Improving Office Recycling | Learn Danish in English

About This Lesson

Use Improving Office Recycling to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Vi har sorteringsspande på kontoret, men folk virker forvirrede.

VEE har SOHR-teh-rings-SBEN-uh poh kon-TOH-uh, men FOHLK VEHR-guh for-VEER-uh-thuh. We have recycling bins in the office, but people seem confused.

Etiketterne er nok for upræcise til daglig brug.

eh-TEG-uh-tuh-nuh air NOHK foh OO-pray-SEE-suh tehl DAY-lee BROO. The labels are probably too vague for daily use.

Vi bør gøre sorteringsreglerne enklere og mere synlige.

VEE bur GUH-uh sohr-teh-rings-RAY-loo-nuh ENG-luh-ruh oh MAY-uh SYOON-lee-uh. We should make sorting rules simpler and more visible.

Visuelle eksempler ved siden af spandene ville mindske fejl.

vee-SOO-eh-luh eg-SEM-bluh veh SEE-then ah SBEN-uh-nuh VEH-luh MEN-sguh FYLE. Visual examples near the bins would reduce mistakes.

Jeg synes også, at der bør bestilles færre engangsartikler.

YAI SYOON-ess OH-soh eh dair bur beh-STEL-uhs FAIR-uh ENG-gangs-ar-TEE-kuhl. I also think fewer disposable supplies should be ordered.

Det kræver ændringer i indkøbene, ikke bare påmindelser.

Deh KREH-vuh EN-reng-uh ee EN-kurb-uh-nuh, EE-kuh BAI-uh POH-min-uhls-uh. That requires procurement changes, not just reminders.

Kunne vi begynde med de ting, der har nemme alternativer?

KUN-uh VEE beh-GUN-uh meh dee teng, dair har NEM-uh al-ter-na-TEEV-uh? Could we start with items that have easy alternatives?

Det ville gøre ændringen mindre forstyrrende.

Deh VEH-luh GUH-uh EN-dring-uh MEN-uh for-STUR-uh-nuh. That would make the change less disruptive.

Word by Word

Vi “Vi” means “we” and is the subject referring to the people speaking about the office. It is used in the pattern “Vi har” when a group states what it has or provides a shared view.

har “har” means “have” in “Vi har sorteringsspande”. It is the present form used for possession or availability, and “Vi har” is a common way to say that something is present.

sorteringsspande “sorteringsspande” means sorting bins, specifically the bins used for sorting waste here. It appears as the object of “Vi har” and can be used when discussing waste-sorting equipment at work.

på “på” means “in” or “at” here, as part of “på kontoret”. It introduces the location where the bins are, so it is useful in location phrases.

kontoret “kontoret” means “the office”; it is the definite form related to “kontor”. In “på kontoret”, it identifies the specific office being discussed.

men “men” means “but” and introduces a contrast between having sorting bins and people being confused. It is used to connect two statements that do not fit together as expected.

folk “folk” means “people” as a group in this dialogue. It is the subject of “folk virker forvirrede” and is useful when making a general observation about a group.

virker “virker” means “seem” or “appear” here and comes before the description “forvirrede”. The pattern “virker” plus a description presents an impression rather than a definite fact.

forvirrede “forvirrede” describes the people as confused in “folk virker forvirrede”. It completes the description after “virker” and can be used when a group appears unable to understand something clearly.

Etiketterne “Etiketterne” means “the labels” and is the definite form related to “etiketter”. It is the subject of “Etiketterne er nok for upræcise”, referring to the labels on the bins.

er “er” means “are” in “Etiketterne er nok for upræcise”. It links the labels to their description and is used before a noun or adjective description.

nok “nok” means “probably” here and makes the statement less certain. In “er nok”, it marks the speaker’s conclusion about the labels rather than presenting it as proven.

for “for” means “too” in the construction “for upræcise”. Together with the adjective, it indicates that the labels are imprecise beyond what is suitable for daily use.

upræcise “upræcise” means vague or imprecise in “for upræcise”. It describes the labels and is used after “for” to show that their lack of precision is a problem.

til “til” means “for” in “til daglig brug”. It connects the labels’ suitability to their intended purpose, and “til” commonly introduces a purpose or use.

daglig “daglig” means “daily” in “daglig brug”. It specifies that the use happens as part of everyday activity and appears directly before the noun it describes.

brug “brug” means “use” in “til daglig brug”. The phrase describes the purpose for which the labels need to be clear and is useful when discussing practical everyday use.

bør “bør” means “should” and expresses a recommendation in “Vi bør gøre”. It is followed by the infinitive “gøre”, forming a pattern for suggesting an action.

gøre “gøre” means “make” in “gøre sorteringsreglerne enklere og mere synlige”. It introduces the action of causing the rules to have the stated qualities and follows “bør” in this sentence.

sorteringsreglerne “sorteringsreglerne” means “the sorting rules”, referring to the rules for sorting waste. It is the object of “gøre” and is the specific set of rules being proposed for improvement.

enklere “enklere” means “simpler” and describes the proposed result for the sorting rules. It is one of the qualities in “gøre sorteringsreglerne enklere og mere synlige”.

og “og” means “and” and links the two desired qualities “enklere” and “mere synlige”. It joins related descriptions or actions.

mere “mere” means “more” in “mere synlige”. It increases the degree of the following description and is used here to say that the rules should be more visible.

synlige “synlige” means “visible” in “mere synlige”. It describes the sorting rules as something that should be easier to notice, alongside “enklere”.

Visuelle “Visuelle” means “visual” and describes the examples in “Visuelle eksempler”. It is useful when referring to information communicated through images or visible models.

eksempler “eksempler” means “examples”, specifically visible examples placed near the bins. It is the subject of “ville mindske fejl” and can be used when examples are intended to guide people.

ved “ved” means “near” in the phrase “ved siden af spandene”. It helps specify a position, and the full phrase places something next to the bins.

siden “siden” means “side” as part of “ved siden af”. In this construction, it contributes to the meaning “beside” or “next to” the bins.

af “af” contributes to the location phrase “ved siden af spandene”, meaning “beside the bins”. Its meaning here is understood as part of that complete expression rather than separately.

spandene “spandene” means “the bins” and is the definite form related to “spande”. In “ved siden af spandene”, it identifies the bins beside which the examples should be placed.

ville “ville” means “would” and presents a possible result in “ville mindske fejl”. It is followed by the infinitive “mindske” and is useful for describing expected consequences.

mindske “mindske” means “reduce” in “ville mindske fejl”. It describes lowering the number of mistakes and is followed here by the thing being reduced.

fejl “fejl” means “mistakes” in “mindske fejl”. It is the object of “mindske” and refers to incorrect sorting decisions in this workplace context.

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” and is the subject of the speaker’s personal opinion. In “Jeg synes”, it introduces what the speaker thinks about the proposed change.

synes “synes” means “think” or “feel” when expressing an opinion in “Jeg synes også, at”. The pattern “Jeg synes, at” introduces a statement the speaker presents as their view.

også “også” means “also” and adds this opinion as another point in the discussion. Its position in “synes også” shows that the speaker agrees with or adds to the previous suggestions.

at “at” means “that” and introduces the clause following “Jeg synes også”. It connects the speaker’s opinion to the proposal about ordering fewer disposable supplies.

der “der” is a dummy subject in “der bør bestilles færre engangsartikler”. It allows the sentence to present what should be ordered while “bestilles” describes the ordering action.

bestilles “bestilles” means “be ordered” in “der bør bestilles færre engangsartikler”. It describes an order being made without naming the person placing it and follows “bør” here.

færre “færre” means “fewer” and expresses a lower quantity of the disposable items. It appears directly before the plural noun “engangsartikler” to specify the amount.

engangsartikler “engangsartikler” means disposable supplies or items intended for one-time use. It is the thing that should be ordered in a smaller quantity in this workplace discussion.

Det “Det” means “that” and refers back to the proposal just mentioned. As the subject of “Det kræver”, it identifies the proposal as something requiring procurement changes.

kræver “kræver” means “requires” in “Det kræver ændringer”. It states what is necessary for the proposal and is followed by the required change.

ændringer “ændringer” means “changes” and is the object of “kræver”. In “ændringer i indkøbene”, it refers specifically to changes in procurement or purchasing.

i “i” means “in” in “ændringer i indkøbene”. It links the changes to the area where they are needed, namely the procurement process.

indkøbene “indkøbene” means “the procurement” or “the purchases” and refers to the workplace’s purchasing activity. In “ændringer i indkøbene”, it identifies the process that must change.

ikke “ikke” means “not” and forms the expression “ikke bare påmindelser”. It negates the idea that reminders alone are sufficient.

bare “bare” means “just” or “merely” in “ikke bare påmindelser”. Together with “ikke”, it emphasizes that reminders by themselves do not solve the problem.

påmindelser “påmindelser” means “reminders”. It is the alternative that is explicitly said not to be enough on its own in “ikke bare påmindelser”.

Kunne “Kunne” means “could” and begins a polite question about a possible starting point. The pattern “Kunne vi” is followed by an infinitive when proposing an action.

begynde “begynde” means “start” or “begin” in “Kunne vi begynde med”. It follows “Kunne” and introduces the first items to address.

med “med” means “with” in “begynde med de ting”. It identifies what the action should start with and follows the verb “begynde” in this pattern.

de “de” means “the” in “de ting”. It identifies the particular items being discussed rather than items in general.

ting “ting” means “things” or “items” in “de ting, der har nemme alternativer”. It refers to the supplies under consideration and is described by the following clause.

nemme “nemme” means “easy” in “nemme alternativer”. It describes the alternatives as easy to adopt or use and appears before the plural noun it modifies.

alternativer “alternativer” means “alternatives” in “har nemme alternativer”. It refers to replacement options for the items and is the object of “har” in the relative clause.

ændringen “ændringen” means “the change” and is the definite form related to “ændring”. In “gøre ændringen mindre forstyrrende”, it refers to the specific change being planned.

mindre “mindre” means “less” in “mindre forstyrrende”. It lowers the degree of the following description and expresses the intended effect of starting with easy alternatives.

forstyrrende “forstyrrende” means “disruptive” in “mindre forstyrrende”. It describes the change’s effect on normal work, and “mindre forstyrrende” means that the effect would be less disruptive.

Grammar Points

virke + adjektiv

Folk virker forvirrede.

FOHLK VEHR-guh for-VEER-uh-thuh.

People seem confused.

Efter virker står et adjektiv, der beskriver, hvordan nogen eller noget virker.

Komparativ med -ere

enklere alternativer

ENG-luh-ruh al-ter-na-TEEV-uh.

simpler alternatives

Mange danske adjektiver danner komparativ ved at tilføje -ere, som i enkel → enklere.

Danish Vocabulary

daglig brug phrase

DAY-lee BROO daily use

enkel adj

ENG-uhl simple enklere

etiket noun

eh-TEG label etiketterne

folk noun

FOHLK people

forvirret adj

for-VEER-uh-th confused forvirrede

kontor noun

kon-TOH office kontoret

sorteringsregel noun

SOHR-teh-rings-RAY-luh sorting rule sorteringsreglerne

sorteringsspand noun

SOHR-teh-rings-SBEN recycling bin sorteringsspande

synlig adj

SYOON-lee visible synlige

upræcis adj

OO-pray-SEES vague; imprecise upræcise

virke verb

VEHR-guh seem; appear virker

visuel adj

vee-SOO-uhl visual visuelle

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

That would make the change less disruptive.

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Det ville gøre ændringen mindre forstyrrende.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

seem; appear

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virker

vague; imprecise

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upræcise

label

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etiketterne

confused

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forvirrede