Difference between revisions of "Language/Danish/Grammar/Definite-and-Indefinite-Articles"

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Danish → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Definite and Indefinite Articles

As a beginner learning Danish, you will encounter definite and indefinite articles that are different from English. In this lesson, you will learn about these articles and the concept of gender in Danish nouns.

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Pronouns & Passive Voice.

Definite Articles

In Danish, definite articles are used to specify a particular noun. The definite article has different forms, depending on the gender of the noun and whether it is singular or plural. The definite article is always used with Danish nouns, unlike in English where it is optional.

The definite article for masculine nouns in singular form is "en". For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en dreng	"en" /dʁɛŋ/	a boy

The definite article for feminine nouns in singular form is "en" or "e". For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en pige	"en" /piː/ or "e" /pjeː/	a girl

The definite article for neuter nouns in singular form is "et". For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
et barn	"et" /baːn/	a child

The definite article for plural nouns, regardless of gender, is "de". For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
de bøger	"de" /bøːjɐ/	the books

In Danish, the definite article is also used with proper nouns, unlike in English. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
Danmark	/danmaɐk/	Denmark

Danish	Pronunciation	English
Danmarken	/danmaɐkən/	The Denmark

Indefinite Articles

In contrast to definite articles, indefinite articles are used to refer to an unspecified or general noun. Again, these have different forms depending on the gender of the noun and whether it is singular or plural.

The indefinite article for masculine nouns in singular form is "en". For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en dreng	"en" /dʁɛŋ/	a boy

The indefinite article for feminine nouns in singular form is "en" or "ei". The form "ei" is more commonly used in Eastern Denmark. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en pige	"en" /piː/ or "ei" /pjeː/	a girl

The indefinite article for neuter nouns in singular form is "et". For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
et barn	"et" /baːn/	a child

The indefinite article for plural nouns, regardless of gender, is "nogle" or "noget". For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
nogle bøger	"nogle" /noɡlə/	some books

You can also use the indefinite article with proper nouns, unlike in English. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en dansker	"en" /dænskɐ/	a Dane

Gender and Noun Forms

In Danish, all nouns have gender - they are either masculine, feminine or neuter. It's not easy to determine the gender of a noun, so the best way to learn it is to memorize it with the noun itself.

There are some general rules that can guide you when determining gender, though:

Most nouns that end in "-e" are feminine. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en pige	"en" /piː/ or "e" /pjeː/	a girl

Nouns that refer to living beings with male characteristics are masculine, unless ending in "-ing", "-ning" or "-else". For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en dreng	"en" /dʁɛŋ/	a boy

Nouns that refer to living beings with female characteristics are feminine. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en kvinde	"en" /kvinə/	a woman

Nouns that end in "-et", "-en" or "-el" are usually neuter, unless they refer to living beings. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
et værelse	"et" /væɐləsə/	a room

There are also some irregular nouns that do not follow these rules. You will learn them over time as you encounter them.

When forming plural nouns, the rules are as follows:

Most nouns add an "-e" to the end to form the plural. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en dreng	"en" /dʁɛŋ/	a boy	drenge	/dʁɛnɡ(ə)/	boys

Nouns that end in "-er", "-el", "-en" or "-et" do not change in the plural form. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
et æble	"et" /ɛblə/	an apple	æbler	/ɛblɐ/	apples

Nouns that end in "-e" or "-ø" change to "-er" in the plural form. For example:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
en søster	"en" /ˈsøsdə/	a sister	søstre	/ˈsøsdʁə/	sisters

There are some irregular plural forms, which you will learn over time as you encounter them.

Conclusion

In this lesson, you've learned about definite and indefinite articles in Danish, as well as the concept of gender and noun forms. Danish articles work differently from English articles, so it's important to practice using them correctly. Keep learning, and soon you will be able to communicate effectively with native Danish speakers!

With this lesson finished, you may want to explore these additional pages: The Locative Case in Danish & Future Tense.

Table of Contents - Danish Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Introduction to Danish Alphabet and Pronunciation

Everyday Phrases and Greetings

Basic Sentence Structure and Word Order

Numbers, Dates, and Time

Nouns and Articles

Family, Relationships, and Occupations

Adjectives and Adverbs

Food, Drinks, and Dining

Verbs and Tenses

Travel and Transportation

Danish Culture and Traditions

Other Lessons

Sources

◀️ Telling Time — Previous Lesson	Next Lesson — Plurals and Possessives ▶️

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