The official language being spoken in the Kingdom of Denmark is Danish. This language is widely being used in day-to-day affairs, but a number of people in the country also use German, Faroese, Greenlandic, and English.

Language Skills
Yes, Danish is widely used among locals in Denmark, but don’t you worry because the majority of the people in the country also speak English. In terms of English proficiency, Danes are ranked 2nd in the world, having a very high proficiency index at 632. So chill and don’t bother if you hear that everybody prefers speaking in Danish, you can be sure that they understand English too.

If you are staying in the country to work, it is best that you learn a little Danish. You can start with learning how to greet in their language. For example, the most common greeting in Denmark is ‘hej.’ It is the way to say the informal hi and hello among your Dane counterparts. You’ll be surprised that Danes don’t have a word that would mean ‘please,’ so don’t miss out on saying ‘thank you’ instead and tell them ‘tak’ or ‘mange tak.’ When you’re about to part ways with someone, say ‘hav set godt.’ To hear what these Danish greetings sound like, check this link. 

Learning how to speak the local language in Denmark may also be very helpful for your career. Your local counterparts will have the ease of speaking to you, and the confidence of communicating with you, if you speak their language. Unlike other European languages, Danish can be pretty easy to get used to. Try to take lessons in Duolingo or Swaplanguage to learn basic and conversational Danish.

Body Language
Although it can be said that Danish people are a friendly nation, you should take note that Danes value their personal space so much. Locals in Denmark require relatively a larger personal space compared to other European countries. When talking to a local, be generous in giving an ample amount of distance between you too, and you’ll surely be able to gain their confidence later on. Besides shaking hands, you should also know that locals do not like being touched too much. A pat on the back to compliment a job well done is okay, but too many touches done too often can be seen as offensive.

In general, Danes may be seen as quite formal in the public scene. It is suggested that you try to avoid excessive movements during meetings like sprawling in the chair or putting your feet on top of the desk. These irregularly informal gestures will definitely result in locals losing confidence in you.

Topics for Discussion
If you’re trying to get a conversation started with your local counterpart, bringing the right topics to the table is essential. Danes are very much interested in topics about home renovation. It doesn’t matter how long your friend has been living in Copenhagen, because Dane’s house is never finished and always has ways to be improved. A good paint color, a piece of new furniture, a rare indoor plant, or a piece of decorative figurine; anything that would beautify a home would lead to a really good talk.

Another topic Danes don’t get enough to talk about is the weather. The locals know exactly how weather can go differently in the country; how November is mostly dark and shady and what months can pour the most rain. From there, you can bring the topics to good places to travel. You can try to ask what months it is best to go to certain places in Denmark, and what the weather can be at that specific time. You’ll be surprised at how Danes could stretch a good conversation about this.

The locals take pride in many things about their country, and you may also share a few discussions about this with your counterpart. Try complimenting how the country was able to close the gap between genders, and promoting gender equality successfully. You may also compliment how artistic their country looks, and you’ll notice how it can lead to wonderful things about the country’s music, arts, and culture.

While there are several things you can talk about with a Dane, you have to take note that there are also topics you will have to avoid. One topic to avoid is anything that is about the royal family, Danish people don’t expect you to talk about it so better keep it off your discussion list. Questions and talks leading to one’s religion, political beliefs, and personal finances are to be avoided by all means. Lastly, never leave a negative remark about local people or Denmark as a country for this can turn your counterpart off.