Asking about a delayed bus | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: At a bus stop, two adults talk about a delayed bus, traffic, and whether to wait for the same route..

EN → DA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Asking about a delayed bus to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Undskyld, er bussen forsinket?

oon-SKOOL, air BOO-s'n for-SING-uhd? Excuse me, is the bus delayed?
B

Der er meget trafik i nærheden.

dair air MAYTH trah-FEEK ee NAIR-hay-th'n. There's heavy traffic nearby.
A

Ved du, hvornår den kommer?

veh DOO, vor-NOR den KUM-uh? Do you know when it will arrive?
B

Den er stadig på vej.

den air STAY-thee poh VYE. It's still on the way.
B

Så ventetiden kan blive længere.

soh VEN-uh-teeth-n kan blee-vuh LENGTH-uh. So the wait may be longer.
A

Er der en anden bus på den samme rute?

air dair en AHN-en boos poh den SAH-muh ROO-thuh? Is there another bus for the same route?
B

Der er en, men den tager længere tid.

dair air en, men den TAY-uh LENGTH-uh teeth. There is, but that option takes longer.
A

Jeg bliver her og venter på denne bus.

yai BLEE-vuh hair oh VEN-tuh poh DEN-uh boos. I'll stay here for this bus.
B

Det er nok bedst, hvis du kan vente.

deh air nok BEST, vees doo kan VEN-tuh. That's probably best if you can wait.

Word by Word

Undskyld Undskyld means “excuse me” here and politely opens the question to get the other person’s attention. Use it before a question to a stranger or someone you do not know well.
er Er asks whether the bus has a certain condition in “er bussen forsinket?” It is also used in “Der er” to say that something exists or is present. A common question pattern is Er + subject + description?
bussen Bussen means “the bus” and refers to the particular bus being discussed at the stop. The form is definite, so it points to a specific bus rather than a bus in general. Use it when both speakers know which bus is meant.
forsinket Forsinket describes the bus as delayed in “er bussen forsinket?” It is useful for transport that is not arriving at the expected time. It appears after er to describe the bus’s current condition.
Der Der introduces an existence statement in “Der er meget trafik” and “Der er en.” It means that something is present or available, rather than naming a location. Reuse the pattern Der er + noun to say that something exists or is available.
meget Meget means “much” or “a lot of” in “meget trafik,” describing a large amount of traffic. Here it comes before the uncounted noun trafik. Use meget before an uncounted amount when saying that there is a lot of something.
trafik Trafik means “traffic” in the explanation for the delayed bus. In “meget trafik,” it refers to a large amount of road traffic nearby. Use it when talking about vehicles and congestion on roads.
i I contributes the meaning “in” to the expression “i nærheden,” which means nearby or in the vicinity. It combines with a place or area expression. Use i when locating something within an area.
nærheden Nærheden means “the vicinity” or “the nearby area” in “i nærheden.” Together, i nærheden says that the traffic is close to the bus stop. Use this expression when something is not far from the current place.
Ved Ved means “know” in the question “Ved du, hvornår den kommer?” It is placed before du in this direct question. Use Ved du ...? to ask another person whether they know something.
du Du means “you” and identifies the person being asked in “Ved du.” It addresses the other adult directly. Reuse du as the subject when asking or telling one person something.
hvornår Hvornår means “when” and asks for the time of the bus’s arrival in “hvornår den kommer.” It introduces the part of the question that gives the requested time. A useful pattern is Ved du, hvornår + clause?
den Den means “it” in “den kommer,” referring back to the bus. In “den tager længere tid,” it refers back to the alternative bus or option. Use den to refer to a known thing or option without repeating its noun.
kommer Kommer means “comes” or, in this bus context, “arrives” in “den kommer.” It describes the bus reaching the stop. Use a subject followed by kommer when saying that someone or something arrives.
stadig Stadig means “still” in “stadig på vej,” showing that the bus remains en route. It signals that the situation has not changed. Use stadig when an action or state continues.
på vej På vej means “on the way” as a whole in “stadig på vej.” På contributes the idea of being on a route, while vej means “way” or “path”; together they say that the bus is travelling toward its destination. A common reusable pattern is være på vej.
Så Så means “so” at the start of “Så ventetiden kan blive længere.” It introduces a consequence of the traffic and delay. Use Så before a conclusion that follows from what was just said.
ventetiden Ventetiden means “the waiting time” and refers to the time spent waiting for this bus. The definite form presents it as the particular waiting time in this situation. It appears in “ventetiden kan blive længere” to say that the wait may increase.
kan Kan expresses possibility in “kan blive længere,” meaning that the waiting time may become longer. It is followed by the infinitive blive. Reuse kan + infinitive to say that something can or may happen.
blive Blive means “become” or “get” in “kan blive længere,” describing a change in the length of the wait. It follows kan and comes before the description længere. Reuse kan blive + description when describing a possible change.
længere Længere means “longer” in both the longer waiting time and “tager længere tid.” With tid, it says that something requires more time. A useful pattern is tager længere tid for something that takes longer.
en En means “a” in “en anden bus,” where it introduces one alternative bus. In “Der er en,” it stands for “one,” referring back to a bus or option. Use en before a noun when introducing one item, or on its own when the noun is understood.
anden Anden means “another” in “en anden bus,” identifying an alternative bus. It comes before the noun it describes. Reuse the pattern en anden + noun when asking about or choosing an alternative.
bus Bus means “bus” in “en anden bus.” It names the alternative vehicle that could serve the route. Use it after a determiner or description when talking about a bus.
på På has two relevant uses here: “på den samme rute” links the bus to a route, while “venter på denne bus” means waiting for this bus. The second use is especially reusable in the pattern vente på + thing or person. Choose the meaning from the expression it forms with the following words.
samme Samme means “same” in “den samme rute,” showing that the alternative bus follows the identical route. It comes after den and before the noun rute. Reuse den samme + noun when referring to an identical item or route.
rute Rute means “route” in “den samme rute.” It refers to the path served by the bus. Use it when identifying which route a bus or other transport follows.
men Men means “but” and contrasts the available alternative with its longer travel time. It connects the two parts of “Der er en, men den tager længere tid.” Use men to introduce information that limits or contrasts with what was just said.
tager Tager means “takes” in “den tager længere tid,” describing how much time the alternative requires. It is used with a time expression rather than meaning physically taking an object here. Reuse the pattern tager + duration + tid to describe how long something takes.
tid Tid means “time” in the duration expression “tager længere tid.” Together, the phrase says that the alternative takes longer. Use tid after a duration description when talking about the amount of time needed.
Jeg Jeg means “I” and identifies the speaker who decides to remain at the stop. It is the subject of “Jeg bliver her.” Reuse Jeg before a verb when describing your own action or decision.
bliver Bliver means “stay” in “Jeg bliver her,” saying that the speaker will remain at the bus stop. Here it describes remaining in a place, not becoming something. Reuse bliver + place when saying that you remain somewhere.
her Her means “here” and refers to the current bus stop in “Jeg bliver her.” It identifies the place where the speaker will remain. Use her when pointing to the place where you and the listener are now.
og Og means “and” and links the two actions in “bliver her og venter.” It shows that the speaker will remain there while waiting. Use og to connect actions or statements.
venter Venter means “waits” in “venter på denne bus,” specifically “waits for this bus.” The preposition på identifies what is being awaited. Reuse vente på + noun when saying that someone waits for a person or thing.
denne Denne means “this” in “denne bus,” pointing to the specific bus the speaker has chosen to wait for. It comes directly before the noun it identifies. Reuse denne + noun when indicating one particular nearby or discussed item.
Det Det refers back to the choice to wait in “Det er nok bedst,” meaning that this choice is probably best. It lets the speaker evaluate the situation without repeating the whole choice. Use Det er ... when giving an evaluation or judgment about a situation.
nok Nok means “probably” in “Det er nok bedst,” making the advice less absolute. It comes after er and before the evaluation bedst. Use nok to present a conclusion as likely rather than completely certain.
bedst Bedst means “best” and recommends waiting for the current bus if the listener can wait. It evaluates that choice in “Det er nok bedst.” New example: Det er bedst at vente.
hvis Hvis means “if” and introduces the condition “hvis du kan vente.” The advice depends on whether the other person is able to wait. Use hvis + clause when a result or recommendation depends on a condition.
vente Vente means “wait” in “kan vente,” where it is the action that the listener may be able to do. It follows the modal kan in its infinitive form. Reuse kan + infinitive to say that someone can or may perform an action.

Grammar Points

Hvis + sætning, bliver ...

Hvis du venter, bliver ventetiden længere.

vees doo VEN-tuh, BLEE-vuh VEN-uh-teeth-n LENGTH-uh.

If you wait, the waiting time becomes longer.

Efter en hvis-sætning står verbet før subjektet i hovedsætningen: bliver ventetiden.

nok + superlativ

Det er nok bedst.

deh air nok BEST.

It is probably best.

Nok betyder her “sandsynligvis”, mens bedst er superlativformen af god.

Danish Vocabulary

blive verb
BLEE-vuh to become; to get

Ventetiden kan blive længere.

bus noun
boos bus bussen
Gender
common

Er bussen forsinket?

forsinket adj
for-SING-uhd delayed; late

Er bussen forsinket?

hvornår adv
vor-NOR when

Ved du, hvornår den kommer?

i nærheden phrase
ee NAIR-hay-th'n nearby; in the vicinity

Der er meget trafik i nærheden.

komme verb
KUM-uh to come; to arrive kommer

Hvornår den kommer?

på vej phrase
poh VYE on the way

Den er stadig på vej.

stadig adv
STAY-thee still

Den er stadig på vej.

trafik noun
trah-FEEK traffic

Der er meget trafik i nærheden.

undskyld intj
oon-SKOOL excuse me; sorry

Undskyld, er bussen forsinket?

ventetid noun
VEN-uh-teeth waiting time; wait ventetiden
Gender
common

Ventetiden kan blive længere.

vide verb
veh to know ved

Ved du, hvornår den kommer?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Excuse me, is the bus delayed?

Show AnswerUndskyld, er bussen forsinket?

There's heavy traffic nearby.

Show AnswerDer er meget trafik i nærheden.

Do you know when it will arrive?

Show AnswerVed du, hvornår den kommer?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to come; to arrive

Show Answerkommer

traffic

Show Answertrafik

excuse me; sorry

Show Answerundskyld

delayed; late

Show Answerforsinket