Locale Da 001

Reference data for the Danish locale — endonym Dansk, written in the Latin script, left-to-right (LTR).

Identifiers

• BCP 47 tag: da-001
• ISO 639-1: da
• ISO 639-3: dan
• Script: Latn (Latin)
• Region: 001 (World)
• Text direction: ltr — left-to-right (LTR)

Speakers (approximate)

• L1 (native): 5,600,000
• L2 (additional): 300,000
• L1+L2 (total): 5,900,000

Regional variants

This is the base/macro locale for Danish. Region-specific variants in this dataset:

• Locale Da Dk (Danish (Denmark))

Pluralization

CLDR plural categories for this locale: one, other (2 forms).

• one — n = 1 or t != 0 and i = 0,1 (e.g. 1)
• other — everything else (e.g. 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, …)

See Unicode Messageformat for writing plural messages using these categories.

Translating into this locale

Danish is regulated in spelling by Dansk Sprognævn (the Danish Language Council), whose Retskrivningsordbogen is the official spelling dictionary. See Locale Da Dk.

Translate ideas, not words.

• Danish is direct, informal, and unpretentious. English marketing hype and flowery politeness sound exaggerated; use plain, factual language.
• Danish writes compound nouns as one word ("brugerkonto", "kaffekop"). Splitting compounds under English influence ("bruger konto") is the most visible error in translated text ("særskrivning").
• English noun stacks become compounds or prepositional phrases: "user account settings" is "indstillinger for brugerkonto" or "kontoindstillinger".
• Re-express idioms by meaning: "it's a piece of cake" is "det er en leg" or "det er børnelære".
• English passive constructions often become active or "man" forms ("Filen blev slettet" is fine; avoid long passive chains).

Grammar that trips translators.

• Two genders: common (en) and neuter (et). The definite article is a suffix ("en bog, bogen", "et hus, huset"), with a separate article before an adjective ("den store bog").
• Verb second in main clauses; verbs do not change with the person ("jeg er", "du er", "vi er").
• Plural endings (-er, -e, -r, or none) are irregular; check a dictionary.
• "Der" is the existential subject ("Der er en fejl"); reflexive possessive "sin/sit/sine" is used when the owner is the subject.

Register.

• "Du" is used to everyone, including customers and superiors. The polite "De" is archaic and now found only in formal letters or older generations. Do not use "De" in UI.
• UI commands use the imperative ("Gem") or the infinitive ("Gem ændringer"); follow the project convention.

Orthography and typography.

• The letter "å" (since 1948) replaced "aa", except in some names; nouns are written in lowercase (since 1948). Keep æ, ø, and å.
• Quotation marks »…« or „…“; follow the publication; decimal comma, period for thousands; dates "17. oktober 2026"; 24-hour clock ("kl. 17.30"); currency "12,50 kr.".
• Months, days, and nationalities are lowercase. Titles use sentence case.

Common pitfalls

• Splitting compounds ("særskrivning").
• Using "De" or overly polite language.
• False friends: "eventuel" is "possible", "bekomme" is "to agree with" (not "to receive"), "gift" means married or poison.
• English capitalization and date formats.
• Overusing English loanwords where Danish has a term.

Learn more

• Locale for BCP 47 identifiers, locale-sensitive formatting, pluralization, and text-direction concepts that apply across all locales.
• Unicode Messageformat for writing plural/selection messages correctly for this locale's grammar.
• Dansk Sprognævn, Retskrivningsordbogen (https://sproget.dk)
• Microsoft Localization Style Guide, Danish (https://aka.ms/danish-styleguide)