Choosing a gift for a coworker | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Choosing a gift for a coworker to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Vi skal vælge en gave til vores kollega.

vee SKEL VEL-guh en GAY-vuh tell VOHR-uss kuh-LEHG-gah. We need to choose a gift for our coworker.

Skal den være nyttig eller mere personlig?

SKEL den VAIR-uh NUH-dee EL-uh MAY-uh peh-SOHN-lee? Should it be useful or more personal?

Hun kan godt lide te, så et tesæt kunne være en god idé.

hoon kan gohth LEE-thuh tay, soh ed TAY-set KOO-nuh VAIR-uh en goh ee-DAY. She likes tea, so a tea set might work.

Det virker personligt, men det er stadig nyttigt.

deh VAIR-guh peh-SOHN-lee, men deh air STAY-thee NUH-deed. That feels personal but still useful.

Lad os også lægge et lille kort ved.

lah oss OH-soh LEG-guh ed LEH-luh kohrt vehth. Let's add a small card too.

Alle kan skrive under på det, før vi giver hende gaven.

AL-uh kan SKREE-vuh UN-uh poh deh, fur vee KEE-vuh HEN-uh GAY-vun. Everyone can sign it before we give her the gift.

Word by Word

Vi Vi means “we” in “Vi skal vælge en gave til vores kollega.” It refers to the people speaking together. Use it when describing an action done by yourself and at least one other person.

skal Skal expresses “need to” in “Vi skal vælge en gave.” It is followed by the infinitive “vælge” and shows what the speakers intend or need to do. Use this pattern for a planned or necessary action.

vælge Vælge means “to choose” in “skal vælge en gave.” It names the action of selecting one gift from possible options. It follows “skal” in this dialogue, as infinitives commonly do after that modal.

en En is the indefinite article in “en gave,” meaning “a gift.” It is also used in “en god idé.” Use en before these nouns when referring to one non-specific item or idea.

gave Gave means “gift” in “en gave til vores kollega.” It names the item the speakers are choosing. The reusable pattern is “en gave til” followed by the person who will receive it.

til Til means “for” in “til vores kollega.” Here it marks the intended recipient of the gift. Use “til” before a person when saying who something is for.

vores Vores means “our” in “vores kollega.” It shows that the coworker is connected to both speakers. It is placed before the noun it describes.

kollega Kollega means “coworker” in “vores kollega.” It identifies the person for whom the gift is being chosen. Use it after a possessive such as “vores” when referring to someone at work.

den Den refers to the gift in “Skal den være nyttig eller mere personlig?” It stands for the already understood item being discussed. It is placed before “være” in this question.

være Være means “be” in “Skal den være nyttig eller mere personlig?” It links the gift with the qualities “nyttig” and “personlig.” It follows “skal” as the infinitive form.

nyttig Nyttig means “useful” in “være nyttig.” It describes a gift that has a practical use. Use it after “være” when describing whether something is useful.

eller Eller means “or” in “nyttig eller mere personlig.” It connects two alternative qualities. Use it between options when asking someone to choose between them.

mere Mere means “more” in “mere personlig.” It increases the degree of the following description. Here it presents a gift as more personal than the other option.

personlig Personlig means “personal” in “mere personlig.” It describes a gift chosen with the individual recipient in mind. Use it after “være” to describe the character of an item.

Hun Hun means “she” in “Hun kan godt lide te.” It identifies the female coworker whose preferences are being discussed. Use it as the subject when she performs the action.

kan In “kan godt lide,” kan helps form the Danish expression meaning “likes.” Its meaning here is not simply physical ability; the whole expression describes her preference. Use “kan godt lide” before the thing a person likes.

godt In “kan godt lide,” godt is part of the expression meaning “likes.” It contributes to this fixed expression rather than meaning “well” separately here. Keep it between “kan” and “lide” when using this expression.

lide In “kan godt lide,” lide is part of the expression meaning “to like.” The complete expression is used for a person’s preference, as in “kan godt lide te.” Use the thing liked after this expression.

te Te means “tea” in “kan godt lide te.” It is the drink that the coworker likes. Use it after “kan godt lide” when naming tea as the preferred thing.

så Så means “so” in “te, så et tesæt kunne være en god idé.” It introduces the suggestion that follows from her liking tea. Use it to connect a reason with a conclusion or suggestion.

et Et is the indefinite article in “et tesæt” and “et lille kort.” It means “a” before these neuter nouns. Use et before a single non-specific item such as “tesæt” or “kort” in these phrases.

tesæt Tesæt means “tea set” in “et tesæt.” It names the suggested gift made for serving tea. Use it after the article “et” when referring to one tea set.

kunne Kunne expresses a possible or tentative suggestion in “kunne være en god idé.” It makes the tea set sound like one option rather than a definite decision. Use it before “være” when proposing that something might be suitable.

god God means “good” in “en god idé.” It evaluates the suggestion positively. Use it before the noun “idé” in this phrase.

idé Idé means “idea” in “en god idé.” It refers to the proposed tea set as a suitable suggestion. Use it after an adjective when describing a possible plan or suggestion.

Det Det refers back to the suggested gift in “Det virker personligt.” It is the subject of the statement that the gift seems personal. Use it to refer to an understood thing rather than naming the gift again.

virker Virker means “seems” or “feels” in “Det virker personligt.” It gives an impression or evaluation rather than stating a physical action. The form “virker” is used with the subject “Det” here.

personligt Personligt means “personal” in “Det virker personligt.” It describes how the gift comes across in this sentence. This exact form follows “virker” and describes “det.”

men Men means “but” in “men det er stadig nyttigt.” It introduces a point that contrasts with the gift being personal. Use it to connect two statements with contrasting information.

er Er means “is” in “det er stadig nyttigt.” It links the gift with the description “nyttigt.” Use it between a thing and a description of that thing.

stadig Stadig means “still” in “stadig nyttigt.” It shows that the gift remains useful despite also being personal. Use it before the description that continues to apply.

nyttigt Nyttigt means “useful” in “det er stadig nyttigt.” It describes the gift as practical. This exact form is used after “er” with the subject “det.”

Lad Lad begins the suggestion “Lad os også lægge et lille kort ved,” meaning “let us also add a small card.” Together with “os,” it invites the speakers to do something. Use it at the beginning of a suggestion addressed to a group that includes the speaker.

os Os means “us” in “Lad os også lægge et lille kort ved.” With “Lad,” it forms the expression “let us.” Use it after “Lad” when proposing a joint action.

også Også means “also” or “too” in “Lad os også lægge et lille kort ved.” It adds the card as an additional part of the gift. Place it before the action or item being added, as here.

lægge Lægge means “put” or “place” in “lægge et lille kort ved.” It describes adding the card alongside the gift. It follows “Lad os” as the infinitive in the joint suggestion.

lille Lille means “small” in “et lille kort.” It describes the size of the card. Use it before the noun when adding a size description.

kort Kort means “card” in “et lille kort.” It names the item the speakers want to add beside the gift. Use it after an adjective such as “lille” when describing the card.

ved Ved contributes the idea of placing the card alongside something in “lægge et lille kort ved.” Together, “lægge ... ved” describes adding one item next to or with another item. Use it when saying that something is placed alongside an existing item.

Alle Alle means “everyone” in “Alle kan skrive under på det.” It refers to all the people who can add their signatures. Use it as the subject when the whole group is included.

skrive under på “Skrive under på det” means “sign it” in the dialogue. “Skrive” supplies the act of writing, “under” is part of the signing expression, and “på” introduces the thing being signed, here “det.” Use the full pattern when people add their names to a card or another item.

før Før means “before” in “før vi giver hende gaven.” It introduces the action that must happen earlier. Use it before a clause when ordering two actions in time.

giver Giver means “give” in “vi giver hende gaven.” It describes the action of handing the gift to her. The form “giver” is used with the subject “vi” in this dialogue.

hende Hende means “her” in “giver hende gaven.” It identifies the female recipient of the gift. It is placed before “gaven” to show who receives it.

gaven Gaven means “the gift” in “giver hende gaven.” It refers to the specific gift the speakers have chosen. The form “gaven” contains the definite meaning “the,” unlike the earlier “en gave.”

Grammar Points

før + helsætning

før jeg giver en gave

fur yai KEE-vuh en GAY-vuh

before I give a gift

Før introducerer en tidsledsætning. Dansk bruger nutid, giver, om en handling, der sker senere.

virker + adjektiv

Det virker nyttigt.

deh VAIR-guh NUH-deed

It seems useful.

Efter virker står et adjektiv, ikke et adverbium. Nyttigt bøjes efter det neutrale det.

Danish Vocabulary

gave noun

GAY-vuh gift

Gender: common

en gave til vores kollega

god idé phrase

goh ee-DAY good idea

en god idé

kollega noun

kuh-LEHG-gah coworker

Gender: common

vores kollega

kort noun

kohrt card

Gender: neuter

et lille kort

lægge verb

LEG-guh put; place

Lad os også lægge et lille kort ved.

nyttig adj

NUH-dee useful

Skal den være nyttig?

personlig adj

peh-SOHN-lee personal

mere personlig

stadig adv

STAY-thee still

det er stadig nyttigt

te noun

tay tea

Gender: common

Hun kan godt lide te.

tesæt noun

TAY-set tea set

Gender: neuter

et tesæt

virker verb

VAIR-guh seems; feels

Det virker personligt.

vælge verb

VEL-guh choose

Vi skal vælge en gave.

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

seems; feels

Show Answer

virker

choose

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vælge

tea set

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tesæt

gift

Show Answer

gave