Finding the Registration Desk | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: On the stairs inside a public building, two adults follow the event sign and prepare to reach the registration desk..

EN → DA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Finding the Registration Desk to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Jeg kan se skiltet til arrangementet på væggen.

YAI kan SAY SGEEL-tuh til uh-RAHN-shuh-MENT-uh poh VAI-en. I can see the event sign on the wall.
B

Der står, at skranken er ovenpå.

Dair STOHR, eh SGRAHNG-uh air OH-vn-POH. It says the desk is upstairs.
A

Vejen ovenpå er nem at følge.

VAI-en OH-vn-POH air NAYM eh FUR-luh. The way upstairs is easy to follow.
B

Skiltet hjælper meget.

SGEEL-tuh YEL-puh MAY-uh. The sign helps a lot.
A

Reposen er lige fremme.

reh-POH-sen air LEE-uh FREM-uh. The landing is just ahead.
B

Så burde registreringsskranken være tæt på.

SOH BOO-uh reh-gis-TRAY-rings-SGRAHNG-uh VAI-uh TET POH. Then the registration desk should be close.
A

Lad os gå, før køen bliver længere.

LAH ohs GOH, FUR KUR-en BLEE-vuh LENG-uh-uh. Let's go before the line gets longer.
B

Jeg holder formularen klar.

YAI HOL-uh for-moo-LAIR-en KLAIR. I will keep the form ready.

Word by Word

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Jeg kan se”. It is used as the subject before the verb, for example in a statement about what the speaker can see.
kan “kan” means “can” here and expresses the speaker’s ability to see the sign. It is followed by the verb “se” in “Jeg kan se”; this is a useful pattern for saying that someone can do something.
se “se” means “see” in “Jeg kan se skiltet”. It follows “kan” without an extra ending, and it can be used for noticing a person, object, or sign.
skiltet “skiltet” means “the sign”, specifically the event sign being seen. The form is the definite form related to “skilt”, and it is the object after “se” in “kan se skiltet”.
til “til” connects the sign with the event in “skiltet til arrangementet”, meaning the sign for the event. A useful pattern is a noun followed by “til” and another noun to show what something is connected with.
arrangementet “arrangementet” means “the event” in “skiltet til arrangementet”. It refers to a specific event, and the form is the definite form related to “arrangement”.
på “på” means “on” in “på væggen” and shows the sign’s location. It is commonly used before a place or surface when saying where something is.
væggen “væggen” means “the wall”, specifically the wall where the sign is located. The form is the definite form related to “væg”, and it follows “på” in “på væggen”.
Der “Der” begins “Der står, at skranken er ovenpå” and introduces what the sign says. In this expression it is not the word for a physical place; the useful pattern is “Der står, at ...” for information written on a sign.
står “står” is the verb in “Der står” and means that something is written or says something on the sign. The expression “Der står, at ...” is useful when reporting the information shown in a written notice.
at “at” introduces the content of what is written: “at skranken er ovenpå”. It connects “Der står” with a complete clause, so the useful pattern is “Der står, at ...”.
skranken “skranken” means “the desk” or “the counter”, specifically the desk mentioned on the sign. The form is the definite form related to “skranke”, and it is the subject of “skranken er ovenpå”.
er “er” means “is” in “skranken er ovenpå” and links the desk with its location. It is used with the subject before a location or description.
ovenpå “ovenpå” means “upstairs” in “er ovenpå”, describing where the desk is. It also appears in “Vejen ovenpå” to identify the way leading upstairs, so it is useful when giving directions inside a building.
Vejen “Vejen” means “the way” or “the route” in “Vejen ovenpå er nem at følge”. The form is the definite form related to “vej”, and it names the specific route the speakers are following.
nem “nem” means “easy” in “Vejen ovenpå er nem at følge”. The construction “nem at følge” describes something that is easy to follow, and “nem” describes the route here.
følge “følge” means “follow” in “nem at følge”. It follows “at” in this construction, and it is useful for describing following a route, direction, or sign.
hjælper “hjælper” means “helps” in “Skiltet hjælper meget”. It says that the sign is useful to the speakers, and the pattern “hjælper meget” expresses that something helps a lot.
meget “meget” means “a lot” or “very much” in “hjælper meget”. It intensifies the amount of help, and it can follow a verb when describing that an action has a strong effect.
Reposen “Reposen” means “the landing”, the level area on the stairs that is just ahead. The form is the definite form related to “repos”, and it is the subject in “Reposen er lige fremme”.
lige “lige” means “just” in the direction phrase “lige fremme”. Together with “fremme”, it makes the location sound immediately ahead rather than far away.
fremme “fremme” means “ahead” in “lige fremme”. The phrase “lige fremme” is useful when telling someone that a place or object is directly ahead.
Så “Så” means “then” here and introduces the speakers’ conclusion: “Så burde registreringsskranken være tæt på”. It is useful at the beginning of a sentence when one situation leads to a conclusion.
burde “burde” means “should” in “burde registreringsskranken være tæt på” and expresses an expected result rather than complete certainty. It is useful when making a reasonable prediction about where something is or what condition it is in.
registreringsskranken “registreringsskranken” means “the registration desk”, the specific desk the speakers are trying to reach. It is a compound definite form related to “registreringsskranke” and names a service desk for registration.
være “være” means “be” in the phrase about where the registration desk should be. It follows “burde” to state the expected location or condition.
tæt “tæt” means “close” in “tæt på”, describing a short distance to the registration desk. The complete phrase “tæt på” is useful when saying that a person or place is nearby.
Lad “Lad” begins the suggestion “Lad os gå”, meaning “let us”. Together with “os” and the verb “gå”, it invites the group to take an action, and the pattern is “Lad os + verb”.
os “os” means “us” in “Lad os gå” and identifies the group that includes the speaker. It follows “Lad” in the suggestion pattern “Lad os + verb”.
gå “gå” means “go” in “Lad os gå”. It names the proposed action and follows “Lad os”; this pattern is useful for making a suggestion to go or do something together.
før “før” means “before” and introduces the event that should not happen first: “før køen bliver længere”. It is useful before a complete clause when one action should happen earlier than another event.
køen “køen” means “the line” or “the queue”, specifically the line at the registration desk. The form is the definite form related to “kø”, and it is the subject of “køen bliver længere”.
bliver “bliver” means “gets” or “becomes” in “bliver længere” and describes a change in the queue’s length. It is useful before an adjective when describing a change of state.
længere “længere” means “longer” in “køen bliver længere”. It describes the queue becoming longer and follows “bliver” in this change-of-state construction.
holder “holder” means “keep” in “Jeg holder formularen klar”, describing maintaining the form in a ready state. In this pattern, the object comes before the describing word: “holder formularen klar”.
formularen “formularen” means “the form”, specifically the document being kept ready for registration. The form is the definite form related to “formular”, and it is the object of “holder”.
klar “klar” means “ready” in “holder formularen klar”. It describes the form’s state while it is being kept available for immediate use.

Grammar Points

Bestemt form med endelsen -en eller -et

Køen bliver lang.

KUR-en BLEE-vuh LANG.

The queue becomes long.

Danish markerer ofte bestemt form med en endelse: kø → køen og skilt → skiltet.

Komparativ: længere

Vejen bliver længere.

VAI-en BLEE-vuh LENG-uh-uh.

The way becomes longer.

Lang ændres til længere i komparativ, når man sammenligner eller beskriver en stigende grad.

Danish Vocabulary

arrangement noun
uh-RAHN-shuh-MENT event arrangementet
Gender
neuter

skiltet til arrangementet

følge verb
FUR-luh follow

nem at følge

hjælpe verb
YEL-puh help hjælper

Skiltet hjælper meget.

meget adv
MAY-uh a lot; very much

hjælper meget

nem adj
NAYM easy

er nem at følge

ovenpå adv
OH-vn-POH upstairs

skranken er ovenpå

repos noun
reh-POHS landing reposen
Gender
common

Reposen er lige fremme.

skilt noun
SGEELT sign skiltet
Gender
neuter

skiltet til arrangementet

skranke noun
SGRAHNG-uh desk; counter skranken
Gender
common

registreringsskranken

stå verb
STOH say; stand står

Der står, at skranken er ovenpå.

vej noun
VAI way vejen
Gender
common

Vejen ovenpå

væg noun
VAI wall væggen
Gender
common

på væggen

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

It says the desk is upstairs.

Show AnswerDer står, at skranken er ovenpå.

The way upstairs is easy to follow.

Show AnswerVejen ovenpå er nem at følge.

The sign helps a lot.

Show AnswerSkiltet hjælper meget.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

sign

Show Answerskiltet

follow

Show Answerfølge

upstairs

Show Answerovenpå

say; stand

Show Answerstår