Deciding Which Task to Do First | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Deciding Which Task to Do First to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Jeg har for mange opgaver i formiddag.

YAI hah foh MANG-uh OH-pah-wuh ee FOR-muh-deh. I have too many tasks this morning.

Lav først en liste over dem efter prioritet.

LAY FURST en LEHS-duh OH-wuh dehm EF-duh pree-oh-ree-TAIT. List them by priority first.

Denne e-mail haster.

DEH-nuh EE-mail HAHS-duh. This email is urgent.

Rapporten er vigtig.

rah-POHT-en air VEK-dee. The report is important.

Hvornår er fristen for rapporten?

vorn-NOHR air FREHS-den foh rah-POHT-en? When is the report deadline?

Den skal være færdig i morgen eftermiddag.

Dehn skal VAIR-uh FAIR-dee ee MAWR-wun EF-duh-MEH-thah. It is due tomorrow afternoon.

Så svar på den hastende e-mail først.

Soh svahr poh dehn HAHS-duh-nuh EE-mail FURST. Then answer the urgent email first.

Bagefter vil jeg arbejde på rapporten.

BAY-wef-duh vehl YAI AH-bye-duh poh rah-POHT-en. After that I will work on the report.

Det burde hjælpe dig med at føle dig mindre stresset.

Deh BOOR-thuh YEL-puh dye meh eh FUR-luh dye MEH-nuh STREH-sud. That should help you feel less stressed.

Word by Word

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” here and is the speaker referring to themself. It is the subject in “Jeg har for mange opgaver”; a new example is “Jeg er træt” for “I am tired.”

har “Har” means “have” in “Jeg har for mange opgaver.” It is used with a subject such as “Jeg” and a thing possessed or experienced, as in the dialogue’s “har ... opgaver”; a new example is “Jeg har tid.”

for “For” means “too” in “for mange opgaver,” showing that the number of tasks is excessive. It appears directly before “mange” in this quantity expression; a new example is “for meget arbejde” for “too much work.”

mange “Mange” means “many” in “for mange opgaver,” referring to a large number of tasks. It is used with the plural noun “opgaver”; a new example is “mange e-mails” for “many emails.”

opgaver “Opgaver” means “tasks” in “for mange opgaver.” This exact form is used for multiple tasks and follows quantity words such as “mange”; a new example is “Jeg har to opgaver” for “I have two tasks.”

i “I” means “in” in “i formiddag,” placing the situation within the morning period. It is used here before a time expression; a new example is “i morgen” for “tomorrow.”

formiddag “Formiddag” refers to the morning before midday in “i formiddag.” Together, “i formiddag” gives the time when the speaker has the tasks; a new example is “Vi mødes i formiddag” for “We are meeting this morning.”

Lav “Lav” means “make” in the instruction “Lav først en liste.” It is the form used to give this direct instruction to one person; a new example is “Lav en plan” for “Make a plan.”

først “Først” means “first” in both “Lav først en liste” and “svar ... først,” marking what should happen before other tasks. It commonly appears near the action it prioritizes; a new example is “Gør det først” for “Do it first.”

en “En” means “a” in “en liste,” introducing one non-specific list. It comes directly before the singular noun “liste”; a new example is “en rapport” for “a report.”

liste “Liste” means “list” in “en liste over dem.” It is used with “en” here and can be followed by “over” to identify what the list contains; a new example is “en liste over opgaver” for “a list of tasks.”

over “Over” means “about” or “of” in “en liste over dem,” connecting the list with the things listed. The reusable construction is “en liste over” followed by its contents; a new example is “en liste over navne” for “a list of names.”

dem “Dem” means “them” in “en liste over dem,” referring back to the tasks. It is used after “over” as the object being listed; a new example is “Jeg ser dem” for “I see them.”

efter “Efter” means “according to” in “efter prioritet,” explaining the basis used to organize the tasks. It appears before the criterion “prioritet”; a new example is “sortere efter størrelse” for “sort according to size.”

prioritet “Prioritet” means “priority” in “efter prioritet,” the criterion for ordering the tasks. It follows “efter” in the expression “efter prioritet”; a new example is “en høj prioritet” for “a high priority.”

Denne “Denne” means “this” in “Denne e-mail,” pointing to a particular email near the speaker. It comes before the noun it identifies; a new example is “denne rapport” for “this report.”

e-mail “E-mail” means “email” in “Denne e-mail haster” and “den hastende e-mail.” It can be introduced by “Denne” or by the phrase “den hastende”; a new example is “Jeg skriver en e-mail” for “I am writing an email.”

haster “Haster” means that something is urgent or needs immediate attention in “Denne e-mail haster.” The email itself is the subject of this expression; a new example is “Det haster” for “It is urgent.”

Rapporten “Rapporten” means “the report” in “Rapporten er vigtig.” It is the definite form of “rapport” and identifies a specific report already relevant in the conversation; a new example is “Rapporten er klar” for “The report is ready.”

er “Er” means “is” in “Rapporten er vigtig,” linking the report with the description “vigtig.” It is used between the subject and a description or state; a new example is “Det er vigtigt” for “It is important.”

vigtig “Vigtig” means “important” in “Rapporten er vigtig,” describing the report’s significance. It follows “er” in this descriptive sentence; a new example is “Det er vigtigt” for “It is important.”

Hvornår “Hvornår” means “when” in “Hvornår er fristen for rapporten?” and asks for a time. It comes at the beginning of this question; a new example is “Hvornår begynder mødet?” for “When does the meeting begin?”

fristen “Fristen” means “the deadline” in “fristen for rapporten.” It is the definite form of “frist” and is followed by “for” to specify what the deadline concerns; a new example is “fristen for ansøgningen” for “the application deadline.”

Den “Den” means “it” in “Den skal være færdig,” referring back to the report. It is the subject before the requirement “skal være færdig”; a new example is “Den er klar” for “It is ready.”

skal “Skal” expresses that the report must be finished by the stated time in “Den skal være færdig i morgen eftermiddag.” It is followed by “være” and describes a requirement or expected completion; a new example is “Du skal svare” for “You must answer.”

være “Være” means “be” in “skal være færdig,” completing the expression for the report’s required state. It follows the modal verb “skal”; a new example is “skal være klar” for “must be ready.”

færdig “Færdig” means “finished” in “skal være færdig,” describing the state the report needs to reach. It follows “være” in this completion expression; a new example is “Arbejdet er færdigt” for “The work is finished.”

morgen “Morgen” means “tomorrow” in “i morgen eftermiddag,” identifying the day of the deadline. It is combined with “i” and the time period “eftermiddag”; a new example is “i morgen” for “tomorrow.”

eftermiddag “Eftermiddag” means “afternoon” in “i morgen eftermiddag.” Together, “i morgen eftermiddag” specifies the deadline as tomorrow afternoon; a new example is “i eftermiddag” for “this afternoon.”

Så “Så” means “then” in “Så svar på den hastende e-mail først,” connecting the deadline information with the suggested next action. It appears at the beginning of the instruction; a new example is “Så går vi” for “Then we will go.”

svar “Svar” means “answer” in the instruction “svar på den hastende e-mail.” It is used with “på” when referring to answering an email or another communication; a new example is “svar på spørgsmålet” for “answer the question.”

på “På” is part of the expression “svar på den hastende e-mail,” meaning “answer the email.” It follows “svar” and introduces the communication being answered; a new example is “svare på en besked” for “answer a message.”

hastende “Hastende” means “urgent” in “den hastende e-mail,” describing the email that should be answered first. It comes before the noun “e-mail”; a new example is “en hastende besked” for “an urgent message.”

Bagefter “Bagefter” means “after that” in “Bagefter vil jeg arbejde på rapporten,” referring to the action after answering the email. It introduces the next step in a sequence; a new example is “Bagefter går jeg hjem” for “After that I go home.”

vil “Vil” means “will” in “vil jeg arbejde på rapporten,” expressing the speaker’s intended next action. It is followed by the subject “jeg” and the verb “arbejde”; a new example is “Jeg vil læse” for “I will read.”

arbejde “Arbejde” means “work” in “arbejde på rapporten.” It follows “vil” and is combined with “på” to name the project being worked on; a new example is “arbejde på en opgave” for “work on a task.”

Det “Det” means “that” in “Det burde hjælpe dig,” referring to the plan or actions just discussed. It is the subject before “burde hjælpe”; a new example is “Det hjælper” for “That helps.”

burde “Burde” means “should” in “Det burde hjælpe dig,” expressing an expectation that the plan will be helpful. It is followed by the verb “hjælpe”; a new example is “Det burde være nok” for “That should be enough.”

hjælpe “Hjælpe” means “help” in “burde hjælpe dig,” describing the expected benefit for the other person. It follows “burde” and can be followed by the person receiving help, as in “hjælpe dig”; a new example is “Det kan hjælpe mig” for “It can help me.”

dig “Dig” means “you” in “hjælpe dig,” identifying the person who is expected to benefit. It follows “hjælpe” as the person receiving the help; a new example is “Jeg hjælper dig” for “I help you.”

med “Med” means “with” in “hjælpe dig med at føle dig mindre stresset,” linking the help to the activity that becomes easier. The reusable construction is “hjælpe nogen med at” followed by an action; a new example is “Det hjælper mig med at forstå” for “It helps me understand.”

at “At” marks the infinitive in “at føle dig mindre stresset” after “med.” It introduces the action connected with the help; a new example is “med at arbejde” for “with working.”

føle “Føle” means “feel” in “at føle dig mindre stresset.” It follows “at” and takes “dig” as the person experiencing the feeling; a new example is “at føle sig rolig” for “to feel calm.”

mindre “Mindre” means “less” in “mindre stresset,” reducing the degree of stress. It comes before “stresset” to describe a lower level; a new example is “mindre træt” for “less tired.”

stresset “Stresset” means “stressed” in “føle dig mindre stresset,” describing the feeling the person is expected to have less of. It follows “mindre” in this expression; a new example is “Jeg føler mig stresset” for “I feel stressed.”

Grammar Points

Først + verb + subject

Først laver jeg en liste.

FURST LAY-wuh YAI en LEHS-duh.

First, I make a list.

In a Danish main clause, the verb comes before the subject when an adverb such as først starts the sentence.

Danish Vocabulary

dem pron

dehm them

over dem

denne det

DEH-nuh this

Denne e-mail haster.

efter prep

EF-duh according to; after

efter prioritet

for mange phrase

foh MANG-uh too many

for mange opgaver

formiddag noun

FOR-muh-deh morning

Gender: common

i formiddag

først adv

FURST first

Lav først en liste.

have verb

HEH-vuh to have har

Jeg har for mange opgaver.

jeg pron

YAI I

Jeg har for mange opgaver.

lave verb

LAY-wuh to make; to do Lav

Lav først en liste.

liste noun

LEHS-duh list

Gender: common

en liste over dem

opgave noun

OH-pah-wuh task opgaver

Gender: common

for mange opgaver

prioritet noun

pree-oh-ree-TAIT priority

Gender: common

efter prioritet

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

This email is urgent.

Show Answer

Denne e-mail haster.

The report is important.

Show Answer

Rapporten er vigtig.

When is the report deadline?

Show Answer

Hvornår er fristen for rapporten?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

task

Show Answer

opgaver

first

Show Answer

først

morning

Show Answer

formiddag

list

Show Answer

liste