What does kondolerer mean?
"Kondolerer" or “at kondolere” is a formal Danish verb that means to express sympathy or offer condolences to someone who has recently lost a loved one. The English equivalent would be “my condolences” or “sorry for your loss”.
Where does kondolerer come from?
The word comes directly from the Latin word condolere. It is formed by combining con- (meaning "together" or "with") and dolere (meaning "to hurt," "ache," or "feel pain"). Literally translated, it therefore means "to suffer together" or to share in someone's pain.
The word began appearing in Danish writing in the 1700s, heavily influenced by French (condoléance). The famous Danish-Norwegian playwright Ludvig Holberg used it in his written works in the 1710s, indicating it was becoming part of the educated, formal vocabulary in Denmark at that time.
Why is kondolerer worth knowing?
Navigating any sort of feeling can be challenging in a foreign language, and grief is absolutely no exception. Knowing this word gives you a culturally safe, respectful, and easy way to approach a grieving Danish person, whether it’s at a funeral, in the workplace, or just in writing on a card.
This is also a great example of a word which tends to be at the centre of a very common grammatical mistake among native Danes. The “r” at the end of the present tense conjugation of kondolerer is silent, making its pronunciation the same as its infinitive at kondolere. Danish people will therefore often write jeg kondolere, which is incorrect. Make sure to write jeg kondolerer: knowing the difference will surely impress a lot of Danes.
Examples
Vi vil gerne kondolere i anledning af kongens død.
“We would like to offer our condolences on the occasion of the king's passing.”
Jeg kondolerer.
“My condolences” (This is the most common, standalone phrase you will use when speaking with a grieving person in Denmark.)
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