THINGS DANES SAY TO FOREIGNERS THAT SEEM RUDE BUT ARE TOTALLY HARMLESS.
#Danmark #Denmark #ExpatsInDenmark
Intent matters when you talk to a Danish person. Sometimes you will hear a Dane say something that seems mean, rude, annoying, or confusing. Think to yourself, “what was the intention?” In many cases, it was not to be rude, you just misunderstood.
Danes are really good at speaking English, it’s easy to forget that they’re using a second language and just because you’re speaking the same language, you may be saying or hearing different things.
Things get lost in translation.
“Hvad laver du i Danmark?” or “What are you doing in Denmark?”
When spoken by a Dane in flat, direct English can sound so accusatory! Usually, it is a nice conversation, people want to know what brought you to Denmark
We get this when we meet people at parties, neighbors in our building, etc.
There is a bit of questioning in it, Danes can be a little wary of foreigners in general.
Danes are also guilty of downplaying everything and makes some things Danes say sounds rude or unable to take a compliment. Danish culture is about the simple things, and enjoying the simple things for what they are and not trying to make them what they are not. It is almost like going on and on about something makes it less special - which is different for Americans where affirmation and overstatement are a big part of the culture.
The infamous Danish Directness can seem like a culture clash in Denmark. Danes get right to the point, but it’s not meant to be rude. Danes see directness as a virtue! It also is a sign of respect - they believe that you deserve the truth.
Kvajebajer is the idea that Danes will have no problem laughing at their friends, but it’s more to include you and because they want to laugh with you when you make a mistake. And it is expected that you will do something to make up for the error like bring a cake to work or buy a round of beer.
“Kvajebajer” or “kvajekage” - failure beer or failure cake, is a way of taking ownership in good fun.
“I have doubts” can sound like a rude thing for a Danish person to say, especially to American or British people. This is similar to Danish directness but a case where direct translation loses connotation. Many emails use the phrase “I have doubts” when trying to express some questions about whether the right solution is being proposed. Know that although Danes speak great English, the connotation behind certain words can be lost and is not intentional
Danish people use a lot of English curse words. Even if you don’t speak Danish, you’ll sometimes hear conversations among Danes with words you recognize - specifically English cuss words, they don’t pack the same punch as a Danish cuss word.
How’s your Danish coming? Is a funny question that sometimes sounds rude from a Dane. We covered this in another video: [ Ссылка ] It can also be a little nagging to remind you that you live in Denmark and should be learning Danish!
The Danish Flag Everywhere, and it's a symbol of celebration! This may be off-putting to people who come from places where national flags are divisive. If you see Danish flags on your desk at work or in your Facebook comments, it is not hazing, it is a celebration!
Danes can sometimes sound rude when they say, “That’s how we do things in Denmark”. As Americans, we are used to people giving their opinion on our country, but Danes don’t like this.
Beer: Anarchist Motueka Lager from Theodor Schiotz brewery in Odense.
Photos:
Bea Arthur photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0 [ Ссылка ], via Wikimedia Commons
Music: Yuncio - Dreamland, Outertone www.facebook.com/outertonemusic [ Ссылка ]

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CHAPTERS
0:00 - Intro
0:19 - Tips for Understanding Danish Communication
2:13 - Why We Made This Video
2:58 - "What are you doing in Denmark?"
4:15 - Downplaying Things
6:29 - Danish Directness
8:11 - kvajebajer
10:25 - "I have doubts"
12:45 - Danes Love Cursing
15:10 - "How's your Danish?"
16:33 - Use of the Danish Flag
18:25 - "That's how we do things in Denmark"
20:57 - Closing Thoughts

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