What language do they speak in Copenhagen? Danish is the official tongue, but English functions as the city’s unofficial second language, with over 86% of Danes speaking it fluently.
I moved to Copenhagen expecting to drown in Danish. Instead, I spent my first year ordering coffee in English, reading menus in English, and arguing with my bank in English. The question of what language do they speak in Copenhagen has a textbook answer and a street answer. They are not the same thing.
This guide gives you both. I will cover Danish as the official language, the city’s near-native English fluency, and the dozen other tongues you hear on the metro. I will also share what no tourist guide tells you about learning Danish as an expat.
What Language Do They Speak in Copenhagen? The Short Answer
Danish is the official language of Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark. Roughly 6 million people speak it worldwide, according to Ethnologue. Almost all of them live in Denmark, with smaller communities in Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and northern Germany.
English is the dominant second language. Denmark ranked fourth globally in the 2024 EF English Proficiency Index. In Copenhagen, you can live, work, and date entirely in English for years. I know plenty of expats who have.
Danish in Copenhagen: The Official Language Up Close
Danish, or “dansk,” is a North Germanic language. It shares roots with Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Faroese. If you have studied any of those, parts of Danish will feel familiar on paper.
Spoken Danish is a different beast. The Copenhagen accent is fast, mumbled, and famously hard for Swedes and Norwegians to follow. Even Danes joke about it.
Where Danish Comes From
Danish evolved from Old Norse, the language of the Vikings. By the 12th century, Old Danish had split from its Scandinavian cousins. The Reformation in 1536 and the first Danish Bible cemented the modern written standard.
That standard, called “rigsdansk,” is essentially the Copenhagen dialect dressed up for formal occasions. Most national television, including DR, broadcasts in this version. So when you hear Danish on the news, you are hearing a polished version of how Copenhageners speak.
The Copenhagen Dialect (Københavnsk)
The capital has its own subtle variations. Older Copenhageners often use a slightly “flatter” intonation. Younger ones, especially in neighbourhoods like Nørrebro and Vesterbro, mix in Arabic, Turkish, and English slang.
This street version is sometimes called “perkerdansk” or “multietnolekt.” Linguists at the University of Copenhagen have studied it for over a decade. It is the most visible sign that the answer to what language do they speak in Copenhagen is changing in real time.
Why Danish Sounds So Strange
Danish has roughly 40 distinct vowel sounds, depending on who you ask. Linguists at the Max Planck Institute have shown Danish children learn vocabulary slower than other Scandinavian kids. The reason is acoustic mush, not intelligence.
Then there is the “stød,” a glottal stop that can change a word’s meaning entirely. “Hun” with stød means dog. Without it, it means she. Mess this up at a dinner party, and you will hear about it.
What Language Do They Speak in Copenhagen at Work? Mostly English
Copenhagen is one of Europe’s most anglophone non-English capitals. According to Eurostat, around 86% of Danes report speaking English. In Copenhagen, the real number feels closer to 95%.
This is not an accident. Danish kids start English in first grade at age six. They watch undubbed English-language Netflix, listen to English music, and absorb the language by osmosis.
Workplaces That Run on English
Most international companies in Copenhagen operate in English by default. Maersk, Novo Nordisk, Carlsberg, and the entire IT sector hold meetings, write emails, and run Slack in English. You can lead a team here without speaking a word of Danish.
The same goes for academia. The University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen Business School offer dozens of master’s programmes entirely in English. International students often go three years without needing Danish for class, though paperwork is another story.
When English Stops Working
English will get you far. It will not get you everywhere. I learned this the hard way at the kommune, the local municipality office, where forms often arrive in Danish and clerks switch back to Danish under pressure.
The same applies to Danish healthcare, legal documents, and most political news. If you want to vote in local elections, follow the housing market, or understand your tax statement, Danish becomes essential. As reported by The Local Denmark, language barriers remain one of the top reasons expats leave the country.
What Other Languages Do They Speak in Copenhagen?
Copenhagen is more multilingual than its reputation suggests. Roughly 24% of the municipality’s residents have a foreign background, according to Statistics Denmark. Ride the metro from Nørreport to Nørrebro and you will hear a dozen languages in twenty minutes.
Here are the most common languages spoken in Copenhagen beyond Danish and English:
- Arabic: Spoken by Copenhagen’s large communities from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine.
- Turkish: Rooted in the 1960s and 1970s guest worker migration, still vibrant in Nørrebro.
- Polish: One of the fastest-growing immigrant languages since EU enlargement in 2004.
- German: About 47% of Danes have studied it, and Hamburg is closer than Aarhus.
- Swedish and Norwegian: Often mutually intelligible with Danish, especially in writing.
- Urdu: Spoken by the Pakistani community that arrived as guest workers in the 1970s.
- Romanian, Spanish, French, and Italian: Common among EU professionals and students.
- Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) and Faroese: Recognised regional languages of the Kingdom of Denmark.
You will also hear Tagalog from Filipino healthcare workers, Ukrainian from recent arrivals, and Mandarin from a growing Chinese student population. Copenhagen’s soundscape is genuinely cosmopolitan, even if Danes do not always advertise it.
What Language Do They Speak in Copenhagen’s Government and Media?
All official business happens in Danish. Parliament debates, court rulings, and tax forms are Danish first. Some agencies provide English summaries, but the legal text is always Danish.
Media follows a similar pattern. The main newspapers, including Politiken, Berlingske, and Jyllands-Posten, publish in Danish. For English coverage, expats rely on The Copenhagen Post, The Local Denmark, and DR’s English service. There is no Danish equivalent of the BBC operating in English at scale.
What About Greenlandic and Faroese?
Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) and Faroese are co-official languages within their respective territories. Both are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but you rarely hear them on Copenhagen streets. There are small Greenlandic and Faroese communities in the capital, mainly students and workers.
Their presence matters culturally. Copenhagen hosts the Greenlandic House, the Faroese House, and several cultural events each year. If you want a richer answer to what language do they speak in Copenhagen, these communities are part of it.
Should Expats Learn Danish, or Get By in English?
My honest opinion after years here: learn Danish if you plan to stay. You can survive without it. You cannot really belong without it.
Danes are polite, but social circles are tight. Friendships, dinner parties, and workplace banter happen in Danish once Danes outnumber foreigners by two to one. As stated by integration researcher Garbi Schmidt at Roskilde University, language is the single biggest predictor of long-term expat satisfaction in Denmark.
How Hard Is Danish to Learn?
Reading and writing Danish is moderate difficulty for English speakers. The grammar is simpler than German. Vocabulary overlaps with English through shared Germanic roots.
Pronunciation is where expats break. The Foreign Service Institute classifies Danish as Category I, meaning roughly 600 to 750 study hours to reach professional fluency. In practice, most expats I know need two to three years of serious effort to feel comfortable in spoken Danish. For a deeper dive, see our guide on whether Danish is hard to learn.
Where to Learn Danish in Copenhagen
The state-funded language schools, called sprogskoler, are the standard route. Studieskolen, IA Sprog, and UCplus are the main providers in the capital. Most municipalities subsidise the courses heavily for residents with a CPR number.
Outside formal classes, language cafés at Copenhagen’s public libraries are free and surprisingly fun. Apps like Duolingo and Babbel work for vocabulary, but they will not fix your pronunciation. For practical tips on finding the right school, see our piece on learning Danish in Copenhagen for expats.
Quick Facts: What Language Do They Speak in Copenhagen?
- Official language: Danish (dansk), a North Germanic language.
- Native speakers worldwide: Approximately 6 million.
- English proficiency: Denmark ranked 4th globally in the 2024 EF EPI.
- Share of Danes who speak English: Around 86% according to Eurostat.
- Other major languages in Copenhagen: Arabic, Turkish, Polish, German, Urdu, Swedish.
- Co-official languages of the Kingdom: Greenlandic and Faroese.
- Standard Danish dialect: Based on the Copenhagen pronunciation (rigsdansk).
- Hardest feature for learners: The “stød” glottal stop and vowel-heavy phonetics.
Frequently Asked Questions About Language in Copenhagen
What language do they speak in Copenhagen, Denmark?
Danish is the official and most widely spoken language in Copenhagen. English is the most common second language, spoken fluently by around 86% of Danes. You will also hear Arabic, Turkish, Polish, and German in many neighbourhoods.
Can you live in Copenhagen without speaking Danish?
Yes, you can live and work in Copenhagen using only English. Most workplaces, universities, and customer services operate in English. However, integrating socially and handling official paperwork becomes much harder without Danish.
Is English widely spoken in Copenhagen?
English is spoken almost universally in Copenhagen by adults under 60. Denmark consistently ranks in the global top five for English proficiency. Signage, menus, and apps in the city often appear in both Danish and English.
Is Danish similar to Swedish or German?
Danish is closely related to Swedish and Norwegian, and they share much vocabulary and grammar. Written Danish is often readable for Swedes and Norwegians. Spoken Danish is harder because of its compressed pronunciation. Danish is more distantly related to German.
What is the Copenhagen dialect called?
The Copenhagen dialect is called “københavnsk.” It forms the basis of standard Danish, known as “rigsdansk,” used in national media and education. Within the city, younger speakers often mix in Arabic, Turkish, and English influences.
How long does it take to learn Danish?
The US Foreign Service Institute estimates 600 to 750 hours to reach professional proficiency in Danish. Most expats need two to three years of regular study and immersion. Pronunciation usually takes longer than reading and writing.
Do shops and restaurants in Copenhagen speak English?
Almost all shops, restaurants, and cafés in Copenhagen operate comfortably in English. Staff in tourist areas like Nyhavn and Strøget switch to English instantly. Even local bakeries and corner shops typically have at least basic English.
Are Greenlandic and Faroese spoken in Copenhagen?
Yes, but on a small scale. Around 15,000 Greenlanders and several thousand Faroese live in Denmark, many in Copenhagen. Both languages are official in their home territories and have cultural centres in the capital.
Is it rude to speak only English in Copenhagen?
No, Copenhageners rarely take offence at English-speaking visitors or residents. Danes are pragmatic about language and often switch automatically. However, even basic phrases like “tak” and “hej” earn goodwill quickly.
What is the best way to learn Danish in Copenhagen?
The state-subsidised language schools, called sprogskoler, are the standard option. Combine them with language cafés at public libraries and consistent practice with Danish speakers. Daily exposure to Danish radio and television accelerates listening comprehension more than apps do.
