Basic states and preparation | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: A beginner practices six useful English phrases about basic states, preparation, and time..

EN → DA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Basic states and preparation to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Jeg har det bedre.

YIGH hahr deh BED-thruh. I am feeling better.
B

Jeg har meget travlt.

YIGH hahr MAY-uhth TROWLT. I am very busy.
A

Jeg er klar nu.

YIGH air KLAHR noo. I am ready now.
B

Jeg er ikke klar.

YIGH air EG-uh KLAHR. I am not ready.
A

Jeg har brug for mere tid.

YIGH hahr BROO fohr MAY-uh TEED. I need more time.
B

Har du tid?

Hahr doo TEED? Do you have time?

Word by Word

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” in the dialogue and identifies the speaker. It appears at the beginning of “Jeg har...” and “Jeg er...”. Use it when talking about your own state, situation, or needs.
har “har” means “have” in “Jeg har det bedre”, “Jeg har meget travlt”, and “Har du tid?”. In “har det bedre” and “har meget travlt”, it helps express a state, while “har brug for” is the complete expression meaning “need”. Use “har” in patterns such as “Jeg har ...” or “Har du ...?” when talking about possession, states, or availability.
det “det” means “it” in the expression “har det bedre”, referring to a person’s condition or situation. Together, “har det bedre” means that the person feels better; the whole expression gives this meaning. Use “har det...” when describing how someone is doing.
bedre “bedre” means “better” in “Jeg har det bedre”, describing an improved condition. It follows “det” in the expression “har det bedre”. Use this expression when telling someone that your health or general situation has improved.
meget “meget” means “very” in “Jeg har meget travlt” and strengthens the meaning of “travlt”. It comes before “travlt” in this expression. Use “meget” before a word it intensifies when describing a high degree.
travlt “travlt” means “busy” in “Jeg har meget travlt”. It describes having many things to do, and the complete expression “har meget travlt” says that the speaker is very busy. Use it when explaining that you have little free time because you are occupied.
er “er” is the form used for “am” in “Jeg er klar nu” and “Jeg er ikke klar”. It connects “Jeg” with the state “klar”. Use “er” before a state or description, as in “Jeg er klar”.
klar “klar” means “ready” in “Jeg er klar nu” and “Jeg er ikke klar”. It describes whether the speaker is prepared, following “er” in both sentences. Use it when telling someone whether you are prepared to begin or do something.
nu “nu” means “now” in “Jeg er klar nu”. It shows that being ready applies at the present moment and comes at the end of this sentence. Use “nu” when you want to emphasize that something is true at this moment.
ikke “ikke” means “not” in “Jeg er ikke klar” and makes the statement negative. Here it comes after “er” and before “klar”, so the sentence says that the speaker is not ready. Use “ikke” before the description or part of the sentence you want to negate.
brug “brug” is part of the expression “har brug for” in “Jeg har brug for mere tid”. The complete expression “har brug for” means “need”, so “brug” should be understood together with “har” and “for”. Use “har brug for” before the thing that is needed.
for “for” is part of the expression “har brug for” in “Jeg har brug for mere tid”. The complete expression means “need” and is followed here by “mere tid”, the thing that is needed. Use “har brug for” plus a noun when saying that you need something.
mere “mere” means “more” in “mere tid”, referring to an additional amount of time. It comes before “tid” in “Jeg har brug for mere tid”. Use “mere” before something when asking for or describing an additional amount.
tid “tid” means “time” in “Jeg har brug for mere tid” and “Har du tid?”. In the first sentence it is what the speaker needs; in the question it refers to whether the listener has available time. Use it in expressions such as “har tid” and “har brug for mere tid”.
du “du” means “you” in “Har du tid?”, referring to the person being addressed. It appears after “Har” in this question. Use “du” when asking one person about their time, state, or situation.

Grammar Points

har det bedre

Jeg har det bedre.

YIGH hahr deh BED-thruh.

I feel better.

A fixed Danish expression meaning “feel better”; it uses har det rather than a direct equivalent of “feel.”

har brug for + noun

Jeg har brug for mere tid.

YIGH hahr BROO fohr MAY-uh TEED.

I need more time.

The fixed expression har brug for means “need” and is followed by the thing needed.

Danish Vocabulary

bedre adj
BED-thruh better
er verb
air am/is/are
har brug for phrase
hahr BROO fohr need
har det bedre phrase
hahr deh BED-thruh feel better
ikke adv
EG-uh not
jeg pron
YIGH I
klar adj
KLAHR ready
meget adv
MAY-uhth very
mere det
MAY-uh more
nu adv
noo now
tid noun
TEED time
Gender
common
travlt adj
TROWLT busy
Gender
neuter

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I am feeling better.

Show AnswerJeg har det bedre.

I am very busy.

Show AnswerJeg har meget travlt.

I am ready now.

Show AnswerJeg er klar nu.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

ready

Show Answerklar

not

Show Answerikke

better

Show Answerbedre

busy

Show Answertravlt