Efficient business-trip packing | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Efficient business-trip packing to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Jeg vil kun tage en håndbagagetaske med på forretningsrejsen.

yai VIL koon TAY-uh en HAWN-bah-gah-tehs-keh meh poh foh-REH-dnings-RY-sun. I want to take only a carry-on bag for the business trip.

Så planlæg ud fra tøjet til mødet, og begræns det ekstra til et minimum.

soh plan-LEHL oo FRAH TOY-ehd til MUR-deh, oh beh-GRENS deh EHK-strah til et MEE-nee-moom. Then plan around the meeting outfit and keep extras to a minimum.

Jeg har ét møde og en afslappet middag på programmet.

yai har ayt MUR-deh oh en ahf-SLAH-bet MEE-dah poh proh-GRAM-et. I have one meeting and one casual dinner on the itinerary.

Pak tøj, der kan bruges til begge dele.

PAK TOY, dair kan BROO-es til BEH-guh DAY-luh. Pack pieces that can work for both.

Ellers bliver tasken hurtigt fyldt.

EL-ers BLEE-uh TAH-sken HUR-tigt FOOLT. Or the bag will fill up fast.

Jeg er bekymret for, at min skjorte bliver krøllet før mødet.

yai air beh-KUHM-ret for, eh min SHYOR-tuh BLEE-uh KRUHL-et for MUR-deh. I'm worried my shirt will wrinkle before the meeting.

Rul den forsigtigt sammen, og pak den ud, så snart du når frem til hotellet.

ROOL den foh-SIG-tigt sah-MEN, oh PAK den OOD, soh snart doo nor frem til hoh-TEL-et. Roll it carefully, then unpack it as soon as you reach the hotel.

Skal opladere og dokumenter ligge i den forreste lomme?

skahl oh-PLAH-thuh oh doh-koo-MENT-er LEE-eh ee den FOH-reh-steh LOM-eh? Should chargers and documents go in the front pocket?

Læg ting, du hurtigt skal kunne få fat i, der sammen med en ekstra kopi af dagsordenen.

lay teeng, doo HUR-tigt skahl KOO-neh foh FAT ee, dair sah-men med en EHK-strah koh-PEE ahv DAYS-or-den-en. Keep quick-access items there, along with a backup copy of the agenda.

Så behøver jeg ikke åbne hele tasken i lufthavnen.

soh beh-HUH-veh yai IG-eh OHB-neh HAY-leh TAH-sken ee LOOFT-hown-en. Then I won't have to open the whole bag at the airport.

Det bliver nemmere i sikkerhedskontrollen, når de ting er lige ved hånden.

deh BLEE-uh NEH-meh-reh ee SIG-eh-hays-kohn-TROHL-en, nor deh teeng air LEE-eh veh HOHN-en. Security will be easier when those things are close at hand.

Word by Word

Jeg Jeg means “I” here and is the subject of the speaker’s statement. It is used before the verb in a simple sentence such as Jeg vil ... . You use it when talking about your own plans, wishes, or actions.

vil vil means “want to” here, expressing the speaker’s intention to take something. It is followed by the infinitive tage in Jeg vil tage ... . Use vil + an infinitive to state what you want or intend to do.

kun kun means “only” and limits what the speaker wants to take. Its position before tage makes the meaning “only take” in Jeg vil kun tage ... . Use kun before the part of the sentence you want to restrict.

tage tage means “take” in the phrase tage ... med, referring to taking the bag along. After vil, it appears as the infinitive tage. A useful pattern is tage noget med, meaning to take something along.

en en is the indefinite article meaning “a” before håndbagagetaske in en håndbagagetaske. It introduces one non-specific bag. Use en before a noun when referring to one item without identifying it as a particular one.

håndbagagetaske håndbagagetaske means “carry-on bag,” the bag the speaker plans to take on the trip. It is the object of tage in tage en håndbagagetaske med. You can use it when discussing a small bag taken onto an aircraft.

med med means “along” in tage en håndbagagetaske med, showing that the bag is taken with the speaker. Here it belongs with the verb phrase tage ... med rather than simply meaning “with” between two nouns. A reusable pattern is tage noget med, such as taking documents or clothes along.

på på means “on” or “for” in på forretningsrejsen, marking the business trip the bag is being taken on. It combines with the definite trip expression to describe the travel context. Use på with a trip or journey in similar travel expressions.

forretningsrejsen forretningsrejsen means “the business trip.” It is the definite form of forretningsrejse, with the ending referring to a specific trip. Use the definite form when the particular business trip is already clear from the situation.

Så Så means “then” here and introduces the next packing instruction in response to the carry-on plan. The same word also appears as lowercase så elsewhere in the dialogue. Use Så at the start of a sentence to connect a consequence or next step to what was just said.

planlæg planlæg means “plan” as a direct instruction to organize the packing. Its form is used at the beginning of the command Planlæg ud fra ... . Use it when telling someone to organize an activity around a particular basis or goal.

ud fra ud fra means “based on” in planlæg ud fra tøjet til mødet. Together, ud contributes the sense of working out from something, and fra marks that thing as the starting point. A useful pattern is planlæg ud fra + a basis, such as the schedule or available space.

tøjet tøjet means “the clothes” or “the outfit” in tøjet til mødet. It is the definite form of tøj and refers here to the specific meeting clothing being used as the basis for packing. Use it when the relevant clothes are known in the context.

til til means “for” in tøjet til mødet, linking the clothes to their intended event. It shows that the clothes are meant for the meeting. A reusable pattern is noun + til + event or purpose.

mødet mødet means “the meeting.” It is the definite form of møde and refers to the specific meeting on the itinerary. Use the definite form when the participants already know which meeting is meant.

og og means “and” and joins the instruction about the meeting clothes to the instruction about limiting extras. It connects items or actions of equal importance. Use og to link two coordinated parts of a sentence.

begræns begræns means “limit” or “restrict” as a direct instruction about the extra items. It is followed by det ekstra til et minimum, which states what should be limited and to what degree. Use it when telling someone to keep an amount or range within a boundary.

det det appears in det ekstra, where it points to the extra items being limited, and as Det in Det bliver nemmere, where it introduces the situation that becomes easier. In both places, its precise meaning comes from the surrounding construction. Use det extra in a phrase when referring collectively to additional things already understood.

ekstra ekstra means “extra” in det ekstra and refers to additional items beyond the essential packing. Together with det, it describes the extra things as a group. Use it before or with a noun when identifying something additional.

et et is the indefinite article before minimum in et minimum, meaning “a minimum.” It introduces minimum as one limit or lowest amount. The reusable phrase begrænse noget til et minimum means to reduce something to the smallest necessary amount.

minimum minimum means “minimum” in til et minimum, the lowest amount allowed or desired. It completes the expression about keeping extra items very limited. Use it with til when describing a reduction to the lowest practical level.

har har means “have” in Jeg har ét møde, where it describes an event included in the speaker’s plans. It can express having an appointment or event, not only possession. Use har with an event when stating that it is part of your schedule.

møde møde means “meeting” in ét møde. It is the indefinite form used after ét to identify one meeting. Use it for a planned meeting or business appointment.

afslappet afslappet means “casual” or “relaxed” and describes the dinner in en afslappet middag. It indicates that the dinner does not require formal clothing. Use it before a noun to describe an informal event or setting.

middag middag means “dinner” in en afslappet middag. It is an indefinite noun because the speaker mentions one dinner on the itinerary. Use it when referring to an evening meal or dinner event.

programmet programmet means “the itinerary” or “the schedule” in på programmet. It is the definite form of program and refers to the known plan for the trip. The reusable expression have something på programmet means that it is scheduled.

Pak Pak means “pack” as a direct instruction to put suitable clothes in the bag. Its capital letter reflects its position at the start of the sentence; the same command appears as pak after a conjunction. Use it when telling someone to prepare items for transport.

tøj tøj means “clothes” in Pak tøj. It refers to clothing in general rather than one separately counted item. Use tøj when talking about clothing as a group, especially in packing contexts.

der der introduces the clause der kan bruges til begge dele, which describes the clothes. Here it has the meaning “that” or “which” and connects tøj with information about its use. Use der after a noun to add a relative description.

kan kan means “can” in kan bruges til begge dele, expressing that the clothes are suitable for both events. It is followed by the form bruges. Use kan + a verb to describe ability, possibility, or suitability.

bruges bruges means “be used” in kan bruges til begge dele, referring to clothes that work for both the meeting and the dinner. It describes use without naming a particular person as the user. A useful pattern is noget kan bruges til + purpose or activity.

begge begge means “both” and points to the two events already mentioned: the meeting and the dinner. It appears directly before dele in begge dele. Use begge when referring to two items or alternatives together.

dele dele means “things” or “parts” in begge dele, where it refers collectively to the two occasions. The whole expression begge dele means “both of them” in this context. Use it when two previously mentioned options or matters are being treated together.

Ellers Ellers means “otherwise” or “or else” and introduces the consequence of not packing efficiently. It connects the advice to the warning that the bag will fill quickly. Use Ellers to state what will happen if the preceding advice is not followed.

bliver bliver means “becomes” or “will be” in bliver hurtigt fyldt, describing the bag reaching a full state. It is followed by fyldt to express the resulting condition. Use bliver + an adjective or participle when something changes into a described state.

tasken tasken means “the bag.” It is the definite form of taske and refers to the carry-on bag already under discussion. Use the definite form when the listener knows which bag is meant.

hurtigt hurtigt means “quickly” or “fast” and describes how soon the bag will become full. It modifies bliver fyldt in the warning about limited space. Use it to describe an action or change happening in a short time.

fyldt fyldt means “full” or “filled” in bliver fyldt, describing the bag’s resulting condition. It completes the expression for the bag becoming full. Use it after bliver when describing something that becomes filled or occupied.

er er means “am” in Jeg er bekymret for ..., linking the speaker to the state of being worried. It is used with the adjective bekymret. Use er + an adjective to describe a current state.

bekymret bekymret means “worried” in Jeg er bekymret for ..., expressing concern about the shirt. It commonly appears with er and for before the subject of the concern. Use er bekymret for + a noun or clause to say what concerns you.

for for means “about” in bekymret for, marking the subject of the speaker’s concern. Here it is followed by the clause at min skjorte bliver krøllet. Use bekymret for when explaining what you are worried about.

at at introduces the clause explaining what the speaker is worried about: at min skjorte bliver krøllet. Here it means “that,” not the infinitive marker “to.” Use at to connect an expression of thought, feeling, or concern with a following clause.

min min means “my” and identifies the shirt as belonging to the speaker. It comes directly before skjorte in min skjorte. Use min before a noun when referring to one thing associated with yourself.

skjorte skjorte means “shirt” in min skjorte. It is the subject of the clause about becoming wrinkled. Use it when referring to a shirt as a piece of clothing.

krøllet krøllet means “wrinkled” in bliver krøllet, describing the unwanted condition of the shirt. Together with bliver, it expresses the shirt becoming wrinkled before the meeting. Use it to describe clothing or another surface that has developed wrinkles.

før før means “before” and places the possible wrinkling earlier than the meeting. It introduces the time reference før mødet. Use før + a noun or clause to state that something happens earlier than another event.

Rul Rul means “roll” as a direct instruction to roll the shirt. It is followed by den and sammen, giving the complete action Rul den forsigtigt sammen. Use it when telling someone to roll an item rather than fold it.

den den means “it” here and refers back to the shirt. It is placed after Rul as the object of the instruction. Use den to refer to a previously mentioned singular item of the relevant noun type.

forsigtigt forsigtigt means “carefully” or “gently” and describes how the shirt should be rolled. It modifies the action in Rul den forsigtigt sammen. Use it when an action should be done with care to avoid damage or an unwanted result.

sammen sammen means “together” in Rul den ... sammen and contributes the sense of rolling the shirt up into a compact form. It completes the verb expression with Rul. Use it with an action when separate parts are brought together or an item is compacted.

ud ud means “out” in pak den ud, meaning to unpack the shirt after arriving. It gives the action a direction away from the bag or container. A useful pattern is pak noget ud when taking a packed item out.

så snart så snart means “as soon as” and introduces the time for unpacking. In this construction, så contributes the linking sense and snart contributes the idea of soon; together they mean immediately when the next event happens. Use så snart + a clause to connect an action to the first moment another event occurs.

du du means “you” and is the subject of når frem til hotellet. It identifies the person who reaches the hotel and unpacks the shirt. Use it when addressing one person directly.

når når means “reach” in the expression når frem, not “when” in this particular clause. Together with frem, it describes arriving at the destination. A useful pattern is nå frem til + a destination.

frem frem contributes the sense of reaching forward to the destination in når frem til hotellet. It completes the expression for arriving or getting there. Use it with nå when describing reaching a place.

hotellet hotellet means “the hotel.” It is the definite form of hotel and refers to the specific hotel the traveler will reach. Use the definite form when the destination is known in the situation.

Skal Skal means “should” in the question Skal opladere og dokumenter ligge ...?, asking whether the items are supposed to be placed there. It is followed by the infinitive ligge. Use Skal + a subject + infinitive to ask about a recommended or expected action.

opladere opladere means “chargers” and names the first group of items being considered for the front pocket. It is a plural form because more than one charger may be involved. Use it when talking about devices used to charge electronic equipment.

dokumenter dokumenter means “documents” and names the second group of items considered for the pocket. It is plural and is coordinated with opladere by og. Use it for papers or digital-content printouts needed for the trip.

ligge ligge means “lie” or “be placed” in Skal opladere og dokumenter ligge ...?, describing where the items should be located. It follows the modal Skal in the question. Use ligge when asking or stating where an item is positioned or kept.

i i means “in” and places the chargers and documents inside the front pocket. It is followed by den forreste lomme. Use i to describe an item’s location inside a container, space, or area.

forreste forreste means “front” or “front-most” in den forreste lomme. It identifies the pocket located at the front of the bag. Use it before a noun when distinguishing the front-most item or location.

lomme lomme means “pocket” in den forreste lomme. It identifies the storage compartment where the documents and chargers may be kept. Use it for a pocket in a bag, item of clothing, or similar container.

Læg Læg means “put” or “place” as a direct instruction about where to store the quick-access items. It is followed by ting and the location der. Use it when telling someone to place an object somewhere.

ting ting means “things” or “items” in Læg ting ..., referring to the quick-access objects that should go in the front pocket. It is a general word used when the individual objects are not listed. Use it for unspecified physical items.

kunne kunne means “be able to” in hurtigt skal kunne få fat i, expressing that the items must be accessible quickly. It follows skal and comes before the expression få fat i. Use skal kunne + a verb phrase to describe something that must be possible.

få fat i få fat i means “get hold of” or “gain access to” in hurtigt skal kunne få fat i. In the whole expression, få contributes “get,” fat contributes the idea of a hold or grasp, and i completes the relation to the item being accessed. A reusable pattern is få fat i + an object when someone needs to obtain or reach something.

kopi kopi means “copy” in en ekstra kopi af dagsordenen. It refers to a duplicate of the agenda kept as a backup. Use it with af to identify what has been copied.

af af means “of” in kopi af dagsordenen and links the copy to the document it reproduces. It identifies the source or content of the copy. Use noun + af + noun for relationships such as a copy of a document.

dagsordenen dagsordenen means “the agenda.” It is the definite form of dagsorden and refers to the specific meeting agenda. Use the definite form when the relevant agenda is already known.

behøver behøver means “need to” or “have to” in behøver ikke åbne, describing a lack of necessity. It is followed by ikke and the infinitive åbne. Use behøver ikke + an infinitive to say that an action is not necessary.

ikke ikke means “not” and negates behøver in behøver ikke åbne. The phrase means that the speaker does not need to open the whole bag. Use ikke to make the surrounding verb phrase negative.

åbne åbne means “open” in behøver ikke åbne hele tasken. It is the infinitive after behøver and refers to opening the bag. Use it when describing opening a container, door, or similar object.

hele hele means “whole” or “entire” and emphasizes that the speaker will not need to open all of the bag. It comes directly before tasken in hele tasken. Use it before a definite noun when referring to the complete object.

lufthavnen lufthavnen means “the airport.” It is the definite form of lufthavn and identifies the specific place where the security process takes place. Use it with i when describing being at or inside the airport.

nemmere nemmere means “easier” and compares the security process with how it would be without readily accessible items. It describes the situation in Det bliver nemmere. Use nemmere when saying that one arrangement or situation requires less difficulty than another.

sikkerhedskontrollen sikkerhedskontrollen means “the security control” or “security checkpoint.” It is the definite form and refers to the airport security process. Use it with i, as in i sikkerhedskontrollen, when discussing what happens at the checkpoint.

de de means “those” in de ting and refers back to the chargers, documents, and other items just mentioned. It identifies the specific items already known from the conversation. Use de before a plural noun when pointing to particular known items.

lige ved hånden lige ved hånden means “close at hand” or “readily accessible” in the security advice. Lige adds emphasis to the immediate location, ved means “by” or “at,” and hånden means “the hand”; together, the expression describes something that can be reached easily. Use it when explaining that an item is kept immediately available.

Grammar Points

Imperativ: planlæg + ...

Planlæg ud fra programmet.

PLAN-lehl oo FRAH proh-GRAM-et.

Plan based on the itinerary.

I imperativ står verbet uden pronomen: planlæg betyder “planlæg!”.

Komparativ: nem → nemmere

Begge dele er nemmere.

BEH-guh DAY-luh air NEH-meh-reh.

Both things are easier.

Komparativformen nemmere bruges, når én ting sammenlignes med en anden.

Danish Vocabulary

afslappet adj

ahf-SLAH-bet casual; relaxed

en afslappet middag

begge dele phrase

BEH-guh DAY-luh both; both things

kan bruges til begge dele

begrænse verb

beh-GREN-suh limit; restrict begræns

begræns det ekstra

forretningsrejse noun

foh-REH-dnings-RY-suh business trip forretningsrejsen

Gender: common

på forretningsrejsen

håndbagagetaske noun

HAWN-bah-gah-tehs-keh carry-on bag

Gender: common

en håndbagagetaske

middag noun

MEE-dah dinner

Gender: common

en afslappet middag

minimum noun

MEE-nee-moom minimum

til et minimum

møde noun

MUR-deh meeting mødet

Gender: neuter

tøjet til mødet

planlægge verb

PLAN-leh-guh plan planlæg

Så planlæg ud fra tøjet til mødet

program noun

proh-GRAM itinerary; schedule programmet

Gender: neuter

på programmet

tøj noun

TOY clothes

Gender: neuter

Pak tøj, der kan bruges til begge dele

ud fra prep

oo FRAH based on; according to

planlæg ud fra tøjet

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Or the bag will fill up fast.

Show Answer

Ellers bliver tasken hurtigt fyldt.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

casual; relaxed

Show Answer

afslappet

minimum

Show Answer

minimum

plan

Show Answer

planlæg

limit; restrict

Show Answer

begræns