Giving Specific Feedback Without Sounding Aggressive | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: At a restaurant, a guest gives specific feedback about uneven course timing while a staff member notes it as a service issue..

EN → DA / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Giving Specific Feedback Without Sounding Aggressive to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Måltidet var hyggeligt, men serveringen af retterne foregik med ujævne mellemrum.

MOHL-teh-th vair HÜR-guh-lee, men sehr-veh-RING-en ahv RED-uh-nuh foh-uh-GEH meth OO-YEH-vnuh MEL-uh-rom. The meal was enjoyable, but the timing between courses felt uneven.
B

Jeg beklager, at serveringstempoet kom i vejen for måltidet.

yai beh-KLEH-er, eh sehr-veh-RING-stehm-poh-ed kohm ee VAI-en fohr MOHL-teh-th. I'm sorry the pacing got in the way of the meal.
A

Jeg forstår, at der var travlt.

yai foh-STOHR, eh dair vair trahwlt. I understand it was busy.
A

Men nogle retter kom alt for tæt på hinanden, mens andre blev forsinkede.

men NOH-luh RED-uh kohm ahl fohr TEHD poh hee-NAH-n, mens AHN-druh blehv foh-SENG-kuh-thuh. But a few courses arrived too close together and others lagged.
B

Det burde være blevet koordineret bedre på tværs af bordet.

deh BOOR-thuh VAIR bleh-vuth koh-uh-dee-NEH-uth BEH-thruh poh TVERS ehv BOHR-thuh. That should have been coordinated better across the table.
A

Jeg ønsker ikke noget ekstra.

yai URN-skuh IG-uh NOH-uth EK-struh. I'm not looking for anything extra.
A

Jeg ville bare gerne have, at du vidste, hvad der skete.

yai VEL-uh BAH-uh GAIR-nuh HEH-vuh, eh doo VES-duh, veh dair SKAY-thuh. I just wanted you to know what happened.
B

Jeg sætter pris på detaljen, fordi den peger på et serviceproblem, vi kan løse.

yai SED-uh prees poh deh-TAL-yen, foh-THEE den PAY-uh poh ed SEHR-vis-proh-blem, vee kan LUR-suh. I appreciate the detail, because it points to a service issue we can fix.
A

Personalet var høfligt hele tiden, så det virker mere som et driftsproblem end noget personligt.

pehr-soh-NEL-eh vair HUR-flee HAY-luh TEE-en, soh deh VEER-kuh mehr som ed DRIFTS-proh-blem en NOH-uth pehr-soh-NELT. The staff were polite throughout, so it seems more operational than personal.
B

Jeg giver den forskel videre til lederen.

yai GEE-vuh den FOR-sgehl VEE-thuh-ruh teel LAY-thuh-ren. I'll pass that distinction on to the manager.

Word by Word

Måltidet Måltidet means the meal here, referring to the meal being discussed. Use this form when identifying a specific meal, such as in feedback about a restaurant visit.
var Var means was in this sentence and describes the meal’s earlier state. It is useful when describing how something was at a particular time.
hyggeligt Hyggeligt describes the meal as pleasant or enjoyable. Here it gives a positive evaluation before the speaker adds a criticism, and it can be used to describe a pleasant experience or atmosphere.
men Men means but and introduces a contrast between the enjoyable meal and the uneven timing. Use it to connect a positive point with a limitation or opposing point.
serveringen Serveringen means the serving or service of the food here. It refers to how the dishes were brought to the table, and it can be used when discussing the quality or timing of service.
af Af means of and links serveringen to the dishes being served. Use it to show what a service or action concerns.
retterne Retterne means the dishes or courses, referring to the specific food portions served during the meal. Use this form when talking about identified dishes in a meal.
foregik Foregik means took place or proceeded and describes how the serving happened. Use it for an event or process when explaining how it unfolded.
med Med means with and introduces the manner of the serving in med ujævne mellemrum. Use it to describe the way something happens or the conditions accompanying it.
ujævne Ujævne means uneven and describes the intervals as irregular rather than consistent. Here it modifies mellemrum, and it can be reused to describe uneven spacing, timing, or distribution.
mellemrum Mellemrum means intervals or gaps in the phrase about the timing of service. Use it when discussing the spaces or periods between events, objects, or actions.
Jeg Jeg means I and identifies the speaker as the person giving the feedback or apology. Use it as the subject when speaking about your own thoughts, actions, or experiences.
beklager Beklager means am sorry or regret and expresses an apology for the problem described afterward. It is useful when acknowledging that another person was negatively affected.
at At introduces the clause explaining what the speaker is sorry about. Use it to connect an expression such as beklager with the situation or statement that follows.
serveringstempoet Serveringstempoet means the serving pace, referring to how quickly or slowly the courses were served. The form names a specific pace and can be used when discussing the speed of a service process.
kom i vejen for Kom i vejen for means got in the way of and describes something interfering with another experience. In this expression, kom contributes the event of coming, i marks being in, vejen means the way, and for introduces what was obstructed. Use the whole construction when explaining that a problem prevented something from going smoothly.
forstår Forstår means understand and shows that the speaker accepts or recognizes the other person’s explanation. Use it before a statement or clause that expresses what you understand.
der Der introduces the situation in der var travlt rather than naming a particular subject. Use it in expressions that describe the circumstances as existing or occurring in a place or situation.
travlt Travlt means busy in the expression der var travlt, describing the general conditions at the restaurant. This expression is useful when explaining that staff or a place had a lot to handle.
nogle Nogle means some or a few and identifies part of the dishes without specifying exactly which ones. Use it with a plural noun when referring to an unspecified number of items.
retter Retter means dishes or courses and refers to some of the meal’s separate servings. Use it when talking about dishes in general rather than the specifically identified courses marked by retterne.
alt Alt intensifies the phrase alt for tæt, making the meaning far too close. Use it before for tæt when the closeness is excessive or unsuitable.
tæt Tæt means close in relation to the timing of the courses. With på hinanden, it describes events occurring close together, and the same pattern can describe objects or events that are physically or temporally close.
på På is part of tæt på hinanden here and helps express closeness to one another, not a simple location on top of something. Use it with tæt when describing something as close to another thing.
hinanden Hinanden means each other and shows that the courses were close in relation to one another. Use it when two or more people or things have a reciprocal relationship.
mens Mens means while and introduces the contrasting situation involving the other courses. Use it to place two situations alongside each other, especially when they differ.
andre Andre means others and contrasts with the previously mentioned dishes. Use it to refer to additional people or things of the same general group without repeating the noun.
blev Blev shows that the other dishes came to be in the delayed state described by forsinkede. Here it presents a change or resulting condition, and it can be used with a following form to describe what happened to something.
forsinkede Forsinkede means delayed and describes the other courses as arriving later than intended. Use it to report that an event, delivery, or service did not happen on time.
Det Det means that or it and refers back to the timing and coordination problem just described. Use it to point back to a situation or statement when making an evaluation about it.
burde Burde expresses that something should have happened or would have been advisable. Here it introduces the expected improvement in coordination, and it can be used before an action that ought to be done.
være Være means be and follows burde as part of the longer construction about what should have happened. Use it after a modal expression when introducing a state or passive action.
blevet Blevet contributes the idea of having become or been in the construction burde være blevet koordineret. Together with koordineret, it describes coordination that should already have occurred.
koordineret Koordineret means coordinated and identifies the action that should have been handled better. Use it when discussing people, timing, or activities that need to work together.
bedre Bedre means better and compares the actual coordination with an improved version. Use it when evaluating how an action or process could have been carried out more effectively.
på tværs af På tværs af means across and describes coordination extending across the whole table. In the expression, på contributes the relation, tværs the idea of crossing from one side to another, and af introduces the area or group crossed. Use the whole construction for coordination or interaction across people, places, or groups.
bordet Bordet means the table, referring to the specific restaurant table where the guests and courses are situated. Use this form when referring to an identified table in the situation.
ønsker Ønsker means want or wish and states that the speaker does not want anything additional. Use it to express a preference, request, or intention in a relatively direct but neutral way.
ikke Ikke means not and negates the speaker’s wish in ønsker ikke. Place it with the expression being denied when saying that something is not wanted or does not apply.
noget Noget means anything in the negative sentence and refers to an unspecified thing. Use it with ikke when saying that you do not want or need anything.
ekstra Ekstra means extra and describes something additional beyond the normal service or resolution. Use it after a noun or indefinite expression when referring to an added amount, item, or benefit.
ville Ville expresses the speaker’s wish or intention in Jeg ville bare gerne have. Here it softens the statement about what the speaker wanted to communicate, and it can introduce a desired action or situation.
bare Bare means just or simply and makes the speaker’s intention sound limited and non-demanding. Use it to soften a request or clarify that there is no larger demand.
gerne Gerne contributes the meaning of would like to in the softened expression ville bare gerne have. Use it with a wish or preference when expressing what you would be pleased for someone to do or understand.
have Have means have and completes the construction ville gerne have, at..., introducing the content of the speaker’s wish. Use it in this pattern when stating that you would like someone to know, understand, or accept something.
du Du means you and identifies the person the speaker wants to understand what happened. Use it when addressing the other participant directly.
vidste Vidste means knew and describes the knowledge the speaker wanted the listener to have. Here it appears in the clause after have, at and can be used to describe what someone knew about a situation.
hvad Hvad means what and introduces the information being referred to in hvad der skete. Use it to introduce a question or an embedded clause about an unknown fact or event.
skete Skete means happened and refers to the events during the meal service. Use it when explaining or asking about an event that took place.
sætter pris på Sætter pris på means appreciate or value. In this expression, sætter contributes the idea of setting, pris means value or price, and på completes the expression; together they express appreciation for the detail. Use the whole construction when acknowledging that someone’s information, effort, or help is valuable.
detaljen Detaljen means the detail and refers to the specific information in the guest’s feedback. Use it when acknowledging one particular piece of information that helps explain a problem.
fordi Fordi means because and introduces the reason for appreciating the detail. Use it to connect a statement with its cause or justification.
den Den means it or that and refers back to detaljen. Here it allows the speaker to continue discussing the detail without repeating the noun, and it can refer back to an already identified thing.
peger Peger means points and, with på, says that the detail indicates a particular problem. Use it when evidence, information, or an observation suggests a conclusion or issue.
et Et is the indefinite article meaning a or an before serviceproblem. It introduces one service issue without identifying it as a previously known specific issue.
serviceproblem Serviceproblem means service issue and names the practical problem identified by the feedback. Use it when a difficulty concerns the delivery or quality of service rather than a person’s character.
vi Vi means we and refers to the staff or organization responsible for addressing the issue. Use it when speaking for a group that can take action or accept responsibility.
kan Kan means can and expresses the ability or possibility to fix the service issue. Use it before an infinitive when saying that someone is able or has the opportunity to do something.
løse Løse means solve or fix and is the action that vi kan carry out regarding the service problem. Use it after kan when referring to resolving a problem or difficulty.
Personalet Personalet means the staff and refers to the restaurant employees as a group. Use it when evaluating or describing the staff’s collective conduct or performance.
høfligt Høfligt means polite and describes the staff’s conduct throughout the visit. Here it gives a positive assessment of how the staff behaved, and it can be used when describing respectful service or behavior.
hele Hele means the whole or all and modifies tiden in hele tiden. Together they emphasize that the staff remained polite throughout the relevant period.
tiden Tiden means the time in the expression hele tiden, which means throughout or all the time. Use this expression when describing something that continued during the entire relevant period.
så Så means so and introduces the conclusion drawn from the staff being polite. Use it to connect a fact with its consequence or interpretation.
virker Virker means seems or appears here and presents the speaker’s interpretation rather than an absolute claim. Use it when giving a cautious assessment of what a situation appears to be.
mere Mere means more and increases the degree of the comparison in mere som et driftsproblem end noget personligt. Use it when saying that one interpretation fits better than another.
som Som means as or like in virker mere som et driftsproblem, presenting the way the issue appears to the speaker. Use it in comparisons or after expressions such as virker when identifying what something resembles or seems to be.
driftsproblem Driftsproblem means operational issue and describes a problem with how the service system functioned. Use it when distinguishing a process or organizational problem from a personal conflict.
end End means than and introduces the second side of the comparison between an operational issue and something personal. Use it in comparative structures that weigh one description against another.
personligt Personligt means personal and describes an issue as connected to an individual rather than to operations. Here it appears after noget, and it is useful when clarifying that criticism concerns a process, not a person.
giver Giver means gives or passes and describes the speaker’s action of forwarding information. In this context it is used with videre to say that the distinction will be communicated onward.
forskel Forskel means difference or distinction and refers to the distinction between an operational problem and a personal matter. Use it when explaining how two interpretations, situations, or categories differ.
videre Videre means on or forward in the expression giver ... videre, which means passes something on. Use it with an information-sharing verb when forwarding a message, observation, or distinction.
til Til means to and introduces the recipient of the information, lederen. Use it to mark the person or destination toward which something is directed or transferred.
lederen Lederen means the manager or leader and refers to the specific person who should receive the distinction. Use this form when talking about an identified manager or person responsible for leading the organization.

Grammar Points

et + adjective ending in -t + noun

et hyggeligt måltid

ed HÜR-guh-lee MOHL-teeth

a pleasant meal

With an et-word, the adjective usually takes -t: hyggelig becomes hyggeligt.

Past tense of irregular verbs

Måltidet foregik med ujævne mellemrum.

MOHL-teh-th foh-uh-GEH meth OO-YEH-vnuh MEL-uh-rom.

The meal took place at irregular intervals.

Foregik is the past tense of foregå; many Danish past forms are irregular.

Danish Vocabulary

beklage verb
beh-KLEH-uh regret; be sorry beklager
foregå verb
foh-uh-GOH take place; proceed foregik
forstå verb
foh-STOHR understand forstår
hyggelig adj
HÜR-guh-lee pleasant; enjoyable hyggeligt
komme i vejen for phrase
KOH-muh ee VAI-en fohr get in the way of kom i vejen for
med ujævne mellemrum phrase
meth OO-YEH-vnuh MEL-uh-rom at irregular intervals
mellemrum noun
MEL-uh-rom interval; gap
Gender
neuter
måltid noun
MOHL-teeth meal Måltidet
Gender
neuter
ret noun
RED course; dish retterne
Gender
common
servering noun
SEHR-veh-ring serving; service serveringen
Gender
common
serveringstempo noun
SEHR-veh-RING-stehm-poh serving pace serveringstempoet
Gender
neuter
ujævn adj
oo-YEH-vn uneven; irregular ujævne

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I understand it was busy.

Show AnswerJeg forstår, at der var travlt.

I'm not looking for anything extra.

Show AnswerJeg ønsker ikke noget ekstra.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

interval; gap

Show Answermellemrum

pleasant; enjoyable

Show Answerhyggeligt

course; dish

Show Answerretterne

serving; service

Show Answerserveringen