Finding the restroom during a lesson break | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: During a language lesson break, two adults talk about the break and how to find the restroom..

EN → DA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Finding the restroom during a lesson break to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Hvor lang er pausen?

voh LAHNG air POW-sen? How long is the break?
B

Pausen varer ti minutter.

POW-sen VAH-uh tee mee-NOO-dah. The break is ten minutes long.
A

Hvor er toilettet?

voh air toh-EL-uhd? Where is the restroom?
B

Gå ud af rummet og drej til højre.

goh oo ah ROHM-uh oh drye tel HOY-ruh. Go out of the room and turn right.
A

Jeg tror, jeg kan finde det.

yai troh, yai kan FEN-uh deh. I think I can find it.
B

Jeg venter her, før undervisningen begynder igen.

yai VEN-tuh hair, fur oon-deh-VEES-ning-en beh-GUN-dah ee-GHEN. I will wait here before class starts again.

Word by Word

Hvor “Hvor” is the question word used for “how” in “Hvor lang er pausen?” and for “where” in “Hvor er toilettet?”. It commonly comes at the beginning of a Danish question, as in “Hvor er …?” or “Hvor lang er …?”. Use it when asking about a place or about the degree of something, such as the length of a break.
lang “Lang” means “long” in “Hvor lang er pausen?” and describes the length of the break. It is used after “Hvor” when asking how long something is. A reusable pattern is “Hvor lang er …?” when asking about the length of something.
er “Er” is the form used for “is” in “Hvor lang er pausen?” and “Hvor er toilettet?”. It links the subject with information about its length or location. Use “Hvor er …?” to ask where a person or thing is.
pausen “Pausen” means “the break” in “Hvor lang er pausen?” and “Pausen varer ti minutter.” It is the definite form referring to the particular break during the lesson. Use it when both speakers know which break is meant, as in “Pausen varer …”.
varer “Varer” means “lasts” in “Pausen varer ti minutter.” It describes the duration of the break. A reusable pattern is “X varer Y minutter” when stating how long an event or period lasts.
minutter “Minutter” means “minutes” in “Pausen varer ti minutter.” It names the unit used to measure the break’s duration. Use it after a number when giving a duration, as in “ti minutter”.
toilettet “Toilettet” means “the restroom” in “Hvor er toilettet?”. It refers to the specific restroom the speaker wants to find. Use “Hvor er toilettet?” when asking someone for its location.
Gå “Gå” means “go” in the instruction “Gå ud af rummet …”. It tells the listener to move out of the room. As a reusable direction, “Gå …” can introduce an instruction about where to go.
ud “Ud” means “out” in “Gå ud af rummet”. Together with “Gå” and “af rummet”, it describes moving outside the room. The reusable pattern “gå ud af …” means to go out of a place.
af “Af” contributes the meaning “out of” in the construction “Gå ud af rummet”. It connects the movement with the place being left. Keep “af” together with “ud” in the reusable pattern “gå ud af …”.
rummet “Rummet” means “the room” in “Gå ud af rummet”. It is the place from which the listener should go out. Use it after “ud af” when naming the room or place being left.
og “Og” means “and” in “Gå ud af rummet og drej til højre.” It joins two directions in one instruction. Use it to connect consecutive actions, such as “gå … og drej …”.
drej “Drej” means “turn” in the instruction “drej til højre”. It tells the listener to change direction. A reusable direction pattern is “drej til …” followed by the direction.
til “Til” means “to” in “drej til højre” and marks the direction of the turn. It is part of the fixed direction expression “til højre”. Use “drej til højre” when telling someone to turn right.
højre “Højre” means “right” in “drej til højre”. Together with “til”, it specifies the direction of the turn. Use the expression “til højre” when giving or following directions.
Jeg “Jeg” means “I” in “Jeg tror …” and “Jeg venter her …”. It identifies the speaker as the person thinking and waiting. Use “Jeg” at the start of a sentence when talking about your own action or opinion.
tror “Tror” means “think” in “Jeg tror, jeg kan finde det.” It introduces the speaker’s belief that finding the restroom will be possible. Use “Jeg tror, …” before a clause when expressing an opinion or expectation.
kan “Kan” means “can” in “jeg kan finde det” and expresses ability or possibility. It is followed here by the infinitive “finde”. A reusable pattern is “Jeg kan + infinitive” when saying what you can do.
finde “Finde” means “find” in “jeg kan finde det”. It follows “kan” and describes the action the speaker believes they are able to complete. Keep the object after it in the reusable pattern “Jeg kan finde …”.
det “Det” means “it” in “jeg kan finde det” and points back to the restroom as the thing to be found. It comes after “finde” as the object of that action. Use “finde det” when the thing being found is already clear from the conversation.
venter “Venter” means “wait” in “Jeg venter her, før undervisningen begynder igen.” It tells the listener that the speaker will remain waiting in this place until class resumes. Use “venter” with a place, as in “Jeg venter her”.
her “Her” means “here” in “Jeg venter her”. It identifies the speaker’s current or intended waiting place. Use it after an action verb when saying that something happens in the speaker’s location, such as “venter her”.
før “Før” means “before” in “før undervisningen begynder igen”. It introduces the event that must happen before class starts again. Use “før” followed by a clause when placing one event earlier than another.
undervisningen “Undervisningen” means “the class” or “the lesson” in “før undervisningen begynder igen”. It refers to the ongoing teaching session that will resume after the break. Use the definite form when referring to the particular class the speakers are attending.
begynder “Begynder” means “starts” in “undervisningen begynder igen”. It describes the class resuming after the break. A reusable pattern is “X begynder” when saying that an event or activity starts.
igen “Igen” means “again” in “undervisningen begynder igen”. It shows that the class started earlier, paused, and will start once more. Use it after an action when describing something happening another time.

Grammar Points

Hvor lang er ...?

Hvor lang er pausen?

voh LAHNG air POW-sen?

How long is the break?

Danish uses Hvor lang for “how long.” In this question, the verb er comes before the subject pausen.

før + subject + verb

før undervisningen begynder igen

fur oon-deh-VEES-ning-en beh-GUN-dah ee-GHEN

before the class starts again

After før, Danish places the subject before the verb: undervisningen begynder.

Danish Vocabulary

af prep
ah out of; from
gå verb
goh to go; walk
Hvor adv
voh where; how
lang adj
LAHNG long
minut noun
meh-NOOD minute minutter
Definite
false
pause noun
POW-suh break pausen
Definite
true
rum noun
ROHM room rummet
Definite
true
ti num
tee ten
toilet noun
toh-EL-uhd restroom; toilet toilettet
Definite
true
ud adv
oo out
vare verb
VAH-uh to last varer
være verb
VAIR-uh to be er

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

How long is the break?

Show AnswerHvor lang er pausen?

The break is ten minutes long.

Show AnswerPausen varer ti minutter.

Where is the restroom?

Show AnswerHvor er toilettet?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

break

Show Answerpausen

long

Show Answerlang

restroom; toilet

Show Answertoilettet

minute

Show Answerminutter