Renewing a library book | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: At a library desk, one person asks how to renew a borrowed book when their online account is not working..

EN → DA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Renewing a library book to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Jeg vil gerne forny en bog, jeg har lånt.

yai veel GUR-nuh for-NUE en boh, yai ha launt. I'd like to renew a book I borrowed.
B

Du kan forny den via din konto på nettet.

doo kan for-NUE den VEE-uh deen KON-toh paw NET-uh. You can renew it through your online account.
A

Jeg kan ikke komme ind på min konto i dag.

yai kan IK-uh KOM-uh een paw meen KON-toh ee DAY. I can't get into my account today.
B

Vi kan hjælpe dig ved skranken.

vee kan YEL-puh dyee vay SKRANG-uhn. We can help you at the desk.
A

Har jeg brug for mit lånerkort?

ha yai broo for meet LOH-nuh-kort? Do I need my library card?
B

Tag dit kort med, så vi kan finde dine oplysninger.

tayg deet kort may, soh vee kan FIN-uh DEE-nuh op-LOOS-ning-uh. Bring your card so we can find your record.
A

Kan jeg så forny bogen i dag?

kan yai soh for-NUE BOH-un ee DAY? Can I renew the book today after that?
B

Det kan du, medmindre en anden har reserveret den.

deh kan doo, meh-MEN-druh en AN-un ha reh-ser-VAYD den. You can, unless someone else has requested it.

Word by Word

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” and identifies the person speaking. It is used for self-reference, as in “Jeg vil gerne forny en bog.”
vil In “Jeg vil gerne forny en bog,” “vil” contributes the idea of wanting or would like. The reusable pattern is “vil gerne” followed by an action someone wants to do.
gerne In “Jeg vil gerne forny en bog,” “gerne” makes the wish sound willing and polite. Use “vil gerne” before an action when making a friendly request or stating what you would like to do.
forny “Forny” means “renew,” here referring to renewing a borrowed library book. A useful pattern is “forny en bog” when asking to extend a loan.
en In “en bog,” “en” introduces one unspecified book, meaning “a book.” Use it before a singular item when it has not yet been identified as a specific one.
bog “Bog” means “book” in “en bog,” the item the speaker wants to renew. It also appears in the related form “bogen” when the conversation refers to that specific book.
har In “jeg har lånt,” “har” helps express that the speaker has borrowed the book. In “Har jeg brug for mit lånerkort?”, the same form begins a question about needing something.
lånt “Lånt” means “borrowed” in “jeg har lånt,” referring to the book the speaker took from the library. It is used after “har” in this expression about something already borrowed.
Du “Du” means “you,” referring to the person being addressed at the library desk. It is used when giving that person information or instructions, as in “Du kan forny den.”
kan “Kan” expresses ability or permission in “Du kan forny den.” It also appears in “Kan jeg så forny bogen?” to ask whether the action is possible or allowed.
den “Den” means “it” and refers to the known book in “forny den” and “reserveret den.” Use it when the item has already been identified and does not need to be repeated.
via “Via” means “through” or “by means of,” here introducing the route used to renew the book. The pattern “via + method or service” shows how something is done.
din “Din” means “your” in “din konto,” referring to the account belonging to the person being addressed. Use it before the thing that belongs to “you,” as in “din konto.”
konto “Konto” means “account,” specifically the library user’s online account here. It is used in “din konto på nettet” when talking about accessing a personal account online.
på In “på nettet,” “på” means “on” and helps express being on the internet. Use this exact pattern when describing an online service or activity.
nettet “Nettet” means “the internet” or “the web” in “på nettet.” It identifies the online place where the account can be used.
ikke “Ikke” means “not” and negates the ability expressed in “kan ikke komme ind.” It commonly comes after “kan” in a negative statement about what someone cannot do.
komme In “komme ind på min konto,” “komme” contributes the idea of getting or entering, while “ind” adds the meaning of into. Use the full pattern when saying that you can or cannot access an account.
ind In “komme ind på min konto,” “ind” means “in” or “into” and shows entry into the account. It is used with “komme” in this expression about gaining access.
min “Min” means “my” in “min konto,” referring to the account belonging to the speaker. Use it before a thing that belongs to “me,” such as an account.
i In “i dag,” “i” is part of the expression meaning “today.” Use the fixed pattern “i dag” when referring to the current day.
dag In “i dag,” “dag” means “day,” and the whole expression means “today.” It is useful when specifying when an action is happening.
Vi “Vi” means “we,” referring to the library staff or people at the desk. It is used when offering help on behalf of the group, as in “Vi kan hjælpe dig.”
hjælpe “Hjælpe” means “help” in “kan hjælpe dig.” A useful pattern is “kan hjælpe + person” when offering assistance.
dig “Dig” means “you” as the person receiving help in “hjælpe dig.” Use it after an expression such as “hjælpe” when saying whom the help is for.
ved In “ved skranken,” “ved” means “at” or “by,” locating the help at the library desk. Use “ved” with a place when saying where someone or something is situated.
skranken “Skranken” means “the desk” or “the counter,” here referring to the library service desk. The phrase “ved skranken” is useful when directing someone to get help there.
brug In “brug for,” “brug” is part of the expression meaning “need,” not a standalone translation of the whole idea. Reuse the pattern “har brug for + the thing needed” when asking or saying that something is necessary.
for In “brug for,” “for” completes the expression meaning “need.” Keep it together with “brug” when using this construction, as in “har brug for mit lånerkort.”
mit “Mit” means “my” in “mit lånerkort,” referring to the card belonging to the speaker. Use it before the thing that belongs to “me” in this expression.
lånerkort “Lånerkort” means “library card,” the card used to identify the library borrower. It appears after “mit” in “mit lånerkort” when asking whether the card is needed.
Tag “Tag” means “bring” or “take” in the instruction “Tag dit kort med.” Use this form when telling someone to bring an item along.
dit “Dit” means “your” in “dit kort,” referring to the card belonging to the person being addressed. It is used before the item that belongs to “you” in this instruction.
kort “Kort” means “card” in “dit kort.” In this situation it refers to the borrower’s library card, which the person should bring.
med In “Tag dit kort med,” “med” adds the idea of bringing something along. The reusable pattern is “Tag + item + med” when instructing someone to take or bring an item.
så In “så vi kan finde dine oplysninger,” “så” means “so that” and introduces the purpose of bringing the card. In “Kan jeg så forny bogen?”, it means “then” or “after that,” referring to what can happen next.
finde “Finde” means “find” in “finde dine oplysninger,” referring to locating the borrower’s record or information. A useful pattern is “finde + information or record” when searching for someone’s details.
dine “Dine” means “your” in “dine oplysninger,” referring to the information belonging to the person being addressed. Use it before the information that belongs to “you” in this phrase.
oplysninger “Oplysninger” means “information” or “records” here, specifically the library details connected with the borrower. It is used in “finde dine oplysninger” when staff look up that record.
bogen “Bogen” means “the book,” referring to the specific borrowed book already discussed. Use it in “forny bogen” when both people know which book is meant.
Det In “Det kan du,” “Det” refers to the action just mentioned, namely renewing the book. This short response confirms that the action is possible or allowed.
medmindre “Medmindre” means “unless” and introduces the condition that could prevent the renewal. Use it before an exception, as in “medmindre en anden har reserveret den.”
anden In “en anden,” “anden” means “another” or “someone else,” referring to a different library user. The pattern “en anden + person” identifies someone different from the person already being discussed.
reserveret “Reserveret” means “reserved” or “requested” in “har reserveret den,” referring to another person’s request for the book. It appears after “har” when explaining that the reservation already exists.

Grammar Points

bog → bogen

bogen

BOH-un

the book

Danish often marks a definite noun with a suffix: bog becomes bogen, rather than using a separate word like “the”.

Imperativ: verb først

Tag dit kort med

tayg deet kort may

Bring your card

Commands commonly begin with the verb and omit the subject: Tag means “bring” and refers to “you” implicitly.

Danish Vocabulary

bog noun
boh book

Jeg vil gerne forny en bog, jeg har lånt.

forny verb
for-NUE renew

Jeg vil gerne forny en bog, jeg har lånt.

have brug for phrase
HAY-vuh broo for need

Har jeg brug for mit lånerkort?

hjælpe verb
YEL-puh help

Vi kan hjælpe dig ved skranken.

i dag adv
ee DAY today

Jeg kan ikke komme ind på min konto i dag.

komme ind phrase
KOM-uh een get into; access

Jeg kan ikke komme ind på min konto i dag.

konto noun
KON-toh account

Du kan forny den via din konto på nettet.

lånerkort noun
LOH-nuh-kort library card

Har jeg brug for mit lånerkort?

lånt verb
launt borrowed

Jeg vil gerne forny en bog, jeg har lånt.

på nettet phrase
paw NET-uh online

Du kan forny den via din konto på nettet.

skranken noun
SKRANG-uhn the desk; the counter

Vi kan hjælpe dig ved skranken.

Tag dit kort med phrase
tayg deet kort may Bring your card

Tag dit kort med, så vi kan finde dine oplysninger.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

We can help you at the desk.

Show AnswerVi kan hjælpe dig ved skranken.

Do I need my library card?

Show AnswerHar jeg brug for mit lånerkort?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

the desk; the counter

Show Answerskranken

borrowed

Show Answerlånt

renew

Show Answerforny

account

Show Answerkonto