Danish Numbers Made Easy: A Beginner’s Guide for Expats 2026

Kristian

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Updated July 22, 2026

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Basics of Danish Numbers

You only need two practical things first: the sounds for 1-10, and the habit of saying the unit before the ten for numbers above 20. If you feel shy about pronunciation, use short listening-and-repeat drills and practise while doing small tasks like counting stairs or cutlery.

Pronunciation Guide for Numbers 1-10

Practice tip: say 1-5 slowly, then faster. Record one short clip on your phone and compare with native speech. Focus less on perfect vowels and more on the rhythm and linking of sounds; Danish is often reduced in casual speech.

Counting in Danish: 11-20

Teens are mostly regular – learn the handful of unique words and their endings, then practise them in short sets.

Pronunciation and Usage of Numbers 11-20

• 11: elleve (EL-leh-veh)
• 12: tolv (tolv)
• 13: tretten (TREH-ten)
• 14: fjorten (FYOR-ten)
• 15: femten (FEM-ten)
• 16: seksten (SEKS-ten)
• 17: sytten (SY-ten)
• 18: atten (AH-ten)
• 19: nitten (NEE-ten)
• 20: tyve (TUE-veh)

Usage note: you will hear these in ages, prices and phone numbers. Drill them by saying the base number (tre, fire) then add the teen ending (-ten) so the pattern becomes automatic.

Beyond 20: Large Numbers

From 21 up you switch to unit + “og” + ten (en-og-tyve). The tens themselves often look unfamiliar – memorise the names of the tens and practise forming combinations.

How to Form Numbers 21-100 in Danish

• 21-29: unit + og + tyve – enogtyve (21), toogtyve (22), treogtyve (23).
• Tens to memorise: 30 tredive; 40 fyrre; 50 halvtreds; 60 tres; 70 halvfjerds; 80 firs; 90 halvfems.
• Examples: 31 = enogtredive, 46 = seksogfyrre, 57 = syvoghalvtreds, 99 = nioghalvfems.
• 100: hundrede (et hundrede or simply hundrede in counting contexts); 200 = to hundrede, 1,000 = tusind.

Formation rule: say the unit first, then og (and), then the ten: “seksogtredive” = 36. Because some tens come from an older base-20 system, the words for 50, 70 and 90 don’t follow English logic and need memorising.

Pronunciation Tips for Larger Numbers

• Break long numbers into pieces when you speak: en – og – tyve (21).
• Say the “og” quickly – native speakers often run the unit and “og” together so the whole word sounds fast.
• Make flashcards for the odd tens: halvtreds (50), halvfjerds (70), halvfems (90) and practise them in set drills.

Numbers in Everyday Use

Knowing the conventions is as important as knowing words. Dates, times and prices follow Danish habits that differ from English.

Using Numbers in Dates and Time

Dates: spoken with ordinals – “den første maj” – and written as day.month (1.5. or 01.05). Use ordinals for bookings and appointments.

Time: formal contexts use the 24-hour clock (15:00 = klokken femten). Informal speech commonly uses phrases like “kvart over” (quarter past), “kvart i” (quarter to) and “halv” where “halv ni” means 8:30 – literally “half nine” = half an hour before nine.

Note: clocks change with seasonal daylight adjustments; if you need practical guidance to the switch see Daylight Saving Time in Denmark for timing and tips.

Numbers in Shopping

Prices are in kroner (kr.). Danes write decimals with a comma: 12,50 kr. If you must say a price, either read each digit (e.g., “to – tre – fem”) or practise the full spoken amount: 325 kr = “tre hundrede femogtyve kroner”. In shops you will mostly pay by card, but saying prices correctly helps avoid confusion.

Other Daily Activities Involving Numbers

Transport: pay attention to bus and train numbers, platform numbers (spor) and departure times. Banking and phone numbers are usually read digit by digit; spell slowly if someone asks you to confirm a number.

Common Phrases Involving Numbers

• “Hvor meget koster det?” – How much does it cost?
• “Hvad er klokken?” – What time is it?
• “Jeg vil gerne have to af disse.” – I would like two of these.
• Combine numbers with basic greetings to start interactions smoothly – see tips on how to greet someone in Danish.
• To sound more local, try a few idiomatic numeric sayings from the Danish sayings collection.

Special Number Forms

Cardinals name quantities; ordinals name position. You will use ordinals for dates, floors and meeting orders.

Usage and Pronunciation of Ordinal Numbers

• 1st: første (FUR-steh)
• 2nd: anden (AN-den)
• 3rd: tredje (TREH-yeh)
• 4th: fjerde (FYER-deh)
• 5th: femte (FEM-teh)
• 6th: sjette (SYE-teh)
• 7th: syvende (SY-ven-deh)
• 8th: ottende (OT-en-deh)
• 9th: niende (NEE-en-deh)
• 10th: tiende (TEE-en-deh)
• 11th-12th: ellevte, tolvte; 21st: enogtyvende

Ordinals often add -e or -te; some are irregular, so practise the common ones you will use most (dates, floors, meetings).

Special Cases and Applications

Floor numbering: many buildings use ground floor (stueetage) followed by 1., 2., etc. Phone numbers and CPR/bank numbers are read digit by digit. Years are usually spoken as a full number (e.g., “to tusind fireogtyve”) but spoken forms can vary by age group and context.

Danish Numbers in Practical Scenarios

Here are short, ready-to-use phrases for situations you will face. Say them aloud before you need them.

Ordering Food at a Restaurant

• “Jeg vil gerne have to kopper kaffe og tre sandwiches, tak.” – I would like two cups of coffee and three sandwiches, please.
• To ask for the bill: “Kan jeg få regningen, tak?” then confirm the amount with “Hvad er det i alt?” If you want to try local dishes while practising, browse suggestions on traditional Danish food.

Shopping for Groceries

• “Jeg skal have fem æbler og to brød, tak.” – I need five apples and two loaves of bread.
• If a price is unclear ask: “Hvad koster den/det?” then repeat the number slowly back to confirm.

Asking for Directions

• “Hvor er bus nummer fire?” – Where is bus number four?
• If someone gives a time use the 24-hour form back to them to avoid confusion: “Så afgår den klokken 14:30?”

Making a Hotel Reservation

• “Jeg vil gerne reservere et værelse i tre nætter fra den 5. juni.” – I would like to reserve a room for three nights from 5 June.

At the Train Station

• “Hvornår afgår toget nummer enogtyve?” – When does train number twenty-one depart?
• Listen for platform numbers (spor) and practise saying departure times: “Toget afgår klokken 14.45.”

Tips for Memorizing and Practicing Numbers

Short, focused routines beat long sessions. Use drills, real-life practice and helpful tech.

1. Daily drills: 5-10 minutes of counting aloud (forward and backward) and random number recall.
2. Context practice: name prices, read bus numbers and measure ingredients in Danish while cooking.
3. Use technology: try apps with speaking exercises – see recommended apps for learning Danish for pronunciation drills and short exercises.
4. Language exchange: role-play shopping and travel scenarios with a partner who corrects your numbers.

Repetition and Consistent Practice

• Create small flashcard sets for 1-10, 11-20 and the tens (30, 40, 50, …), and review a set each morning.
• Gradually add random three-digit numbers to increase recall speed.

Engage in Real-Life Practice

• Order in Danish at a cafe or bakery – short real transactions are the fastest way to internalise numbers.
• Combine a greeting with your order to make the exchange feel natural; check how to greet someone in Danish if you need a quick opener.

Use Technology and Resources

• Ten minutes on an app every day builds recognition; see our list of apps for learning Danish for options that include pronunciation feedback.
• Children’s videos and simple podcast episodes use clear speech and frequent repetition of numbers.

Incorporate Numbers into Language Exchanges

• Ask partners to quiz you on prices, times and platform numbers. Role-play buying tickets or reserving tables.

Set Realistic Goals

• Week 1: master 1-20 and key time phrases (halv, kvart over/i).
• Week 2: learn formation for 21-99 and practise the irregular tens until they feel automatic.
• Keep a small reward system – use a new number phrase out loud each day.