Changing Plans and Saying Sorry | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Changing Plans and Saying Sorry to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Undskyld, jeg er nødt til at ændre vores plan.

oon-SKUL, yai air NURT til at EN-druh VOH-uhs plahn. I'm sorry, I need to change our plan.

Jeg er glad for, at du sagde det, før jeg gik.

yai air GLATH for, at doo SAH-thuh deh, fuhr yai geek. I'm glad you told me before I left.

Der skete noget uventet.

dair SKAY-tuh NOH-uth oo-VEN-tuhd. Something unexpected came up.

Det er helt i orden. Vi kan vælge en anden dag.

deh air helt ee OR-den. Vee kan VEL-uh en AHN-en dai. That's all right. We can choose another day.

Ville det passe dig senere på ugen?

VIL-uh deh PAS-uh dai SAY-nuh-reh poh OO-en? Would later this week work for you?

Det passer fint for mig senere på ugen.

deh PAS-uh feent for mai SAY-nuh-reh poh OO-en. Later this week is fine for me.

Jeg kan sende dig den nye plan.

yai kan SEN-uh dai den NOO-uh plahn. I can send you the new plan.

Det hjælper mig med at tilpasse min tidsplan.

deh YEL-puh mai mehth at til-PAS-uh meen TEETS-plahn. That helps me adjust my schedule.

Word by Word

Undskyld “Undskyld” is used here to apologize for changing the plan. It can stand alone as a short apology before giving the reason. Use it when you need to say sorry to another person.

jeg “jeg” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “jeg er nødt til at ændre vores plan.” It is also written as “Jeg” at the beginning of a sentence. Use it before an action or description about yourself.

er “er” connects “jeg” with the situation or state in “jeg er nødt” and “Det er helt i orden.” Here it helps describe a need or say how a situation is. Reuse it in a pattern such as “Jeg er glad for...”.

nødt In “jeg er nødt til at ændre vores plan,” “nødt” expresses that the speaker needs to do something. The complete pattern “er nødt til at” is used before an action that cannot be avoided. Use it when explaining why you must change or do something.

til In “nødt til at ændre,” “til” is part of the pattern “er nødt til at,” which introduces the action that is necessary. Keep it together with “nødt” and “at” in this construction. Use the pattern before a verb describing the required action.

at In “at ændre,” “at” introduces the action “ændre” after “nødt til.” It is part of the infinitive pattern “til at ændre.” Reuse “at” before the action in this kind of construction.

ændre “ændre” means to change, here referring to changing “vores plan.” It appears after “at” in “at ændre.” Use it when a plan, arrangement, or other situation needs to be made different.

vores “vores” means “our” and shows that the plan belongs to or concerns both people. It comes before “plan” in “vores plan.” Use it before something shared by the speaker and another person.

plan “plan” means “plan,” here the arrangement that the two people need to change. It appears in “vores plan” and later in “den nye plan.” Use it when talking about an intended arrangement or schedule.

glad “glad” means glad or pleased in “Jeg er glad for, at du sagde det.” It describes the speaker’s positive reaction to receiving the information in time. Use it in the pattern “er glad for...” when saying that you are pleased about something.

for In “glad for, at du sagde det,” “for” links the feeling of being glad to the situation that caused it. It is part of the pattern “glad for, at...” in this sentence. Use that pattern to say what you are pleased about.

du “du” means “you” and identifies the person who gave the information in “du sagde det.” It is the person being addressed. Use it before an action done by the person you are speaking to.

sagde “sagde” means said or told in the completed event “du sagde det.” It is the past form of “sige.” Use it when referring to something someone already said, especially with “det” for the information.

det In “du sagde det,” “det” means “it” or “that,” referring to the information that was given. In “Det er helt i orden,” it refers to the situation being judged as all right. Use it to refer back to information or a situation already understood.

før “før” means before and introduces the earlier point in time in “før jeg gik.” It shows that the message arrived before the speaker left. Use it before an event that happens earlier than another event.

gik “gik” means left or went in “før jeg gik.” It is the past form of “gå” and refers here to leaving. Use it when describing a completed departure or movement.

Der In “Der skete noget uventet,” “Der” introduces something that happened; it does not indicate a physical location here. The pattern presents an event before naming what happened. Use “Der skete...” when introducing an event or unexpected occurrence.

skete “skete” means happened in “Der skete noget uventet.” It is the past form of “ske.” Use it to describe an event that has already occurred.

noget “noget” means something and refers to an unspecified event or thing in “noget uventet.” It leaves the exact event unnamed. Use it before a description when you want to say that some unspecified thing occurred.

uventet “uventet” means unexpected and describes “noget” in “noget uventet.” It tells the listener that the event was not planned or anticipated. Use it when explaining why a plan or situation changed unexpectedly.

helt In “helt i orden,” “helt” strengthens the expression and means completely or perfectly all right. Together with “i orden,” it reassures the other person that there is no problem. Use this expression when accepting an apology or saying a situation is fine.

i In “i orden,” “i” is part of the expression meaning all right or in order. Its meaning here comes from the complete expression rather than from a physical location. Use “i orden” to say that something is acceptable or fine.

orden In “Det er helt i orden,” “orden” completes the expression “i orden,” which means all right. The sentence reassures the other person after the apology. Use “i orden” when saying that a situation is acceptable.

Vi “Vi” means “we” and refers to both people in “Vi kan vælge en anden dag.” It is capitalized because it begins the sentence. Use it before an action that the speaker and another person will do together.

kan “kan” means can and expresses the possibility of choosing another day in “Vi kan vælge...” It is followed by the action “vælge.” Use it before an action that someone is able or willing to do.

vælge “vælge” means choose in “vælge en anden dag.” It follows “kan” and names the action of selecting an alternative day. Use it before the option being selected.

en “en” introduces “anden dag” as one alternative day. It has the meaning of “a” or “an” in this phrase. Use it before a singular, unspecified option such as “en anden dag”.

anden “anden” means another and describes the alternative in “en anden dag.” It shows that the people will choose a different day from the original one. Use it before the noun for the alternative choice.

dag “dag” means day and identifies the new time they may choose. It appears in “en anden dag.” Use it when arranging or changing a date.

Ville In “Ville det passe dig senere på ugen?”, “Ville” frames a possible arrangement as a polite question. It asks whether the proposed time would suit the other person. Use this sentence pattern when suggesting a time or arrangement.

passe In “passe dig,” “passe” means suit or work for someone’s schedule. The person it suits follows it as “dig.” Use it to ask or say whether a time or arrangement is convenient.

dig In “passe dig,” “dig” means you as the person for whom the proposed time may be suitable. It also appears in “sende dig den nye plan,” where it refers to the recipient. Use it when addressing or referring to the other person in these roles.

senere “senere” means later and places the proposed time after the current or previously discussed time. In the dialogue it appears in “senere på ugen.” Use it when suggesting a later time.

på In “senere på ugen,” “på” is part of the time expression meaning later in the week. It connects “senere” with “ugen.” Use the full pattern when referring to a later point within a week.

ugen “ugen” means the week in “senere på ugen.” It is the definite form of “uge,” referring to the particular week being discussed. Use it with a time expression when discussing a point during that week.

passer “passer” means suits or works in “Det passer fint for mig senere på ugen.” It gives the answer that the suggested time is convenient. It is the present form used when saying that a time works for someone.

fint “fint” means fine or well and strengthens the positive answer in “passer fint for mig.” It shows that the proposed time works comfortably for the speaker. Use it with “passer” to give a friendly confirmation.

mig In “for mig,” “mig” means me and identifies the person for whom the time is suitable. The complete phrase says that the arrangement works for the speaker. Use “for mig” when stating whether something is suitable for you.

sende “sende” means send in “sende dig den nye plan.” It follows “kan” and names the action of transmitting the updated plan. Use it before the recipient and the thing being sent.

den “den” means the and points to the specific plan being sent in “den nye plan.” It comes before the description “nye” and the noun “plan.” Use it when referring to a particular item.

nye “nye” means new and describes the updated plan in “den nye plan.” It distinguishes this plan from the earlier one. Use it before a noun when identifying something recently changed or created.

hjælper “hjælper” means helps in “Det hjælper mig med at tilpasse min tidsplan.” It says that receiving the new plan makes the speaker’s adjustment easier. Use it with a person or thing that provides help.

med In “hjælper mig med at tilpasse,” “med” connects the help to the activity that becomes easier. The complete pattern is used before the action being helped. Use “hjælper ... med at” when describing help with a task.

tilpasse “tilpasse” means adjust in “tilpasse min tidsplan.” It names the action of changing the schedule so it fits the new plan. Use it before the thing being adjusted.

min “min” means my and shows that the schedule belongs to the speaker in “min tidsplan.” It comes before “tidsplan.” Use it before something that belongs to or concerns you.

tidsplan “tidsplan” means schedule and refers to the speaker’s planned times and activities. In “min tidsplan,” it is the thing being adjusted to fit the new plan. Use it when discussing or organizing available times.

Grammar Points

være nødt til at + infinitiv

Vi er nødt til at ændre vores plan.

vee air NURT til at EN-druh VOH-uhs plahn.

We need to change our plan.

Use er nødt til at before an infinitive to express necessity or obligation.

før + helsætning

Vi må vælge en anden dag, før ugen senere passer.

vee moh VEL-uh en AHN-en dai, fuhr OO-en SAY-nuh-reh PAS-uh.

We must choose another day before the week works later.

Før introduces a time clause meaning “before”; the clause has its own subject and verb.

Danish Vocabulary

før conj

fuhr before

glad adj

GLATH glad / happy

gå verb

goh to go / to leave gik

helt i orden phrase

HELT ee OR-den all right / perfectly fine

plan noun

plahn plan

sige verb

SEE-uh to say / to tell sagde

ske verb

SKAY to happen skete

undskyld intj

oon-SKUL sorry / excuse me

uventet adj

oo-VEN-tuhd unexpected

vores det

VOH-uhs our

være nødt til phrase

VAIR-uh NURT til to need to / to be obliged to er nødt til

ændre verb

EN-druh to change

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Something unexpected came up.

Show Answer

Der skete noget uventet.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

sorry / excuse me

Show Answer

undskyld

glad / happy

Show Answer

glad

to change

Show Answer

ændre

our

Show Answer

vores