Danish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Om | In (future time) | om en uge (in a week) |
| I | For (duration) | i to timer (for two hours) |
| På | On/At (specific times) | på mandag (on Monday) |
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Using til instead of for: 'Jeg giver en gave til dig' (I give a gift to you) is correct. 'For' is used for beneficiaries ('Jeg køber en bil for dig' = I’m buying a car for you).
- Confusing ved and hos: 'Ved' is for proximity ('ved siden af' = next to), while 'hos' is for being at someone’s place ('hos lægen' = at the doctor’s).
- Overusing i for locations: Danes say 'på biblioteket' (at the library), not 'i biblioteket' (which implies inside the building).
For more Danish quirks, check out our guide to 10 Danish phrases for feeling hygge or the cultural insights behind Danish humour.
