Scandinavian similarities
Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are related, but must be treated as separate languages in any formal translation.
North Germanic language
Request a Danish translation
dansk
Danish documents are often relevant to Scandinavian business, education and family matters. ABBA-Sprachendienste establishes the language direction, subject area and intended recipient.
Danish is spoken by approximately six million people, primarily in Denmark and Southern Schleswig.
Geographical distribution of Danish
- Main areas of use
- Other regional use
- Selected diaspora communities
Denmark
Faroe Islands
Greenland
Germany
A schematic selection of the main areas where the language is used. Language use does not always follow national borders, and the map does not show complete population statistics.
Language profile
Danish at a glance
- Native name
- dansk
- Language family
- North Germanic language
- Script
- Latin alphabet
- Language code
- da
Documents and areas of use
Common uses for this language combination
It is not just about the language. ABBA-Sprachendienste also takes into account the document type, recipient, subject area, certification requirements and the language combination you need.
Have your document checked- Civil-status documents
- School and university certificates
- Employment and business contracts
- Medical and technical documents
- Supporting documents for public authorities and insurers
Origin and development
How the language developed
Danish is a North Germanic language and, like Swedish and Norwegian, developed from Old Norse. The Scandinavian written languages influenced one another over many centuries.
Modern spelling uses the Latin alphabet with æ, ø and å. Older documents may contain historical spellings or use the older aa form instead of å.
Good to know
What makes this language distinctive
Preserve special characters
Æ, ø and å must be reproduced exactly in names, addresses and file references.
Historical spellings
In older certificates, the same place or name may be spelt differently from today.
A glimpse of the language
Three phrases to start with
The transliteration is only a rough guide. Pronunciation and regional forms may differ.
| Original | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Goddag | — | Good day |
| Tak | — | Thank you |
| Vær så venlig | — | Please |
Sources and classification
Further information
Speaker numbers are rounded guide figures and may vary depending on the definition, the year of the survey and whether second-language speakers are included.
- Danish language
Wikipedia · language-specific overview
- Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages
Library of Congress / ISO 639-2 Registration Authority · Language codes and standardised language names
- Language and Locale Names
Unicode Common Locale Data Repository · Language, script and territory names and variants
- Glottolog 5.3
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology · Language families, classification and linguistic literature
Editorial sources as of 14 July 2026. The information will be cross-checked by subject experts before the website goes live.
Danish FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Danish
Can I have documents translated from Danish into German and from German into Danish?
You can request either direction. We give a binding commitment once we have checked the document type, subject area, certification, appointment and intended use.
Which documents are commonly relevant for Danish?
Civil-status certificates, school and university certificates, employment and business contracts, and medical and technical documents are common examples. Other types of documents can also be assessed from a clear photo or PDF.
What does ABBA-Sprachendienste check in Danish documents?
We check the language combination, document type, script (Latin alphabet), names, stamps, subject area, intended use and whether certification may be needed.
Do I need a certified translation of my Danish document?
That is decided by the authority, court or notary receiving the document, or by whichever other office has requested it. Tell ABBA-Sprachendienste where the document will be submitted, so that your requirements can be assessed properly.
Is a photo enough for the initial check?
Yes. A complete, sharp and clearly legible photo or PDF is usually enough for us to check your request and prepare a quote. Depending on the job, the original may also be needed later, when the work is carried out.
Request a specific review of Danish ↔ German
Send a clear photo or PDF. ABBA-Sprachendienste will personally check the language combination, document, intended use and whether certification is needed.
