Start here · C2 · Mastery
Mastery · Part 1
Work through the vocabulary, lessons, conversations and reading activities in this part. Practice grammar along the way.
Includes Idioms: Pressure, Response & Emotion, Idioms: Resilience, Risk & Conflict, Proverbs: Experience & Expectations and more.
Start this courseabout 20 h · One account. Your progress, on the web and in the app.

- Units
- 27
- Words & phrases
- 845
- Lessons
- 66
- Conversations
- 27
- Readings
- 27
What you’ll work through
The units in this course.
Each unit brings words, lessons, conversations, and readings together on one topic. Open one to see what’s inside.
Idioms: Pressure, Response & Emotion
Interpret idioms about pressure and emotion through the speaker's situation, intended evaluation and relationship with the listener.
38 words · 6 lessons
Idioms: Resilience, Risk & Conflict
Use and paraphrase idioms about persistence, risk and conflict, selecting an image that fits the actual event and tone.
27 words · 2 lessons
Proverbs: Experience & Expectations
Examine proverbs about fortune, patience and expectations as arguments whose relevance depends on the situation.
32 words · 2 lessons
Slang & Colloquialisms
The relaxed, informal Danish you hear in cafés, group chats and among friends: intensifiers, playful insults and everyday shorthand.
37 words · 2 lessons
Youth Language
A selection of current youth slang, intensifiers, borrowings, and multiethnolectal expressions. Usage varies by age, peer group, region, and social setting.
21 words · 2 lessons
Regional Expressions
A mix of genuinely regional forms and colloquial or folksy words associated with Jutland, South Jutland, Funen, Bornholm, and other parts of Denmark.
29 words · 2 lessons
Older Danish in Context
Recognize dated words in older fiction, letters and period settings, and paraphrase their meaning in contemporary Danish.
39 words · 3 lessons
Literary Atmosphere & Imagery
Explore words for atmosphere, longing and sensory imagery, and consider how marked literary diction shapes a narrator's voice.
26 words · 3 lessons
Journalistic Images & Framing
Analyze metaphors and stock phrases in news writing, identifying what their framing highlights and what it leaves implicit.
37 words · 2 lessons
Wordplay & Humor
Explore puns, ambiguity and comic timing, and explain how a joke depends on wording, context and the listener's interpretation.
28 words · 2 lessons
Sarcasm & Banter
The sharp end of Danish conversation, from dry irony and snide digs to quick-witted comebacks and a good-natured war of words.
23 words · 2 lessons
Subtle Politeness
The refined art of Danish courtesy, from diplomatic hedging and softened requests to formal graciousness and tactful ways of saying no.
54 words · 3 lessons
Euphemisms
The tactful detours of Danish, from softened talk of death and layoffs to gentle ways of naming drunkenness, age, money and other delicate matters.
29 words · 2 lessons
Friendly Teasing
Danish vocabulary for friendly teasing, practical jokes and laughing at yourself.
35 words · 2 lessons
Exclamations & Interjections
Interpret short reactions of surprise, resignation and annoyance, considering intonation, social context and strength.
39 words · 2 lessons
Onomatopoeia & Sounds
How Danish paints noise: the vov of a dog, the brag of a slamming door and the susen of wind through the trees.
36 words · 2 lessons
Body Language Expressions
The Danish verbs for what the body says without words: shrugging shoulders, rolling eyes, gritting teeth and cracking a reluctant smile.
32 words · 2 lessons
Weather Sayings
Colorful Danish expressions for wind, rain, cold, changing skies, and the hope that sunshine follows bad weather.
27 words · 2 lessons
Food Sayings
Danish idioms served from the kitchen: going agurk, treading in the spinach and living like the yolk in an egg.
20 words · 2 lessons
Animal Sayings
A menagerie of vivid Danish animal idioms for describing luck, character, conflict, and difficult situations.
25 words · 2 lessons
Historical & Literary Allusions
Recognize historical and literary references used figuratively, separating the reference itself from a claim about an expression's origin.
30 words · 2 lessons
Biblical and Classical References
Interpret selected biblical and Greco-Roman allusions in Danish texts, and explain their function for readers unfamiliar with the reference.
28 words · 3 lessons
Maritime Expressions
Seafaring expressions and maritime metaphors that remain useful in everyday and formal Danish.
28 words · 2 lessons
Rural Imagery in Expressions
Interpret figurative expressions involving fields, harvests and livestock, using context rather than assuming a literal rural setting.
29 words · 2 lessons
Games & Sports Idioms
Advanced Danish idioms drawn from cards, soccer, boxing and cycling that appear in everyday debate, business and banter.
28 words · 2 lessons
Danish Meanings in Context
Translate words with several meanings or cultural associations by identifying the situation, register and explanation the reader needs.
31 words · 5 lessons
Particles & Fillers
Common modal particles and fillers that soften, hedge, connect, or color spoken Danish; their effect depends on context and intonation.
37 words · 3 lessons
Along the way
Check what sticks. Finish with proof.
- 8 × Grammar lesson
Learn and revisit grammar through the course.
- 5 × Checkpoint
A short check on the units you have just finished.
- 1 × Grammar module test
Apply the grammar from the preceding lessons.
- 1 × Course test
Pass the test to complete the course.
Part of a bigger plan
Paths with this course.
Your next conversation starts here
Make this part of your Danish.
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Start this courseOne account. Your progress, on the web and in the app.
