Changing plans honestly and respectfully | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: In daily life, two adults discuss changing shared plans directly because one person overcommitted and needs a simpler option..

EN → DA / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Changing plans honestly and respectfully to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Jeg er nødt til at ændre vores planer, og jeg ville gerne sige det direkte til dig.

YIGH uh NUHT teel uh EN-druh VOH-uhs PLEH-nuh, oh YIGH VIL YAIR-nuh SEE-uh deh dee-REHG-duh teel DYE. I need to change our plans, and I wanted to tell you directly.
B

Jeg sætter pris på, at du siger det direkte til mig i stedet for at sende en vag besked.

YIGH SEH-duh PREES poh, uh doo SEE-uh deh dee-REHG-duh teel MY, ee STAY-duh fohr uh SEN-uh uhn VEH beh-SKAY. I appreciate you telling me directly instead of sending a vague message.
A

Jeg har sagt ja til for meget, og jeg har ikke lyst til at ankomme helt udmattet.

YIGH hah SAH YAI teel fohr MAY-uh, oh YIGH hah EH-guh LUHST teel uh ahn-KOM-uh hehl oo-MAHD-uhd. I overcommitted, and I don't want to show up exhausted.
B

Jeg er skuffet, men hvis vi tvinger det igennem, bliver dagen nok sværere.

YIGH uh SKUHF-uhd, men vis vee TVENG-uh deh ee-GEH-nuhm, BLEE-uh DEH-uhn nawg SVEH-uh-uh. I'm disappointed, but forcing it would probably make the day harder.
A

Jeg burde have overvejet, hvor meget jeg kunne klare, før jeg sagde ja.

YIGH BOO-uh hah OH-vuh-VY-uhd, voh MAY-uh YIGH GUHN-uh KLEH-uh, FUH YIGH SAH YAI. I should have checked my capacity before agreeing.
B

Det sker, især når alting føles akut.

deh SKEH, ee-SEH-uh naw EL-ting FUH-luhs uh-GOOD. It happens, especially when everything feels urgent.
A

Kunne vi så lave noget mere enkelt, når vi mødes?

GUHN-uh vee soh LEH-vuh NOH-uhd MAY-uh ENG-guhl, naw vee MUH-duhs? Could we do something simpler when we meet instead?
B

Det ville være nemmere for os begge at håndtere.

deh VIL-uh VEH-uh NEHM-uh fohr ohs BOH-uh eh HAWN-teh-uh. That would be easier for both of us to manage.

Word by Word

Jeg "Jeg" means I and is the subject referring to the speaker. Reuse it before a verb when talking about yourself, as in "Jeg er nødt til at ændre".
er "er" means am in "Jeg er nødt til at ændre" and links the speaker to the obligation. Reuse "er" with a description or state, such as "Jeg er træt" in a new example.
nødt "nødt" expresses being obliged or needing to do something in "er nødt til at ændre". The reusable pattern is "er nødt til at" followed by an action.
til "til" is part of the obligation expression "er nødt til at ændre"; here it does not indicate movement toward a place. Reuse "er nødt til at" before an action that must be done.
at "at" marks the infinitive in "at ændre". Reuse "at" before an infinitive when it follows an expression such as "er nødt til".
ændre "ændre" means change, here referring to changing the shared plans. Reuse it with the thing being changed, as in "ændre vores planer".
vores "vores" means our and shows that the plans belong to the speaker and the listener together. Reuse "vores" before a noun, as in "vores planer".
planer "planer" means plans and is the thing being changed in "ændre vores planer". Reuse it after a verb such as "ændre" when discussing arrangements.
og "og" means and and connects the statement about changing the plans with the speaker's reason for speaking directly. Reuse it to join two related clauses or ideas.
ville "ville" helps express a wish or intended action in "ville gerne sige" and also appears in "Det ville være nemmere" for a hypothetical result. Reuse "ville" before an infinitive when presenting a wish, intention, or possible outcome.
gerne "gerne" adds the meaning of willingly or would like to in "ville gerne sige det". Reuse "ville gerne" before an action when making a polite statement about what you would like to do.
sige "sige" means say or tell in "ville gerne sige det direkte til dig". Reuse it with what is said and, when needed, the person it is said to, as in "sige det til dig".
det "det" refers to information or a matter already understood in "sige det" and "siger det". In "tvinger det igennem" it refers to the plan, while capitalized "Det" in "Det ville være nemmere" refers to the proposed simpler option.
direkte "direkte" means directly and describes the manner of speaking or telling in "sige det direkte til dig". Reuse it after a speaking verb when emphasizing that something is said openly and without an indirect message.
dig "dig" means you as the person receiving the information in "til dig". Reuse "til dig" when saying that something is directed or communicated to the listener.
sætter pris på "sætter pris på" means appreciate or value in "Jeg sætter pris på, at du siger det direkte". Together, "sætter" contributes the idea of placing, "pris" means value or price, and "på" completes this fixed expression; reuse it before a noun or an at-clause.
du "du" means you and is the subject of "du siger det direkte til mig". Reuse it before a verb when addressing one person directly.
siger "siger" means says or tells in "at du siger det direkte til mig". Reuse it with what is being said, as in "du siger det".
mig "mig" means me and identifies the person receiving the message in "til mig". Reuse "til mig" when something is said, sent, or given to the speaker.
i stedet for "i stedet for" means instead of in "i stedet for at sende en vag besked". The components are "i" meaning in, "sted" meaning place, and "for" meaning for, but the full expression is used together; reuse it before an alternative noun or action.
sende "sende" means send in "at sende en vag besked". Reuse it with the thing being sent, such as "sende en besked".
en "en" means a or an and introduces the non-specific singular noun in "en vag besked". Reuse "en" before a singular noun when referring to one non-specific item.
vag "vag" means vague and describes the message in "en vag besked". Reuse it before a noun when the information is unclear or lacks detail.
besked "besked" means message and is the object of "sende" in "sende en vag besked". Reuse it with verbs such as "sende" when referring to a written or spoken message.
har "har" helps form the completed action in "har sagt ja til for meget". In "har ikke lyst til at ankomme", it is part of the expression for having the desire or inclination to do something; reuse "har" with a participle or in "har lyst til at".
sagt "sagt" means said in "har sagt ja til for meget" and is the form of "sige" used after "har". Reuse it in the pattern "har sagt ja til" when describing something that has been accepted.
ja "ja" means yes, but in "har sagt ja til for meget" and "sagde ja" it expresses agreeing to something. Reuse the pattern sige ja til + an object when accepting a proposal, request, or commitment.
for "for" contributes the meaning too in "for meget", the meaning for in "for os begge", and forms the fixed expression "i stedet for". Its meaning therefore depends on the construction around it; reuse "for meget" for an excessive amount.
meget "meget" means much, and in "sagt ja til for meget" it refers to an excessive amount of commitments. After "for", it helps express that the amount is more than manageable.
ikke "ikke" means not and negates the desire in "har ikke lyst til at ankomme". Reuse it before the part of the sentence that should be negated.
lyst "lyst" means desire or inclination in the expression "har ikke lyst til at ankomme". Reuse "have lyst til at" before an action when expressing that someone wants or does not want to do it.
ankomme "ankomme" means arrive or show up in "at ankomme helt udmattet". Reuse it with a place, time, or accompanying state when describing arrival.
helt "helt" means completely and intensifies the condition in "helt udmattet". Reuse it before an adjective when emphasizing the extent of a state.
udmattet "udmattet" means exhausted and describes the speaker's condition on arrival in "ankomme helt udmattet". Reuse it after a verb such as "ankomme" or "være" to describe someone's physical state.
skuffet "skuffet" means disappointed and describes the listener's feeling in "Jeg er skuffet". Reuse "er skuffet" when acknowledging disappointment while discussing a change or problem.
men "men" means but and introduces a consideration that contrasts with the disappointment. Reuse it to connect two ideas where the second one limits or balances the first.
hvis "hvis" means if and introduces the condition in "hvis vi tvinger det igennem". Reuse "hvis" before a clause when explaining what may happen under a particular condition.
vi "vi" means we and refers to the speaker and listener together in "hvis vi tvinger det igennem". Reuse it before a verb when describing a shared action.
tvinger "tvinger" means force in "tvinger det igennem", where the speakers would push the plan through despite the difficulty. Reuse it with the thing being forced, especially in the pattern tvinge noget igennem.
igennem "igennem" means through or to completion in the expression "tvinger det igennem". It shows that the plan would be pushed forward until it is carried out; reuse it after an object in a similar force-through construction.
bliver "bliver" means becomes or gets in "bliver dagen nok sværere". Reuse "bliver" before an adjective when describing a change of state.
dagen "dagen" means the day and refers to the shared day affected by the plan in "bliver dagen nok sværere". Reuse it when talking about a particular day already understood from the context.
nok "nok" means probably or likely in "bliver dagen nok sværere". It softens the prediction and signals that the speaker considers it likely rather than certain.
sværere "sværere" means harder or more difficult and describes the predicted result for the day. Reuse it after "bliver" or "være" when comparing how difficult one situation is with another.
burde "burde" expresses should or ought to in the retrospective statement "burde have overvejet". Reuse "burde have" followed by a participle when judging that a past action would have been better.
have "have" is the auxiliary in "burde have overvejet" and helps refer to an earlier action being evaluated. Reuse "burde have" before a participle for this kind of reflection on the past.
overvejet "overvejet" means considered or thought through in "burde have overvejet, hvor meget jeg kunne klare". It refers to thinking carefully about capacity before agreeing; reuse it with a matter or clause being considered.
hvor "hvor" means how much in "hvor meget jeg kunne klare" and introduces a question about amount. Reuse "hvor meget" before a clause when asking or considering the quantity someone can manage.
kunne "kunne" means could or be able to in "jeg kunne klare", referring to capacity. At the start of "Kunne vi så lave noget mere enkelt", it makes a polite suggestion; reuse it before an infinitive.
klare "klare" means manage or cope with in "kunne klare". Reuse it with the task, amount, or situation that someone is able to manage.
før "før" means before and introduces the earlier point in time in "før jeg sagde ja". Reuse "før" before a clause to place one action earlier than another.
sagde "sagde" means said in "før jeg sagde ja" and refers to the earlier agreement. Reuse it with "ja" when describing a past decision to agree.
sker "sker" means happens in "Det sker". The expression is useful for reassuring someone that an error or difficult event is understandable and can occur.
især "især" means especially and emphasizes the situation introduced by "når alting føles akut". Reuse it before the circumstance that deserves particular emphasis.
når "når" means when and introduces the situation in "når alting føles akut". Reuse it before a clause describing a recurring or relevant time or circumstance.
alting "alting" means everything and is the subject of "alting føles akut". Reuse it when referring broadly to all the relevant things in a situation.
føles "føles" means feels in "alting føles akut" and describes how the situation is experienced. Reuse it with an adjective after the subject to describe an impression or perceived state.
akut "akut" means urgent and describes how everything feels in "alting føles akut". Reuse it to characterize a situation that seems to require immediate attention.
så "så" means then or so in "Kunne vi så lave noget mere enkelt". It connects the suggestion to the preceding change in circumstances; reuse it before a resulting proposal or action.
lave "lave" means do or make in "lave noget mere enkelt". Reuse it before an object when proposing an activity or creating an arrangement.
noget "noget" means something and is the object of "lave" in "lave noget mere enkelt". Reuse "lave noget" when suggesting an unspecified activity or arrangement.
mere "mere" means more and helps form the comparison in "mere enkelt", meaning simpler. Reuse "mere" before an adjective when describing a greater degree of a quality.
enkelt "enkelt" means simple or straightforward and describes the proposed alternative in "noget mere enkelt". Reuse it after "noget" when characterizing an activity or arrangement as simple.
mødes "mødes" means meet each other in "når vi mødes". Reuse it when referring to a meeting involving the people represented by the subject.
være "være" means be in "ville være nemmere" and links the proposed option to its evaluation. Reuse "ville være" before an adjective when describing a possible or hypothetical result.
nemmere "nemmere" means easier and evaluates the simpler arrangement in "ville være nemmere for os begge". Reuse it with "for" and the people who would find something easier.
os "os" means us and identifies the people for whom the option would be easier in "for os begge". Reuse "for os" when describing something intended for or affecting the speaker and others.
begge "begge" means both and emphasizes that the easier option benefits the two people together in "os begge". Reuse it after a pronoun or noun when referring to two people or things together.
håndtere "håndtere" means manage or handle in "at håndtere" and refers to managing the simpler arrangement just proposed. A new example is håndtere en vanskelig situation, meaning to handle a difficult situation.

Grammar Points

er nødt til at + infinitiv

Jeg er nødt til at ændre planer.

YIGH uh NUHT teel uh EN-druh PLEH-nuh.

I need to change plans.

The fixed phrase er nødt til at expresses necessity and is followed by the infinitive with at.

har ikke lyst til at + infinitiv

Jeg har ikke lyst til at ankomme udmattet.

YIGH hah EH-guh LUHST teel uh ahn-KOM-uh oo-MAHD-uhd.

I do not feel like arriving exhausted.

Har ikke lyst til at expresses that you do not feel like doing something; the following verb uses at plus the infinitive.

Danish Vocabulary

besked noun
beh-SKAY message
direkte adv
dee-REHG-duh directly
er nødt til at phrase
air NUHT teel uh need to; be obliged to
for meget phrase
fohr MAY-uh too much
i stedet for prep
ee STAY-duh fohr instead of
planer noun
PLEH-nuh plans
sagt ja til phrase
SAH YAI teel agreed to; said yes to
sige verb
SEE-uh say; tell
sætter pris på phrase
SEH-duh PREES poh appreciate; value
vag adj
VEH vague
ville gerne phrase
VIL YAIR-nuh would like to
ændre verb
EN-druh change

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

change

Show Answerændre

directly

Show Answerdirekte

plans

Show Answerplaner

say; tell

Show Answersige