Talking about a sore back | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Talking about a sore back to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Jeg har ondt i ryggen.

yai hah OHN ee RÜG-un. My back feels sore.

Prøv at sidde med ret ryg.

PRURV eh SEE-thuh meh REHD RÜG. Try to sit up straight.

Jeg sad for længe i dag.

yai SEH foh LENG-uh ee DEH. I sat too long today.

Stræk dig langsomt, hvis du kan.

STREHK dye LANG-somt, vess doo kan. Stretch slowly if you can.

Det føles bedre i denne stol.

deh FUH-luhs BEH-druh ee DEN-uh STOHL. This chair feels better.

Bliv der i et par minutter.

BLEEV dair ee eh pahr mee-NOOT-uh. Stay there for a few minutes.

En kort pause burde hjælpe.

en koht PAW-suh BOO-duh YEL-puh. A short rest should help.

Bevæg dig langsomt, når du rejser dig.

beh-VAY dye LANG-somt, nohr doo RYE-suh dye. Move slowly when you stand up.

Word by Word

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” and identifies the person speaking. It is used as the subject in “Jeg har ondt i ryggen” and “Jeg sad for længe i dag.”

har “har” means “have” in the expression “har ondt i ryggen,” which describes having pain in the back. This form is useful in the pattern “Jeg har …” when describing something you have or experience.

ondt “ondt” expresses pain in “har ondt i ryggen.” Its meaning here comes together with “har” and the body-part phrase, so the full expression describes a sore or painful back. “Har ondt i …” is useful when reporting pain in a specific place.

i “i” means “in” and connects the pain with the location in “ondt i ryggen.” The same preposition is also used in the time expression “i dag,” meaning today.

ryggen “ryggen” means “the back” in “ondt i ryggen,” naming the body part that hurts. The form includes the definite ending used for the back referred to in this expression.

Prøv “Prøv” tells another person to try something, here in “Prøv at sidde med ret ryg.” It is useful for giving a gentle suggestion or instruction.

at “at” introduces the action that someone is being asked to try in “Prøv at sidde med ret ryg.” It comes directly before the action form “sidde” in this pattern.

sidde “sidde” means “sit” in “Prøv at sidde med ret ryg.” It names the action being suggested, and it follows “at” after “Prøv.”

med “med” means “with” and describes the accompanying posture in “med ret ryg.” Here it connects sitting with the condition of having a straight back.

ret “ret” describes the back as straight or upright in “med ret ryg.” It gives posture information about “ryg” and is useful in this expression for sitting correctly.

ryg “ryg” means “back” in the posture expression “ret ryg.” Here it names the part of the body that should be held straight while sitting.

sad “sad” means “sat” and describes the speaker’s earlier sitting in “Jeg sad for længe i dag.” It is the form used to report that the sitting happened earlier, today.

for “for” contributes the meaning “too” in “for længe,” showing that the sitting lasted longer than was comfortable. The reusable pattern is “for længe” for an excessive length of time.

længe “længe” means “a long time” in “for længe.” Together, “for længe” describes a duration that was excessive, as when someone has sat too long.

dag “dag” means “day” in the time expression “i dag,” which means today. “I dag” is used to place an action or event on the current day.

Stræk “Stræk” tells someone to stretch in “Stræk dig langsomt.” It is useful as a direct instruction about a physical movement.

dig “dig” refers to the person who performs the action in “Stræk dig langsomt,” giving the expression the meaning “stretch yourself.” It is the person affected by the movement described by “Stræk.”

langsomt “langsomt” means “slowly” and describes how to stretch in “Stræk dig langsomt.” It can also describe the movement in “Bevæg dig langsomt,” giving a clear instruction about speed.

hvis “hvis” means “if” and introduces the condition in “hvis du kan.” It is useful for making an instruction dependent on what the other person is able to do.

du “du” means “you” and is the person being addressed in “hvis du kan.” It is also the person addressed by the instructions “Stræk dig langsomt” and “Bevæg dig langsomt.”

kan “kan” expresses ability in “hvis du kan,” meaning “if you can.” It makes the stretching instruction conditional on the other person’s ability.

Det “Det” means “it” in “Det føles bedre i denne stol” and serves as the subject of the statement about how the situation feels. It introduces the general feeling before the chair is specified.

føles “føles” means “feels” in “Det føles bedre.” It describes the speaker’s experience or sensation in the chair, and it is useful for reporting how something feels.

bedre “bedre” means “better” in “Det føles bedre i denne stol,” indicating an improvement in comfort compared with before. The expression “føles bedre” is useful when something feels more comfortable or satisfactory.

denne “denne” means “this” and points to the specific chair in “denne stol.” It is used directly before the noun to identify something nearby or currently being discussed.

stol “stol” means “chair” in “denne stol.” Together, “denne stol” identifies the particular chair in which the speaker feels better.

Bliv “Bliv” tells someone to stay or remain in “Bliv der i et par minutter.” It is useful for asking someone not to leave a place for a period of time.

der “der” means “there” and identifies the place where the person should remain in “Bliv der.” It works with “Bliv” to give a location-based instruction.

et “et” is part of the quantity expression “et par minutter,” which means a few minutes. Here it contributes to the fixed expression rather than simply identifying one ordinary object.

par “par” means “couple” or “few” in “et par minutter,” giving an approximate short duration. The expression “et par” is used before a plural time unit here.

minutter “minutter” means “minutes” and specifies the time period in “et par minutter.” It tells the listener how long to stay there.

En “En” means “a” or “an” in “En kort pause,” introducing one short rest or break. It comes before the adjective and noun in this phrase.

kort “kort” means “short” and describes the duration of the pause in “En kort pause.” It is useful before a noun when describing something with limited length or duration.

pause “pause” means “rest” or “break” in “En kort pause.” The phrase refers to taking a brief break to help the sore back.

burde “burde” means “should” in “burde hjælpe,” expressing an expectation that the short rest will be helpful. It is useful for giving a likely result or gentle recommendation.

hjælpe “hjælpe” means “help” in “burde hjælpe,” describing the expected benefit of the short rest. It follows “burde” in this expression.

Bevæg “Bevæg” tells someone to move in “Bevæg dig langsomt.” It is useful for giving a physical instruction, here about moving carefully when standing up.

når “når” means “when” and introduces the time condition in “når du rejser dig.” It connects the instruction to the moment when the person stands up.

rejser “rejser” contributes to the expression “rejser dig,” which means “stand up” in this dialogue. The full expression is used in “når du rejser dig” to describe the action that should be done slowly.

Grammar Points

Imperativ med refleksivt pronomen: verb + dig

Bevæg dig langsomt.

beh-VAY dye LANG-somt.

Move slowly.

Ved refleksive verber står dig efter imperativformen: Bevæg dig.

Hvis + sætning

Hvis ryggen føles bedre, bliv der.

vess RÜG-un FUH-luhs BEH-druh, BLEEV dair.

If your back feels better, stay there.

Hvis indleder en betingelse. Efter kommaet står verbet først i opfordringen: bliv der.

Danish Vocabulary

for længe phrase

foh LENG-uh too long

Jeg sad for længe i dag.

føles verb

FUH-luhs feels

Det føles bedre i denne stol.

have ondt phrase

HAH-w OHN to be sore; to hurt har ondt

Jeg har ondt i ryggen.

hvis conj

vess if

Stræk dig langsomt, hvis du kan.

i dag phrase

ee DEH today

Jeg sad for længe i dag.

langsomt adv

LANG-somt slowly

Stræk dig langsomt, hvis du kan.

prøve verb

PRUR-vuh to try Prøv

Prøv at sidde med ret ryg.

ret adj

REHD straight

Prøv at sidde med ret ryg.

ryg noun

RÜG back ryggen

Jeg har ondt i ryggen.

sad verb

SEH sat

Jeg sad for længe i dag.

sidde verb

SEE-thuh to sit

Prøv at sidde med ret ryg.

strække sig phrase

STREH-kuh sigh to stretch Stræk dig

Stræk dig langsomt, hvis du kan.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

My back feels sore.

Show Answer

Jeg har ondt i ryggen.

Try to sit up straight.

Show Answer

Prøv at sidde med ret ryg.

I sat too long today.

Show Answer

Jeg sad for længe i dag.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

back

Show Answer

ryggen

to sit

Show Answer

sidde

to try

Show Answer

Prøv

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hvis