A1 Danish GrammarArticles (Definite & Indefinite)
Learn how Danish articles work - including the unique suffix system for definite articles. Understand the two-gender system (en/et) and master when to use indefinite vs definite forms.
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1The Two-Gender System: En and Et
Danish has two grammatical genders: common gender (using 'en') and neuter gender (using 'et'). About 75% of nouns are en-words, making et-words the minority. There's no foolproof rule to determine gender - you need to memorize it with each noun. However, most living things and everyday objects are en-words.
Indefinite Articles
| Gender | Article | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common (en) | en | en bog | a book |
| Common (en) | en | en stol | a chair |
| Neuter (et) | et | et hus | a house |
| Neuter (et) | et | et barn | a child |
Examples
Jeg har en hund.
I have a dog.
hund is an en-word
Der er et æble.
There is an apple.
æble is an et-word
Hun køber en bil.
She buys a car.
bil is an en-word
Vi bor i et lille hus.
We live in a small house.
hus is an et-word
2Definite Articles: The Suffix System
Danish attaches the definite article to the END of the noun as a suffix. En-words add -en or -n, and et-words add -et or -t. The suffix depends on whether the noun ends in a consonant or a vowel.
Definite Suffixes
| Gender | Ending | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| En-word | consonant | -en | bog → bogen (the book) |
| En-word | vowel | -n | skole → skolen (the school) |
| Et-word | consonant | -et | hus → huset (the house) |
| Et-word | vowel | -t | æble → æblet (the apple) |
Examples
Bogen er interessant.
The book is interesting.
en bog → bogen
Huset er stort.
The house is big.
et hus → huset
Pigen løber.
The girl runs.
en pige → pigen
Barnet sover.
The child sleeps.
et barn → barnet
3Common En-Words
Most everyday Danish nouns are en-words. Learning these common words with their gender will help you build correct sentences. People, animals, and many tangible objects tend to be en-words.
Common En-Words
| Danish | Definite | English |
|---|---|---|
| en mand | manden | a/the man |
| en kvinde | kvinden | a/the woman |
| en dag | dagen | a/the day |
| en tid | tiden | a/the time |
| en vej | vejen | a/the road/way |
Examples
Manden arbejder.
The man works.
en mand → manden
Dagen er smuk.
The day is beautiful.
en dag → dagen
Jeg stiller et spørgsmål.
I ask a question.
et spørgsmål (neuter!)
Vejen er lang.
The road is long.
en vej → vejen
4Common Et-Words
While fewer in number, et-words include many important everyday nouns. Pay special attention to these as learners often assume all nouns are en-words.
Common Et-Words
| Danish | Definite | English |
|---|---|---|
| et år | året | a/the year |
| et ord | ordet | a/the word |
| et land | landet | a/the country |
| et navn | navnet | a/the name |
| et arbejde | arbejdet | a/the work/job |
Examples
Året går hurtigt.
The year goes fast.
et år → året
Hvad er ordet?
What is the word?
et ord → ordet
Danmark er et smukt land.
Denmark is a beautiful country.
indefinite: et land
Navnet er svært.
The name is difficult.
et navn → navnet
Practice Exercises
3 exercises
Complete: 'Jeg har ___ hund.' (I have a dog.)
Complete: '___ er stort.' (The house is big.)
Complete: 'Der er ___ æble på bordet.' (There is an apple on the table.)
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