Planning a short presentation | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Planning a short presentation to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Jeg skal holde en kort præsentation i næste uge.

yai SKAHL HOL-luh en kort preh-sen-tah-SHYOHN ee NESS-duh OO-uh. I have to give a short presentation next week.

Begynd med en klar disposition, før du skriver hele sætninger.

beh-GUN-nuh med en klahr dee-spoh-see-SHOHN, fur doo SKREE-vah HAIL-uh SET-ning-uh. Start with a clear outline before writing full sentences.

Mit emne er, hvordan jeg ændrede mine studievaner.

meet EM-nuh air, vor-DAN yai EN-druh MEE-nuh STOO-dee-ah-VAY-nah. My topic is how I changed my study habits.

Det kan mange genkende, så tænk over, hvad publikum vil lære.

deh kan MAN-uh gen-KEN-duh, soh TENGK OH-vah, vah pooh-blee-KOOM veel LAIR-uh. That is relatable, so think about what the audience will learn.

Jeg vil forklare problemet, ændringen og resultatet.

yai veel for-KLAIR-uh proh-BLEM-uh, EN-dring-en oh reh-soo-TAH-duh. I want to explain the problem, the change, and the result.

Den struktur fungerer. Tilføj enkle overgange mellem de dele.

den strook-TOOR foon-GAIR-uh. teel-FOY EN-kle OH-vah-gang-uh MEL-lem dee DAY-luh. That structure works. Add simple transitions between those parts.

Skal jeg lære hele præsentationen udenad?

skahl yai LAIR-uh HAIL-uh preh-sen-tah-SHYOHN OO-uh-NAHT? Should I memorize the whole presentation?

Øv dig med noter, så du lyder mere naturlig.

URV day med NOH-duh, soh doo LOO-thah more nah-TOOR-lee. Rehearse with notes so you sound more natural.

Jeg vil øve mig to gange og optage mig selv.

yai veel UR-vuh too GANG-uh oh OP-tay-uh my SELV. I will practice twice and record myself.

Det vil hjælpe dig med at forbedre din timing og lyde mere selvsikker.

deh veel YEL-puh day med at for-BED-ruh deen TIE-ming oh LOO-thuh more selv-SEE-kah. That will help you improve your timing and sound more confident.

Word by Word

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” here and is the subject of the sentence. It is used before what the speaker has to do, as in “Jeg skal holde...”; a new example is “Jeg arbejder i morgen.”

skal In “Jeg skal holde...”, “skal” says that the speaker has to give the presentation; in “Skal jeg...?”, it asks whether the speaker should do something. It is used before an infinitive such as “holde” or “lære”. A common use is to state a plan or obligation.

holde “Holde” means “give” in “holde en kort præsentation”, the usual verb used here for giving a presentation. It follows “skal” in this sentence. A common reuse pattern is “holde en præsentation” for speaking to an audience.

en “En” means “a” in “en kort præsentation” and introduces one non-specific presentation. It comes before the adjective and noun. A new example is “en klar plan.”

kort “Kort” describes the presentation as short in “en kort præsentation”. It comes before the noun it describes. The same pattern can be reused with another noun, for example “en kort tekst” as a new example.

præsentation “Præsentation” means “presentation”, the talk the speaker has to give next week. It appears after “en kort” and can be used with “holde” when talking about giving a presentation. A common situation is discussing a presentation at school or work.

i “I” means “in” in the time expression “i næste uge”. It combines with a time period to say when something will happen. A common reuse pattern is “i” plus a time expression.

næste “Næste” means “next” in “i næste uge”, identifying the week after the current one. It comes before “uge”. A new example is “næste måned” for the following month.

uge “Uge” means “week” in “i næste uge”. Together with “i næste” it gives the time of the presentation. It can be used to talk about when an appointment, deadline, or event happens.

Begynd “Begynd” tells someone to start, here by making an outline before writing sentences. It is a direct instruction at the beginning of the sentence. A common use is to place “Begynd med” before the first task in a sequence.

med “Med” means “with” in “Begynd med en klar disposition” and identifies what to start with. It is followed here by a noun phrase. A common reuse pattern is “begynd med” plus the first step.

klar “Klar” describes the outline as clear and easy to follow in “en klar disposition”. It comes before the noun “disposition”. The same adjective-noun pattern can describe a clear plan or explanation.

disposition “Disposition” means an outline for organizing the presentation. In “en klar disposition”, it is the first planning step before writing full sentences. A practical use is to make a disposition before preparing a talk or written text.

før “Før” means “before” and introduces the action that should happen later in “før du skriver hele sætninger”. It links the outline stage with the later writing stage. It is commonly followed by a clause describing the later action.

du “Du” means “you” and is the subject of “du skriver hele sætninger”. It identifies the person receiving the instruction. A common pattern is “før du” followed by an action.

skriver “Skriver” means “write” in “du skriver hele sætninger”, describing the writing that comes after making the outline. It follows the subject “du”. It can be reused before an object such as a sentence, note, or message.

hele “Hele” means “whole” or “entire” in “hele sætninger”. It emphasizes that the learner should write complete sentences rather than only an outline. It comes before the noun it describes.

sætninger “Sætninger” means “sentences” in “hele sætninger”. The word names the complete written units that come after the outline. It can be used when discussing writing, grammar, or a presentation script.

Mit “Mit” means “my” in “Mit emne” and identifies the topic as belonging to the speaker. It comes before “emne”. A common reuse pattern is “Mit” plus the thing being introduced.

emne “Emne” means “topic” in “Mit emne er...”, referring to what the presentation is about. It is introduced after “Mit” and followed by an explanation of the topic. A common situation is naming the emne of a presentation, lesson, or discussion.

er “Er” means “is” in “Mit emne er...”, connecting the topic with its description. It introduces the explanation of what the presentation is about. It is commonly used to identify or define something.

hvordan “Hvordan” means “how” and introduces the explanation of the way the speaker changed their study habits. It begins the clause “hvordan jeg ændrede mine studievaner”. A common reuse pattern is “hvordan” followed by an action or process someone wants explained.

ændrede “Ændrede” means “changed” in “jeg ændrede mine studievaner”, describing a completed change in the speaker’s past study habits. It appears after “jeg”. It can be reused with an object to describe changing a routine, plan, or method.

mine “Mine” means “my” in “mine studievaner” and shows that the study habits belong to the speaker. It comes before the plural noun phrase. A common reuse pattern is “mine” plus something the speaker owns or is responsible for.

studievaner “Studievaner” means “study habits”, the routines the speaker changed. It is the object of “ændrede” in “ændrede mine studievaner”. This word is useful when discussing learning routines and ways of studying.

Det In “Det kan mange genkende”, “Det” refers to the idea just mentioned, namely changing one’s study habits. It functions as the subject of the sentence. A common use is to refer back to an idea or situation that has already been discussed.

kan “Kan” means “can” in “Det kan mange genkende”, expressing that many people are able to recognize the experience. It comes before the infinitive “genkende”. A common reuse pattern is “kan” plus an infinitive to describe ability or possibility.

mange “Mange” means “many” in “mange genkende” and refers to many people who can recognize the experience. It is the subject after the fronted “Det”. It can be used before or with a verb when referring to many people or things.

genkende “Genkende” means “recognize” in “kan mange genkende”; here it expresses relating to or recognizing the described experience. It follows “kan”. A common reuse pattern is “kan genkende” when someone recognizes a familiar situation or experience.

så “Så” means “so” and connects the relatable topic with the advice that follows. It introduces the consequence or next step, “tænk over...”. A common use is to link a reason or observation with advice.

tænk “Tænk” means “think” in the instruction “tænk over, hvad publikum vil lære”. Together with “over”, it asks the speaker to consider something carefully. A common reuse pattern is “tænk over” followed by an idea, question, or decision.

over In “tænk over”, “over” is part of the expression meaning to think about or consider something. It connects the verb “tænk” with the subject being considered. This pattern is useful when asking someone to reflect on a question or consequence.

hvad “Hvad” means “what” and introduces the question-like clause about what the audience will learn. It appears before “publikum vil lære”. A common reuse pattern is “hvad” followed by someone’s action or expected result.

publikum “Publikum” means “audience”, the people listening to the presentation. It is the subject of the clause about what they will learn. A common situation is discussing what an audience needs, knows, or will learn.

vil “Vil” means “will” in “hvad publikum vil lære”, referring to what the audience is expected to learn. It comes before the infinitive “lære”. It is commonly used before an infinitive to express a future or expected action.

lære “Lære” means “learn” in “hvad publikum vil lære”, referring to the knowledge the audience should gain. It follows “vil”. A common reuse pattern is “vil lære” followed by a topic or skill.

forklare “Forklare” means “explain” in “Jeg vil forklare...”, introducing the speaker’s plan to make three parts clear. It follows “vil” and is followed by the items being explained. A common reuse pattern is “forklare” plus a problem, process, or result.

problemet “Problemet” means “the problem” and refers to the specific problem in the presentation. The ending in this form marks it as the definite problem being discussed. It is one of the objects listed after “forklare”.

ændringen “Ændringen” means “the change”, referring to the specific change in the speaker’s study habits. It is another item explained in the presentation. The definite form identifies this change as part of the story already being discussed.

og “Og” means “and” and joins “problemet, ændringen og resultatet” into one list. It connects the final item to the previous items. It is commonly used to join words, phrases, or complete ideas.

resultatet “Resultatet” means “the result”, the outcome of the change in study habits. It is the final item in the list of things the speaker will explain. A common situation is describing the result after explaining a problem and a change.

Den In “Den struktur fungerer”, “Den” points to the structure just described and means “that” or “the” structure. It comes before “struktur” and refers back to an identifiable thing. A common use is to point back to a plan, method, or idea already mentioned.

struktur “Struktur” means “structure” in “Den struktur fungerer”, referring to the organization of the presentation into problem, change, and result. It is the subject of “fungerer”. It can be used when discussing how a talk, text, or explanation is organized.

fungerer “Fungerer” means “works” in “Den struktur fungerer”, expressing that the proposed organization is effective. It follows the subject “Den struktur”. A common use is to say that a plan, method, or arrangement works.

Tilføj “Tilføj” means “add” and gives the instruction to put transitions into the presentation. It is followed by what should be added, “enkle overgange”. A common reuse pattern is “Tilføj” plus an item to improve a text, plan, or presentation.

enkle “Enkle” means “simple” in “enkle overgange”, describing transitions that are not complicated. It comes before the plural noun “overgange”. The same pattern can describe simple instructions or examples.

overgange “Overgange” means “transitions”, the words or phrases that connect the parts of the presentation. They are added between the different sections. A practical use is discussing transitions when improving the flow of a talk or text.

mellem “Mellem” means “between” in “mellem de dele” and identifies the position of the transitions. It is followed by the parts that they connect. A common reuse pattern is “mellem” plus two people, things, or sections.

de In “de dele”, “de” means “the” or “those” and points to the parts already identified in the presentation. It comes before the plural noun “dele”. It is useful when referring to specific plural items in the discussion.

dele “Dele” means “parts” in “mellem de dele”, referring to the sections of the presentation. The transitions go between these parts. It can be reused when describing sections of a talk, text, plan, or process.

præsentationen “Præsentationen” means “the presentation” in the question about memorizing it. The definite form refers to the specific presentation already discussed. It is the object of the expression meaning learn something by heart.

udenad “Udenad” means “by heart” or “from memory” in the expression used for memorizing the whole presentation. It shows that the speaker is considering remembering the presentation without reading it. It is useful when talking about memorizing words, lines, or information.

Øv “Øv” means “rehearse” or “practice” in the instruction “Øv dig med noter”. It tells the listener to repeat the presentation as preparation. A common situation is giving this instruction before a talk, performance, or test.

dig In “Øv dig”, “dig” refers back to the person doing the practice and makes the instruction reflexive: practice yourself. It follows the verb “Øv”. A common reuse pattern is a practice instruction followed by “dig” when the action is directed back at the learner.

noter “Noter” means “notes” in “med noter”, referring to written prompts used during rehearsal. It follows “med” and describes what the speaker should practice with. A common situation is using notes while rehearsing a presentation.

lyder “Lyder” means “sound” in “du lyder mere naturlig”, describing how the speaker’s voice or delivery comes across. It is followed by the adjective “naturlig”. A common reuse pattern is “lyder” plus an adjective describing someone’s voice or manner.

mere “Mere” means “more” in “mere naturlig”, showing an increased degree of naturalness. It comes before the adjective it modifies. A common pattern is “mere” plus an adjective when comparing how something sounds or appears.

naturlig “Naturlig” means “natural” in “lyder mere naturlig”, describing a delivery that sounds less forced or rehearsed. It follows “lyder” and is modified by “mere”. It can be used to describe how someone’s speech or behavior comes across.

øve “Øve” means “practice” in “Jeg vil øve mig to gange”. It follows “vil” and names the activity the speaker plans to do. A common reuse pattern is “øve sig” when practicing a skill or performance.

gange “Gange” means “times” in “to gange”, stating how often the speaker will practice. It follows the number “to”. A common reuse pattern is a number plus “gange” to say how many times an action happens.

optage “Optage” means “record” in “optage mig selv”, referring to making a recording of the speaker’s own practice. It is coordinated with “øve” after “vil”. A common situation is recording oneself to review pronunciation, timing, or delivery.

mig In “optage mig selv”, “mig” means “me” and refers to the person being recorded. Together with “selv”, it makes clear that the speaker records the speaker’s own performance. It follows the verb “optage” as its object.

selv “Selv” emphasizes that the speaker records their own performance in “mig selv”. It reinforces the reflexive meaning of “mig”. A common use is adding “selv” to emphasize who performs or experiences an action.

hjælpe “Hjælpe” means “help” in “Det vil hjælpe dig med...”, saying that the practice and recording will be beneficial. It follows “vil” and takes “dig” as the person helped. A common reuse pattern is “hjælpe nogen med” followed by a task.

at “At” introduces the infinitive phrase “at forbedre” after “hjælpe dig med”. It marks the task that the practice will help with. A common pattern is “med at” followed by an action.

forbedre “Forbedre” means “improve” in “at forbedre din timing”, referring to making the speaker’s timing better. It follows “at” and takes “din timing” as its object. A common use is “forbedre” plus a skill, result, or aspect of performance.

din “Din” means “your” in “din timing” and identifies the timing as belonging to the person being advised. It comes before “timing”. A common reuse pattern is “din” plus something connected with the listener.

timing “Timing” means “timing”, the control of when parts of the presentation are said and how long they take. It is the object of “forbedre”. A practical situation is discussing timing when rehearsing a speech or performance.

lyde “Lyde” means “sound” in “og lyde mere selvsikker”, describing the desired way the speaker’s delivery should come across. It is coordinated with “forbedre” as another result of the practice. A common reuse pattern is “lyde” plus an adjective describing someone’s manner or voice.

selvsikker “Selvsikker” means “confident” in “lyde mere selvsikker”, describing a more confident impression during the presentation. It follows “lyde” and is modified by “mere”. It can be used when describing how a speaker, answer, or performance comes across.

Grammar Points

Bestemt form med -et

Resultatet fungerer.

reh-soo-TAH-duh foon-GAIR-uh.

The result works.

Danish often marks “the” by adding a suffix to the noun: resultat → resultatet.

Imperativ

Tilføj enkle overgange.

teel-FOY EN-kle OH-vah-gang-uh.

Add simple transitions.

The imperative uses the verb stem; the subject is normally omitted.

Danish Vocabulary

begynde verb

beh-GUN-nuh start; begin Begynd

disposition noun

dee-spoh-see-SHOHN outline

Gender: common

før conj

fur before

hel adj

hail whole; entire hele

holde verb

HOL-luh give; hold

holde en kort præsentation

klar adj

klahr clear

Gender: common

kort adj

kort short

Gender: common

næste adj

NESS-duh next

præsentation noun

preh-sen-tah-SHYOHN presentation

Gender: common

skrive verb

SKREE-vuh write skriver

sætning noun

SET-ning sentence

Gender: common

uge noun

OO-uh week

Gender: common

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Should I memorize the whole presentation?

Show Answer

Skal jeg lære hele præsentationen udenad?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

clear

Show Answer

klar

outline

Show Answer

disposition

Show Answer

næste

give; hold

Show Answer

holde