Small Healthy Daily Changes | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Small Healthy Daily Changes to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Jeg vil gerne have en sundere daglig rutine.

YIGH vil GAIR-nuh HAY-vuh uhn SUN-uh-ruh DAY-lee roo-TEE-nuh. I want a healthier daily routine.

Start med små ændringer, som du kan holde fast i.

SDAHD meh smoh EN-dring-er, suhm doo kan HOL-luh fast ee. Start with small changes you can stick with.

Jeg kan drikke mere vand, mens jeg er på arbejde.

YIGH kan DREH-guh MAIR van, mens yigh air poh AH-bigh-thuh. I can drink more water while I'm at work.

Det kan måske give dig mere energi om eftermiddagen.

Deh kan MOS-kuh GEE-vuh dai MAIR en-uh-SHEE ohm EF-tuh-MEH-thane. That may help your energy in the afternoon.

Skal jeg også træne efter aftensmaden?

Skel yigh OSS-uh TRAY-nuh EF-tuh AFD-en-SMAY-thun? Should I also exercise after dinner?

En kort gåtur ville være en start, der er nem at klare.

Uhn kohd GOH-toor VEL-uh VAIR uhn SDAHD, dair air NEM uh KLAIR-uh. A short walk would be a manageable start.

Jeg kan stille mine sko ved døren, så jeg husker at gå en tur.

YIGH kan SDEH-luh MEE-nuh SGOH veh DUR-un, soh yigh HOOS-kuh uh GOH uhn TOOR. I can put my shoes by the door so I remember to go.

Det lyder realistisk og nemt at holde fast i.

Deh LOO-uh ray-uh-LIS-dessg oh NEMD uh HOL-luh fast ee. That sounds realistic and easy to keep up.

Word by Word

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” and is the subject in “Jeg vil gerne have en sundere daglig rutine.” It is used when the speaker describes their own wish or action, as in “Jeg kan drikke mere vand.”

vil In “Jeg vil gerne have”, “vil” helps express what the speaker wants. A useful pattern is “Jeg vil gerne” followed by an action or thing the speaker wants.

gerne “Gerne” adds the meaning of “would like to” or “willingly” in “Jeg vil gerne have”. The common pattern “vil gerne + action” is useful for expressing a wish politely.

have “Have” means “have” in “vil gerne have en sundere daglig rutine”. After “vil gerne”, it names the thing the speaker wants to have; reuse “vil gerne have + noun”.

en In “en sundere daglig rutine”, “en” introduces one unspecified singular noun. The same form appears in “En kort gåtur” at the beginning of another sentence.

sundere “Sundere” means “healthier” and describes the desired routine in “en sundere daglig rutine”. It is the comparative form related to “sund”, so it is useful when comparing a healthier option with the current one.

daglig “Daglig” means “daily” and describes how often the routine occurs in “daglig rutine”. A useful reuse pattern is “daglig + noun” for something connected with everyday life.

rutine “Rutine” means “routine” in “en sundere daglig rutine”, referring to a regular set of daily habits. It can be used after an adjective, as in “daglig rutine”.

Start “Start” tells the other person to begin, here with “Start med små ændringer”. It is useful for giving direct advice with the pattern “Start med + thing or activity”.

med “Med” means “with” in “Start med små ændringer”, introducing what someone should begin with. Reuse “Start med + noun” when recommending a first step.

små “Små” means “small” and describes the changes in “små ændringer”. It is useful before a plural noun when referring to limited size, amount, or scope.

ændringer “Ændringer” means “changes” in “små ændringer”, referring to adjustments to the daily routine. It is useful after an adjective such as “små” when discussing several changes.

som “Som” links “små ændringer” to the description “som du kan holde fast i”, meaning that or which. A useful pattern is “noun + som + clause” to add information about a noun.

du “Du” means “you” and is the person addressed in “som du kan holde fast i”. It is used as the subject before an action or modal verb, as in “du kan ...”.

kan “Kan” expresses ability or possibility in “du kan holde fast i” and “Jeg kan drikke mere vand”. It is followed by an infinitive, so a useful pattern is “kan + action”.

holde fast i “Holde fast i” means “stick with” or “keep up with” something in “ændringer, som du kan holde fast i”. The whole expression combines “holde” for holding, “fast” for firmly, and “i” for the thing maintained; reuse “holde fast i + plan, habit, or change”.

drikke “Drikke” means “drink” in “Jeg kan drikke mere vand”. It follows “kan” as the action the speaker is able to do; reuse “kan drikke + something”.

mere “Mere” means “more” in “drikke mere vand”, showing an increased amount of water. It is commonly placed before the thing that is increased, as in “mere + noun”.

vand “Vand” means “water” and is what the speaker plans to drink in “drikke mere vand”. It can follow a quantity word such as “mere”.

mens “Mens” means “while” and introduces the time clause “mens jeg er på arbejde”. A useful pattern is “mens + clause” for an action happening during another situation.

er “Er” means “am” in “jeg er på arbejde”, describing the speaker’s situation or location. Reuse “jeg er + place or state” to say where you are or what situation you are in.

på In “på arbejde”, “på” helps express being at work. The complete phrase “på arbejde” is a common way to describe being at work, so it is useful to learn together.

arbejde “Arbejde” means “work” in the expression “på arbejde”. Together with “på”, it describes the situation of being at work rather than naming a specific workplace.

Det “Det” means “that” or “it” in “Det kan måske give dig mere energi”, referring back to the idea of drinking more water. It is useful at the start of a sentence when referring to a previously mentioned action or situation.

måske “Måske” means “maybe” or “perhaps” in “kan måske give dig mere energi”, making the expected result less certain. A useful pattern is “kan måske + action” when describing a possible result.

give “Give” means “give” in “give dig mere energi”, where the action provides energy to another person. A useful word order is “give + person + thing”, as in “give dig mere energi”.

dig “Dig” means “you” as the person receiving something in “give dig mere energi”. It follows the verb in this pattern: “give dig + thing”.

energi “Energi” means “energy” in “give dig mere energi”, the thing that may be provided. It can follow “mere” when referring to an increased amount, as in “mere energi”.

om In “om eftermiddagen”, “om” means “in” or “during” when referring to a time of day. A useful pattern is “om + time period”, including “om eftermiddagen”.

eftermiddagen “Eftermiddagen” means “the afternoon” in “om eftermiddagen”. It is used with “om” to say when something happens: “om eftermiddagen”.

Skal “Skal” asks about what should or is intended to happen in “Skal jeg også træne efter aftensmaden?”. A useful question pattern is “Skal jeg + action?” when asking for advice or permission about an action.

også “Også” means “also” in “Skal jeg også træne”, adding exercise to the other suggested health changes. It is placed before the action here, as in “også + infinitive”.

træne “Træne” means “exercise” in “Skal jeg også træne efter aftensmaden?”. It follows “skal” and can be followed by a time expression such as “efter aftensmaden”.

efter “Efter” means “after” in “efter aftensmaden”, identifying when the exercise should happen. A useful pattern is “efter + event or time”.

aftensmaden “Aftensmaden” means “the dinner” or “the evening meal” in “efter aftensmaden”. It names the meal used as the time reference in that phrase.

kort “Kort” means “short” and describes the walk in “En kort gåtur”. It is useful before a noun when describing a limited duration or distance.

gåtur “Gåtur” means “walk” as an activity in “En kort gåtur”. It is used as a noun after “en” and can be described by an adjective such as “kort”.

ville “Ville” means “would” in “ville være en start”, presenting the short walk as a possible or suggested option. A useful pattern is “ville være + noun or description” when making a gentle suggestion.

være “Være” means “be” in “ville være en start”. It follows “ville” and links the suggested walk with what it would represent; reuse “ville være + noun or adjective”.

der “Der” links “en start” to the description “der er nem at klare”, meaning that or which. A useful pattern is “noun + der + clause” for describing the noun.

nem “Nem” means “easy” or “manageable” in “der er nem at klare”. The useful pattern “nem at + action” describes something that is easy to do.

at In “nem at klare”, “at” marks the action “klare” as an infinitive, similar to “to” in English. The pattern “adjective + at + action” is used to describe how easy an action is.

klare “Klare” means “manage” or “handle” in “nem at klare”, referring to successfully doing the suggested start. It is useful after “at” in the pattern “nem at klare”.

stille “Stille” means “put” or “place” in “stille mine sko ved døren”. It follows “kan” and is used with an object and a location: “stille + thing + place”.

mine “Mine” means “my” before the plural noun “sko” in “mine sko”. A useful pattern is “mine + plural noun” when identifying several things belonging to the speaker.

sko “Sko” means “shoes” in “stille mine sko ved døren”, the object being placed near the door. It can follow a possessive word such as “mine”.

ved “Ved” means “by” or “at” in “ved døren”, showing the location near the door. A useful pattern is “ved + place or object” for describing where something is.

døren “Døren” means “the door” in “ved døren”, the location where the shoes are placed. It is used after “ved” in this location phrase.

så “Så” means “so that” in “så jeg husker at gå en tur”, introducing the purpose or intended result of placing the shoes there. A useful pattern is “..., så + clause” for explaining a purpose or result.

husker “Husker” means “remember” in “så jeg husker at gå en tur”. A useful pattern is “husker at + action” for saying that someone remembers to do something.

gå en tur “Gå en tur” means “go for a walk” as a complete expression in “jeg husker at gå en tur”. “Gå” means go, “en” means a, and “tur” contributes the idea of a walk; reuse the whole expression when describing this activity.

lyder “Lyder” means “sounds” in “Det lyder realistisk og nemt”, expressing how the suggestion seems to the speaker. A useful pattern is “Det lyder + description”.

realistisk “Realistisk” means “realistic” in “lyder realistisk”, describing the plan as practical or achievable. It commonly follows “lyder” when giving an assessment of an idea.

nemt “Nemt” means “easy” in “nemt at holde fast i”, describing the plan as easy to maintain. The useful pattern is “nemt at + action”, here “nemt at holde fast i”.

og “Og” means “and” and joins the two descriptions in “realistisk og nemt”. It is useful for connecting two words or phrases that describe the same thing.

Grammar Points

små + flertalsnavn

små ændringer

smoh EN-dring-er

small changes

In Danish, adjectives take a plural form: små ændringer. English keeps the adjective small unchanged.

gerne + infinitiv

vil gerne træne

vil GAIR-nuh TRAY-nuh

would like to exercise

gerne is used with vil and an infinitive to express what someone would like to do.

Danish Vocabulary

daglig adj

DAY-lee daily

Gender: common

drikke verb

DREH-guh drink

gerne adv

GAIR-nuh gladly; would like to

holde fast i phrase

HOL-luh fast ee stick with; keep up

mens conj

mens while

mere det

MAIR more

på arbejde phrase

poh AH-bigh-thuh at work

rutine noun

roo-TEE-nuh routine

Gender: common

små adj

smoh small

sundere adj

SUN-uh-ruh healthier

vand noun

van water

Gender: neuter

ændringer noun

EN-dring-er changes

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Should I also exercise after dinner?

Show Answer

Skal jeg også træne efter aftensmaden?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

routine

Show Answer

rutine

changes

Show Answer

ændringer

Show Answer

mere

drink

Show Answer

drikke