People moving to a foreign country face a number of challenges. From adapting to a new culture and prospecting for job opportunities to creating a new social circle, the list goes on and on.
Relocating to Denmark is no exception.However, if you're able to pick up the language quickly, all of these processes will become much more manageable.
READ MORE: The seven stages of learning Danish every foreigner goes through
While many people start this journey by joining a language course, many language students heed the advice of their teachers and pair these classes with websites and apps that enhance their language learning experience.
By regularly using such digital platforms, you'll likely notice improvements in both pronunciation and your vocabulary – not to mention that these options are convenient, interactive, and often free of charge.
1. DR, DRTV, and online channels
You can find a number of free-to-access TV programs in Danish – a lot of them are subtitled – both as part of the standard broadcasting and online.
Some language schools recommend beginners start with DR Ramasjang and Ultra, Danish TV aimed at children and teens that can be easier to follow than some adult programmes. Starting with UltraNyt, a children's news programme, might be the best option for beginners.
If you're looking for more advanced news and information on what's happening in the country, consider checking out Danish channels with online programs, such as TV 2 News, TV 3, and DR1.
Note that you can also use the DRTV app to access all of their programmes.
2. Language learning apps
The interactivity and ease of access that comes with digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers has led to a significant increase in the popularity of language learning apps in recent years.
Conventional language courses cannot compare to the convenience of language learning apps. These digital solutions offer students the flexibility to access them at their preferred time and location without any limitations.
The heavy hitters in the industry include Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise, all of which have quite extensive Danish courses. Most offer a lot of free content (usually, the first lesson or two), with Duolingo coming out on top as it's free to use, but ad-supported (you have the option to pay to increase functionalities and remove ads).
When it comes to depth, Babbel can perhaps offer more than Duolingo.
3. Podcasts
Offering an immersive language learning experience, podcasts can help regular listeners expand their vocabulary and improve their pronunciation and listening skills.
The fact that you can access them virtually whenever and wherever – whether you're commuting to work or waiting in line at the store – is also a significant draw for many students.
The Sara & Monopolet podcast from DR is a great podcast for students at the intermediate and advanced levels. In it, the host Sara Bro hosts different well-known guests on a weekly basis, with the goal of helping listeners solve a wide range of dilemmas. Note that it's pretty long (roughly 1 hour and 40 minutes per episode).
In the 30-minute Baglandet ("back country" in Danish) podcasts, you'll dive into hard-hitting stories from people of diverse backgrounds and experiences living in Denmark. The objective of Baglandet is to bring attention to individuals who have faced the repercussions of specific political choices.
While not technically a podcast, the Danish 101 language course is a highly developed and popular language learning program (covering levels from beginners to advanced) in podcast format, so we're including it in this section. One of the advantages of Danish 101 is its approach - the text is initially spoken, followed by a slower repetition, and then reinforced with a translation.
Other interesting podcasts include Det Forenede Kongerige (covering the British music scene), Hvem er... (deep dives on individuals behind some of Denmark's most renowned music), and you can also use the news subscription app Zetland to access a news podcast about the most important news of the day.
4. YouTube resources
You can find many Danish language schools, teachers, and tutors dedicated to spreading both knowledge and the love of the Danish language on YouTube.
Channels such as Danish Mastery, Learn Danish with DanishClass101.com, and David Jørgensen's videos have several lessons most students can stand to benefit from, as long as they take the time to follow along regularly and by paying close attention to the classes.
5. Online textbook, grammar, dictionary, and vocabulary resources
While YouTube lessons are quite convenient, if you're looking for more structured exercises and lessons, you can also find several Danish language textbooks and grammar guides online.
Grammar Explorer has both text and audio materials, and you can access this Danish grammar book online as long as you have Adobe Flash Player installed on your device. If you're struggling with conjugation, you can use the Verbix conjugator to improve your knowledge of Danish verbs. Learn Danish 101 also offers useful grammar guides online.
Need help with learning new words in Danish? You can always improve your vocabulary by using Quizlet, a website and app which help users develop their Danish vocabulary by using flashcards, or Cram, which has an extensive list of flashcards too.
There is also a number of dictionaries and encyclopedias available online, such as the Lexilogos Danish-English Dictionary, the FreeDict Danish-English Dictionary, the Danish Dictionary, and the Danish-English Dictionary from Oxford University – to mention just a few.
6. Danish Here and Now
The Danish Ministry for Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs developed a free online Danish course for beginners – Danish Here and Now.
It consists of 12 lessons, and each lesson has five chapters. Note that the course is intended to serve as an introduction to the language, and it will likely not be as useful to advanced users.
Still, it's a great resource if you are looking for a place to start learning Danish.
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