The importance of learning Danish
Although a large majority of the Danes are very good at English and English is the corporate language at many workplaces, the Danish language has great cultural significance to the Danes. Speaking Danish helps to create a sense of unity among Danes and fosters a feeling of belonging to a shared community.
Therefore, speaking some amount of Danish will help you make contact with the Danes socially – it is a great icebreaker to try greeting people in their own language even though you may continue the conversation in English. And if you want to make a career in Denmark after graduation, it may even be a requirement to land a job – perhaps not to be able to fulfil the job itself, but to be able to integrate socially at the workplace.
Options for studying Danish in Denmark
Once you have decided to study Danish, you need to find out how! It can seem overwhelming to start studying a new language if you have just arrived in Denmark and are also new at your study programme. However, we recommend getting started as soon as possible. You could even prepare by taking an online course before arrival, for example on the free Duolingo platform.
VIA also offers Onboarding Camp, a camp just before study start for new international students with a thorough introduction to the Danish language, culture and career options. After the camp, it is possible to continue taking Danish lessons on campus at times that fit into the schedule of your study programme. These courses are operated by Sprogcenter Midt and usually begins in September right after study start.
Sprogcenter Midt also offers Danish courses off campus. Find Sprogcenter Midt’s Danish courses for VIA students in Herning and in Horsens. There are also other providers such as Lær Dansk and Clavis. If you live in Aarhus, A2B offers Danish lessons for VIA students at Skjoldhøj Kollegiet.
Tips for success in learning Danish
If you want to become really good at Danish, it is a good idea to practice often, ideally every day. Make an effort to speak Danish to/with your Danish classmates, teachers, colleagues, the cashier in the super market even though it may be easier for everyone to just switch to English. The more you practice, the better you get.
You could also sign up for an extracurricular activity – sports, film club, boardgame association or the like (more on associations and social life on VIA’s campuses here) – to meet Danes to practice your Danish with, or make a Danish study group/conversation club with some of your fellow international students.