Danish phrases for tourists: hello, thanks and more

Short answer

“Hej” is the simplest way to say hello in Danish, sounding approximately like English “hi”. Use “hej hej” when leaving. “Tak”, “undskyld” and “taler du engelsk?” are useful next steps: thank you, excuse me and do you speak English?

Greetings and polite essentials

Hej: hi or hello.

Godmorgen: good morning.

Godaften: good evening.

Hej hej: bye.

Tak: thank you.

Mange tak: thank you very much.

Ja tak: yes, please.

Nej tak: no, thank you.

Undskyld: excuse me or sorry, depending on the situation.

The English word “hi” is a useful approximation for hej. For a closer model, listen to the pronunciation in Den Danske Ordbog, which provides audio for many entries. Written approximations cannot represent every Danish sound accurately.

Cafés and shops

Må jeg bede om en kaffe? Could I have a coffee, please?

En kop te, tak. A cup of tea, please.

Hvad koster det? How much does it cost?

Kan jeg betale med kort? Can I pay by card?

Må jeg bede om regningen? Could I have the bill, please?

Danish does not have a single politeness word that replaces English “please” in every sentence. Tak and the phrase må jeg bede om offer two practical patterns.

A short exchange:

Guest: Hej. Må jeg bede om en kaffe?

Staff member: Ja. Andet?

Guest: Nej tak.

Here, “Andet?” means “Anything else?”.

Finding your way

Hvor er stationen? Where is the station?

Hvor er toilettet? Where is the toilet?

Er det her bussen til centrum? Is this the bus to the city centre?

Skal jeg skifte? Do I need to change?

Kan du hjælpe mig? Can you help me?

Keep your destination in writing when asking about transport. “The station” may be too vague in a city with several stations.

Official sources

Checked 11 November 2026.

Den Danske Ordbog: hej

Den Danske Ordbog: tak

Sproget.dk: dansk sprog

VisitDenmark: English in Denmark