Easy stories in simple Danish for beginners

Below you’ll find my Danish translation and my recordings of 5 mini stories. I hope you’ll find them useful as a resource. I spent a lot of time translating and recording these into Danish, so please let me know what you think in the comments below!

If you’re interested in reading my suggestions to how you could go about learning the Danish language please read my article on the subject: How to learn Danish.

Earlier, I’ve posted my Danish translation and audio recordings of “Who is She”, which is a simple story written for students of various languages. The stories you’ll find below, however are shorter and all follow a similar pattern: A very short story is told about someone, then the story is repeated from the main characters point of view, and then the main points of the story are presented as questions along with their (very straight forward) answers.

The five stories are the first out of at least 30 – I will be posting more gradually.

How to study with the Danish mini stories

You’re free to use the mini stories as you wish (non-commercially), but I’d appreciate if you’d cite this site as a source, should you go public about it! There are many ways to go about studying the stories, but I’d recommend that you do something in these lines:

Read a sentence in Danish, then the original in English. Listen to the audio while doing so.

Compare the two and see if you can figure out how the words correspond. Work your way through the text.

Listen to the whole recording while concentrating on what you’re hearing. Can you remember what it means, and which words correspond with that in the English version?

Listen to the audio several times throughout your day.

On the following day, read briefly through yesterday’s story while listening to the recording. Then start from step 1 with a new story.

As you gradually work your way through more stories, keep listening to them throughout your day. If there are parts you forget, don’t hesitate to quickly go back and review a lesson.

As you keep listening to the same sentences in your daily life, they’ll start to come back to you like the lyrics of a song that you can’t shake off. This is great, and will help you gain a passive understanding of the grammar in a similar way to what you might experience with your mother tongue. You’ll start to be able to hear if something is correct or not when you speak a phrase with your inner voice.

Work your way through all of the mini stories, and in time, you’ll be ready to move on to more difficult material.

Historie 1 – Michael er kok Story 1 – Mike is a Cook A)



Michael står op klokken seks hver morgen.

Han laver morgenmad og drikker en kop kaffe.

Han kører på arbejde i sin bil.

Hans arbejde starter klokken halv otte.

Michael er kok på en restaurant.

Han laver mad til sultne kunder.

Kunderne kommer fra mange forskellige lande.

De taler mange forskellige sprog.

Michael kan møde mange flinke mennesker.

Michael er glad når han snakker med kunderne. A)



Mike gets up at six am every morning.

He makes breakfast and drinks a coffee.

He drives to work in his car.

His work starts at seven thirty am.

Mike is a cook at a restaurant.

He makes food for hungry customers.

The customers are from many countries.

They speak many different languages.

Mike can meet many friendly people.

Mike is happy when he talks to the customers. B)



Jeg står op klokken seks hver morgen.

Jeg laver morgenmad og drikker en kop kaffe.

Jeg kører på arbejde i min bil.

Mit arbejde starter klokken halv otte.

Jeg er kok på en restaurant.

Jeg laver mad til sultne kunder.

Kunderne kommer fra mange forskellige lande.

De taler mange forskellige sprog.

Jeg kan møde mange flinke mennesker.

Jeg er glad når jeg taler med kunderne. B)



I get up at six am every morning.

I make breakfast and drink a coffee.

I drive to work in my car.

My work starts at seven thirty am.

I am a cook at a restaurant.

I make food for hungry customers.

The customers are from many different countries.

They speak many different languages.

I can meet many friendly people.

I am happy when I talk to the customers. Spørgsmål: Questions: 1) Michael står op klokken seks hver morgen.

Står Michael op klokken seks hver morgen? Ja, Michael står op klokken seks hver morgen. 1) Mike wakes up at six am every morning. Does Mike wake up early? Yes, Mike wakes up at 6:00am every morning. 2) Michael drikker en kop kaffe. Drikker Michael en kop the? Nej, Michael drikker ikke en kop the, han drikker en kop kaffe. 2) Mike drinks a coffee. Does Mike drink a tea? No, Mike does not drink a tea, he drinks a coffee. 3) Michael kører på arbejde i sin bil. Tager Michael sin bil på arbejde? Ja, Michael tager sin bil på arbejde. 3) Mike drives his car to work. Does Mike drive his car to work? Yes, Mike drives his car to work. 4) Michaels arbejde starter klokken halv otte. Starter Michaels arbejde klokken syv? Nej, Michaels arbejder starter ikke klokken syv. Det starter klokken halv otte. 4) Mike’s work starts at seven thirty am. Does Mike’s work start at seven am? No, Mike’s work does not start at seven am. It starts at seven thirty am. 5) Michael er kok på en restaurant. Er Michael kok? Ja, Michael er kok på en restaurant. 5) Mike is a cook at a restaurant. Is Mike a cook? Yes, Mike is a cook at a restaurant. 6) Kunderne kommer fra mange forskellige lande. Kommer kunderne fra et land? Nej, kunderne kommer ikke fra et land. De kommer fra mange forskellige lande. 6) The customers are from many different countries. Are the customers from one country? No, the customers are not from one country. They are from many different countries. 7) Kunderne er flinke. Er kunderne flinke? Ja, kunderne er flinke. 7) The customers are friendly. Are the customers friendly? Yes, the customers are friendly. 8) Michael er glad når han taler med kunderne. Er Michael glad når han taler med kunderne? Ja, Michael er glad når han taler med kunderne. 8) Mike feels happy when he talks to the customers. Does Mike feel happy when he talks to the customers? Yes, Mike feels happy when he talks to the customers.

Historie 2 – Carsten vil tage på ferie Story 2 – Dustin Wants to Take a Vacation A

Carsten er spændt på vinterferien.

Han har nogle dage fri i vinteren.

Han skal ikke på arbejde i to uger.

Han vil tage på ferie.

Men han ved ikke hvor han skal tage hen.

Han vil tage til Frankrig.

Men Frankrig er dyrt.

Flybiletterne koster meget.

Og Carsten taler ikke Fransk.

Han beslutter sig for at studere, spare penge, og blive hjemme. A

Dustin is excited for the winter holiday.

He has some time off in the winter.

He doesn’t have to work for two weeks.

He wants to go on vacation.

But, he doesn’t know where to go.

He wants to go to France.

But France is expensive.

The airplane tickets cost a lot.

And Dustin doesn’t speak French.

He decides to study, to save money, and to stay home. B

Jeg er spændt på vinterferien.

Jeg har nogle dage fri i vinteren.

Jeg skal ikke på arbejde i to uger.

Jeg vil tage på ferie.

Men jeg ved ikke hvor jeg skal tage hen.

Jeg vil tage til Frankrig.

Men Frankrig er dyrt.

Flybiletterne koster meget.

Og jeg taler ikke Fransk.

Jeg beslutter mig for at studere, spare penge, og blive hjemme. B

I am excited for the winter holiday.

I have some time off in the winter.

I don’t have to work for two weeks.

I want to go on vacation.

But, I don’t know where to go.

I want to go to France.

But France is expensive.

The airplane tickets cost a lot.

And I don’t speak French.

I decide to study, to save money, and to stay home. Spørgsmål: Questions: 1) Carsten er spændt på vinter ferien.Er Carsten spændt? Ja, Carsten er spændt på vinterferien. 1) Dustin is excited for the winter holidays. Is Dustin excited? Yes, Dustin is excited for the winter holidays. 2) Carsten har nogle dage fri i vinteren. Har Carsten nogle dage fri i vinteren? Ja, Carsten har nogle dage fri i vinteren. 2) Dustin has time off in the winter. Does Dustin have free time in the winter? Yes, Dustin has time off in the winter. 3) Carsten vil tage på ferie. Vil Carsten blive hjemme? Nej, Carsten vil ikke blive hjemme. Han vil tage på ferie. 3) Dustin wants to go on vacation. Does Dustin want to stay home? No, Dustin does not want to stay home. He wants to go on vacation. 4) Carsten ved ikke hvor han skal tage hen. Ved Carsten hvor han skal tage hen? Nej, Carsten ved ikke hvor han skal tage hen. 4) Dustin doesn’t know where to go. Does Dustin know where to go? No, Dustin doesn’t know where to go. 5) Carsten vil tage til Frankrig på ferie. Vil Carsten tage til Frankrig? Ja, Carsten vil tage til Frankrig på sin ferie. 5) Dustin wants to go to France for his vacation. Does Dustin want to go to France? Yes, Dustin wants to go to France for his vacation. 6) Frankrig er dyrt. Er Frankrig billigt? Nej, Frankrig er ikke billigt, Frankrig er dyrt. 6) France is expensive. Is France cheap? No, France is not cheap. France is expensive. 7) Carsten taler ikke Fransk. Taler Carsten Fransk? Nej, Carsten taler ikke Fransk. 7) Dustin does not speak French. Does Dustin speak French? No, Dustin does not speak French. 8) Carsten beslutter sig for at studere Fransk, spare penge og blive hjemme i ferien. Beslutter Carsten sig for at studere Fransk? Ja, han beslutter sig for at studere Fransk, spare penge, og blive hjemme i ferien. 8) Dustin decides to study French, save money, or stay home for the vacation. Does Dustin decide to study French? Yes, he decides to study French, to save money, and to stay home for the vacation.

Historie 3 – Karen får en kat Story 3 – Karen Gets a Cat A

Karen keder sig på arbejdet og derhjemme.

Hun laver det samme hver dag.

Hun vil have en ny hobby.

Først prøver hun at lave mad.

Men hendes mad smager ikke godt.

Så prøver hun at svømme.

Men hun er bange for vand.

Karen går hjem, og ser en dyrehandler.

Hos dyrehandleren ser hun en kat!

Karen køber katten, og er nu meget glad. A

Karen is bored at work and at home.

She does the same thing every day.

She wants a new hobby.

First, she tries to cook.

But her food does not taste good.

Then, she tries to swim.

But she is afraid of water.

Karen walks home and sees a pet store.

In the pet store, she sees a cat!

Karen buys the cat, and is now very happy. B

Jeg keder mig på arbejdet og derhjemme.

Jeg laver det samme hver dag.

Jeg vil have en ny hobby.

Først prøver jeg at lave mad.

Men min mad smager ikke godt.

Så prøver jeg at svømme.

Men jeg er bange for vand.

Jeg går hjem, og ser en dyrehandler.

Hos dyrehandleren ser jeg en kat!

Jeg køber katten, og er nu meget glad. B

I am bored at work and at home.

I do the same thing every day.

I want a new hobby.

First, I try to cook.

But my food does not taste good.

Then, I try to swim.

But I am afraid of water.

I walk home and see a pet store.

In the pet store, I see a cat!

I buy the cat, and am now very happy. Spørgsmål: Questions: 1) Karen keder sig på arbejdet og derhjemme. Er Karen glad på sit arbejde? Nej, Karen er ikke glad på sit arbejde. Hun keder sig på arbejdet og derhjemme. 1) Karen is bored at work, and at home. Is Karen happy at work? No, Karen is not happy at work. She is bored at work, and at home. 2) Karen gør det samme hver dag. Gør Karen mange nye ting? Nej, Karen gør det samme hver dag. 2) Karen does the same thing every day. Does Karen do many new things? No, Karen does the same thing every day. 3) Karen vil have en ny hobby. Vil Karen have en ny hobby? Ja, Karen vil have en ny hobby. 3) Karen wants a new hobby. Does Karen want a new hobby? Yes, Karen wants a new hobby. 4) Karens mad smager ikke særligt godt. Er Karen en god kok? Nej, Karen er ikke en god kok. Hendes mad smager ikke godt. 4) Karen’s food does not taste good. Is Karen a good cook? No, Karen is not a good cook. Her food does not taste good. 5) Karen er bange for vand. Kan Karen godt lide at svømme? Nej, Karen kan ikke lide at svømme. Hun er bange for vand. 5) Karen is afraid of water. Does Karen like swimming? No, Karen does not like swimming. She is afraid of water. 6) Karen ser en kat hos en dyrehandler. Ser Karen en kat i en butik? Ja, Karen ser en kat i en dyrehandler. 6) Karen sees a cat in a pet store. Does Karen see a cat in a store? Yes Karen sees a cat in a pet store. 7) Karen køber katten fra dyrehandleren. Køber Karen katten? Ja, Karen køber katten fra dyrehandleren. 7) Karen buys the cat from the pet store. Does Karen buy the cat? Yes, Karen buys the cat from the pet store. 8) Karen er nu meget glad fordi hun har en kat. Keder Karen sig nu? Nej, Karen keder sig ikke. Nu er hun meget glad fordi hun har en kat. 8) Karen is now very happy because she has a cat. Is Karen bored now? No, Karen is not bored. She is now very happy because she has a cat.

Historie 4 – Min datter en en god elev Story 4 – My Daughter is a Good Student A

Min datter går i skole hver dag.

Hun elsker at gå i skole.

Hun er en god elev i skolen.

Lærerne synes godt om min datter.

Min datter har også mange venner.

Hendes bedste ven er Ida.

Ida kan lide matematik og fysik.

Min datter kan lide engelsk og historie.

De hjælper hinanden med lektier.

De arbejder hårdt og klarer sig godt i skolen. A

My daughter goes to school every day.

She likes school very much.

She is a good student at school.

The teachers like my daughter a lot.

My daughter also has many friends.

Her best friend is Amy.

Amy likes math and science.

My daughter likes English and history.

They help each other with homework.

They study hard and do well in school. B

Jeg går i skole hver dag.

Jeg elsker at gå i skole.

Jeg er en god elev i skolen.

Mine lærere synes godt om mig.

Jeg har også mange venner.

Min bedste ven er Ida.

Hun kan lide matematik og fysik.

Jeg kan lide engelsk og historie.

Vi hjælper hinanden med lektier.

Vi arbejder hårdt og klarer os godt i skolen. B

I go to school every day.

I like school very much.

I am a good student at school.

My teachers like me a lot.

I also have many friends.

My best friend is Amy.

She likes math and science.

I like English and history.

We help each other with homework.

We study hard and do well in school. Spørgsmål: Questions: 1) Datteren går i skole hver dag. Går datteren i skole hver dag? Ja, hun går i skole hver dag. 1) The daughter goes to school every day. Does the daughter go to school every day? Yes, she goes to school every day. 2) Datteren elsker at gå i skole. Elsker datteren at gå i skole? Ja, hun elsker skolen. 2) The daughter likes school. Does the daughter like school? Yes, she likes school. 3) Datteren er en god elev. Er datteren en dårlig elev? Nej, datteren er ikke en dårlig elev. Hun er en god elev. 3) The daughter is a good student. Is the daughter a bad student? No, the daughter is not a bad student. She is a good student. 4) Lærerne synes godt om datteren. Synes lærerne godt om datteren? Ja, lærerne synes godt om hende. 4) The teachers like the daughter. Do the teachers like the daughter? Yes, the teachers like her. 5) Hendes bedste ven hedder Ida. Hedder hendes bedste ven Tina? Nej, hendes bedste ven hedder Ida. 5) Her best friend is named Amy. Is her best friend named Julie? No, her best friend is named Amy. 6) Ida kan lide matematik og fysik. Kan Ida lide engelsk og historie? Nej, hun kan lide matematik og fysik. 6) Amy likes math and science. Does Amy like English and history? No, she likes math and science. 7) Datteren og Ida klarer sig godt i skolen. Klarer datteren sig godt i skolen? Ja, datteren og Ida klarer sig godt i skolen. 7) The daughter and Amy do well in school. Does the daughter do well in school? Yes, the daughter and Amy do well in school.