Checking the platform before boarding | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Checking the platform before boarding to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Hvilken perron skal vi gå til?

VEL-gən peh-ROHN sgal vee goh tehl? Which platform should we go to?

Skiltet peger på perron to.

SGEL-də PAY-er paw peh-ROHN TOH. The sign points to platform two.

Jeg kan ikke læse de små bogstaver herfra.

yai kan EG-gə LAY-sə dee smoh BOG-sta-ver HEHR-frah. I can't read the small letters from here.

Der står, at toget kører om ti minutter.

dair STOH-er ad TOH-yə KUR-er om TEE mee-NOO-dər. It says the train leaves in ten minutes.

Jeg går på toilettet, før vi stiger på.

yai goh paw toy-LET-təd, fur vee STEE-er paw. I'm going to use the restroom before we board.

Jeg passer på taskerne.

yai PAS-er paw TAS-gər-nə. I'll keep the bags with me.

Bliv venligst tæt på dette skilt.

bleev VEN-lest teht paw DED-də SGELT. Please stay near this sign.

Jeg holder øje med tavlen, hvis perronen skifter.

yai HOL-er OY-ə meh TOW-lən, ves peh-ROHN-ən SGEF-dər. I'll watch the board in case the platform changes.

Word by Word

Hvilken “Hvilken” asks which one, here referring to the platform. It is used before “perron” in the question “Hvilken perron skal vi gå til?”; reuse the pattern “Hvilken” + a noun when choosing between specific options.

perron “Perron” means platform, here the train platform they need to reach. In “gå til” it names the destination; reuse “gå til” + a destination.

skal “Skal” expresses what they should or are supposed to do in “skal vi gå til?” It combines with “gå” to ask about the planned action; reuse “skal vi” + an action when asking what to do.

vi “Vi” means we, referring to both speakers together. It is the people who will go in “skal vi gå til?”; reuse it as the subject for a shared action.

gå “Gå” means go in the question about reaching the platform. It follows “skal” in “skal vi gå til?”; reuse “gå til” + a destination.

til “Til” marks the destination after “gå” in “gå til” the platform. The complete pattern “gå til” means go to a place; reuse it before a destination.

Skiltet “Skiltet” means the sign that gives the platform information. It is the subject of “Skiltet peger på perron to”; reuse it when referring to a particular sign in the situation.

peger “Peger” means points in “Skiltet peger på perron to.” It is used with “på” to show what the sign indicates; reuse the pattern “peger på” + a destination or item.

på “På” completes “peger på” and marks what the sign points to. Here it introduces “perron to”; reuse “peger på” before the indicated place or object.

Jeg “Jeg” means I and refers to the speaker. It is the subject in “Jeg kan ikke læse” and other statements by that person; reuse it before an action or ability.

kan “Kan” expresses ability in “Jeg kan ikke læse”: the speaker is not able to read the letters. It is followed by “læse”; reuse “kan” + an action when talking about what someone can do.

ikke “Ikke” makes the statement negative in “kan ikke læse.” It comes before the action “læse” here; reuse it after the modal verb when saying that an action is not possible.

læse “Læse” means read, specifically read the small letters on the sign. It follows “kan ikke” in “kan ikke læse”; reuse “læse” with the text or material being read.

de “De” means the in “de små bogstaver,” referring to the letters on the sign. It comes before the descriptive word and noun; reuse it before a known group of things.

små “Små” means small and describes the letters the speaker cannot read from a distance. It comes before “bogstaver” in “de små bogstaver”; reuse it before a noun when describing something as small.

bogstaver “Bogstaver” means letters, here the small letters on the sign. It is the thing being read in “læse de små bogstaver”; reuse it when talking about written letters.

herfra “Herfra” means from here and marks the speaker’s current viewpoint. In “Jeg kan ikke læse ... herfra,” it explains where reading is being attempted; reuse it to describe an action viewed from the present location.

Der In “Der står, at ...”, “Der” helps introduce information that is written on the sign; the full expression means it says or it is written. Reuse the pattern “Der står, at” before the information shown in a notice or sign.

står “Står” means says or is written in “Der står, at toget kører ...” Here it describes information displayed on the sign, not someone speaking; reuse “Der står” when reading written information.

at “At” introduces the information that the sign gives in “Der står, at toget kører ...” It links the introductory statement to the following clause; reuse “Der står, at” before a complete piece of information.

toget “Toget” means the train, the vehicle that leaves in ten minutes. It is the subject of “toget kører”; reuse it when describing what the train is doing.

kører “Kører” means leaves here because the subject is the train and the sign gives its departure time. It appears in “toget kører om ti minutter”; reuse this pattern when stating when a train departs.

om “Om” means in when it refers to a future amount of time in “om ti minutter.” It comes before the time period; reuse “om” + a duration to say when something will happen.

minutter “Minutter” means minutes in the time expression “ti minutter.” Together with “om,” it gives the time until the train leaves; reuse it after a number when stating a duration in minutes.

går “Går” means goes or is going in “Jeg går på toilettet.” It describes the speaker’s movement to the restroom; reuse “går” with a destination expression.

toilettet “Toilettet” means the restroom in “Jeg går på toilettet.” It is the destination of the speaker’s movement; reuse “på toilettet” when saying that someone is going to or is at the restroom.

før “Før” means before and links the restroom visit to boarding in “før vi stiger på.” It introduces the event that must happen later; reuse “før” before an event that has not happened yet.

stiger på “Stiger på” means boards or gets on, here referring to getting on the train. “Stiger” contributes the getting-on action and “på” completes the boarding expression; reuse “før vi stiger på” when describing an action that happens before boarding.

passer på “Passer på” means takes care of or keeps safe in “Jeg passer på taskerne.” “Passer” contributes the act of taking care, while “på” completes the expression; reuse “passer på” + an object that someone is watching or keeping safe.

taskerne “Taskerne” means the bags, which the speaker will keep safe. It is the object of “passer på” in “passer på taskerne”; reuse it after that expression when naming the items being watched.

Bliv “Bliv” tells someone to stay or remain in the same area. In “Bliv venligst tæt på dette skilt,” it asks the listener not to move far away; reuse “Bliv” with a place or position.

venligst “Venligst” means please and makes the instruction more polite in “Bliv venligst ...” It is placed with the request to stay; reuse it when giving a polite instruction.

tæt “Tæt” means close or near in “tæt på dette skilt.” It combines with “på” to show proximity to the sign; reuse “tæt på” + a place or object.

dette “Dette” means this and points to the specific sign near the speakers. It comes before “skilt” in “dette skilt”; reuse it when identifying one nearby or clearly indicated thing.

skilt “Skilt” means sign in “dette skilt.” It names the sign that the listener should stay near; reuse it after “dette” when referring to a particular sign.

holder øje med “Holder øje med” means watches or keeps an eye on, here the station board. “Holder” contributes keeps, “øje” means eye, and “med” connects the expression to what is watched; reuse “holder øje med” + an object.

tavlen “Tavlen” means the board, specifically the station board showing travel information. It is the object of “holder øje med” in “holder øje med tavlen”; reuse it when referring to that information board.

hvis “Hvis” means if or in case and introduces a possible platform change in “hvis perronen skifter.” It links the condition to the action of watching the board; reuse “hvis” before a possible situation.

perronen “Perronen” means the platform that may change according to the board. It is the subject of “skifter” in “perronen skifter”; reuse it when talking about the particular platform in the station situation.

skifter “Skifter” means changes in “perronen skifter,” referring to a change of platform assignment. It describes the possible event introduced by “hvis”; reuse it with something whose assigned place or state may change.

Grammar Points

små + flertalsnavneord

to små bogstaver

TOH smoh BOG-sta-ver

two small letters

Adjektiver får endelsen -e foran navneord i flertal: små bogstaver.

Bliv venligst + ...

Bliv venligst tæt på taskerne.

bleev VEN-lest teht paw TAS-gər-nə

Please stay close to the bags.

Bydeform bruger verbets grundform. Venligst gør kommandoen høfligere.

Danish Vocabulary

bogstaver noun

BOG-sta-ver letters

Gender: neuter

Jeg kan ikke læse de små bogstaver herfra.

gå verb

goh go; walk

Hvilken perron skal vi gå til?

herfra adv

HEHR-frah from here

Jeg kan ikke læse de små bogstaver herfra.

hvilken det

VEL-gən which

Gender: common

Hvilken perron skal vi gå til?

læse verb

LAY-sə read

Jeg kan ikke læse de små bogstaver herfra.

peger verb

PAY-er points

Skiltet peger på perron to.

perron noun

peh-ROHN platform

Gender: common

Hvilken perron skal vi gå til?

skiltet noun

SGEL-də the sign

Gender: neuter

Skiltet peger på perron to.

små adj

smoh small

Jeg kan ikke læse de små bogstaver herfra.

står verb

STOH-er says; stands

Der står, at toget kører om ti minutter.

to num

TOH two

Skiltet peger på perron to.

toget noun

TOH-yə the train

Gender: neuter

Der står, at toget kører om ti minutter.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Which platform should we go to?

Show Answer

Hvilken perron skal vi gå til?

The sign points to platform two.

Show Answer

Skiltet peger på perron to.

I'll keep the bags with me.

Show Answer

Jeg passer på taskerne.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

points

Show Answer

peger

platform

Show Answer

perron

which

Show Answer

hvilken

the sign

Show Answer

skiltet