hoved
Head
Usage
Show it at a clinic and point to your head. A headache is one compound word, "hovedpine"
Grammar Note
Neuter: et hoved, definite hovedet. Note Norwegian spells it "hode"
hår
Hair
Usage
Used at a salon or barber: "kan du klippe mit hår?" — could you cut my hair?
Grammar Note
Neuter, et hår, and the singular stands even for a whole head of hair
ansigt
Face
Usage
For a beauty salon or a dermatologist. A facial massage is "ansigtsmassage"
Grammar Note
Neuter, et ansigt. Swedish writes "ansikte" and Norwegian "ansikt"
øje
Eye
Usage
At an optician or pharmacy. For both eyes use the plural "øjne"; eye drops are "øjendråber"
Grammar Note
Neuter, et øje, with the irregular plural "øjne"
øre
Ear
Usage
Earache is "ørepine". Useful when your ears block up on a flight
Grammar Note
Neuter, et øre, plural "ører". Spelled like the coin unit "øre", a hundredth of a krone
næse
Nose
Usage
A nosebleed is "næseblod" and a blocked nose is "tilstoppet næse" — both come up with hay fever
Grammar Note
Common gender, en næse. Norwegian has "nese" and Swedish "näsa"
mund
Mouth
Usage
At the dentist, "åbn munden" means open your mouth. Mouthwash is "mundskyl"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en mund. Norwegian writes it without the d: "munn"
tand
Tooth
Usage
A dentist is a "tandlæge" and toothache is "tandpine". Point at the tooth that hurts
Grammar Note
Common gender, en tand, plural "tænder". Norwegian spells it "tann"
tunge
Tongue
Usage
At an examination, "ræk tungen ud" means stick out your tongue. Also for a burnt tongue
Grammar Note
Common gender, en tunge, definite "tungen"
hals
Neck / Throat
Usage
Danish uses one word for the neck and the throat. "Jeg har ondt i halsen" — my throat hurts — is the standard line at a cold clinic. For the back of the neck specifically, use "nakke"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hals. Danish phrases pain as "have ondt i ..."
nakke
Nape / Back of the neck
Usage
For a stiff or cricked neck. "Jeg har ondt i nakken" is pain at the back of the neck, as opposed to "i halsen" for a sore throat
Grammar Note
Common gender, en nakke — the same form used in the Health & Hospital category
skulder
Shoulder
Usage
Handy for showing a masseur where to work. The plural is "skuldre"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en skulder. Swedish uses a completely different word, "axel"
arm
Arm
Usage
Point here for a blood test or blood pressure cuff. "Jeg har brækket armen" — I broke my arm
Grammar Note
Common gender, en arm. Swedish and Norwegian happen to spell it the same way
albue
Elbow
Usage
Point here after a fall. Tennis elbow is "tennisalbue"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en albue. Norwegian spells it the same; Swedish uses the unrelated "armbåge"
hånd
Hand
Usage
Hand sanitiser is "håndsprit", a sign you will see in every pharmacy
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hånd, plural "hænder". Swedish writes it without the å: "hand"
finger
Finger
Usage
For a cut or a split nail. A toe is a different word, "tå", plural "tæer"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en finger, plural "fingre"
negl
Nail
Usage
A nail salon is a "neglesalon". Use it for a broken or ingrown nail
Grammar Note
Common gender, en negl, plural "negle". Swedish spells it "nagel"
brystkasse
Chest
Usage
Use this for chest pain. Plain "bryst" can also mean a breast, so "brystkasse" is the unambiguous choice in a medical setting
Grammar Note
Common gender, literally "chest box" — the rib cage. Same form as in the Basic Nouns category
mave
Belly / Stomach area
Usage
The belly as a whole. "Jeg har ondt i maven" is the standard line, and also appears in the Health & Hospital category. For the organ itself, say "mavesæk"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en mave. Swedish and Norwegian both write it with a g, "mage"
mavesæk
Stomach (the organ)
Usage
The organ itself, for talking about stomach medicine or a gastroscopy. Everyday tummy ache uses "maven"; show this word when the doctor needs the organ
Grammar Note
Common gender, literally "belly sack"
ryg
Back
Usage
For a massage or physio. "Jeg har ondt i ryggen" — my back hurts
Grammar Note
Common gender, en ryg, doubling to "ryggen" in the definite. Swedish and Norwegian double the g from the start: "rygg"
lænd
Lower back
Usage
Danish has no single word for the Japanese "koshi"; lower-back pain is described with "lænd". A sudden lumbago is a "hekseskud" — literally a witch's shot
Grammar Note
Common gender, en lænd — the same form as in the Basic Nouns category. Lower-back pain is "lændesmerter"
bagdel
Bottom
Usage
The neutral word, literally "the back part", and fine at a clinic. The everyday casual word "numse" is what you say to a child. Use it for a fall or for where an injection goes
ben
Leg / Bone
Usage
Danish "ben" covers both a leg and a bone, and context decides — "jeg har brækket benet" is normally "I broke my leg". When you specifically mean the bone, use "knogle". Same form as in the Basic Nouns category
Grammar Note
Neuter, et ben, and the plural is also "ben"
knogle
Bone
Usage
The unambiguous word for a bone, which is why clinics prefer it to "ben". It is the root of "knoglebrud", the fracture word in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Common gender, en knogle. The whole skeleton is a "skelet"
knæ
Knee
Usage
The commonest injury word after a fall or in sport. "Jeg har forvredet knæet" — I twisted my knee
Grammar Note
Neuter, et knæ, definite "knæet". Norwegian writes "kne" and Swedish "knä"
fod
Foot
Usage
Distinct from "ben" (the whole leg) — this is only from the ankle down. Use it for blisters or a foot massage
Grammar Note
Common gender, en fod, plural "fødder". Swedish and Norwegian both write it with a t, "fot"
ankel
Ankle
Usage
A sprain is a "forstuvet ankel". Denmark cycles, so ankle injuries from bike spills are common
Grammar Note
Common gender, en ankel. Norwegian matches; standard Swedish prefers "fotled"
hud
Skin
Usage
A dermatologist is a "hudlæge" and a rash is "udslæt", as in the Health & Hospital category. Also for dry winter skin
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hud. Swedish and Norwegian spell it identically
blod
Blood
Usage
A blood test is a "blodprøve" and blood pressure is "blodtryk". Pairs with "blødning" (bleeding) in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Neuter, et blod. Swedish and Norwegian spell it identically
hjerte
Heart
Usage
Use it with "hjertesygdom" (heart disease) from the Health & Hospital category when declaring a condition. An ECG is an "EKG"
Grammar Note
Neuter, et hjerte. Norwegian matches; Swedish has "hjärta"
lunge
Lung
Usage
Pneumonia is "lungebetændelse". Use it with "astma" and "åndenød" from the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Common gender, en lunge, plural "lunger". Swedish has "lunga"
tarm
Intestine / Bowel
Usage
A stomach bug is a "maveinfektion", or "roskildesyge" for the norovirus kind. Pairs with "forstoppelse" (constipation) in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Common gender, en tarm. Swedish and Norwegian spell it identically
lever
Liver
Usage
For liver tests and medication questions. It is also the food word — "leverpostej" is the classic Danish open-sandwich topping
Grammar Note
Common gender, en lever. It is spelled like the present tense of "leve" (to live), so context decides
nyre
Kidney
Usage
A kidney stone is a "nyresten". Also the word to use if you are on dialysis
Grammar Note
Common gender, en nyre. Norwegian matches; Swedish has "njure"
More Danish phrases
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