kaffe
/ˈkɑfə/common gender
The English word "coffee" is kaffe in Danish.
kaffe is used to refer to the beverage. When ordering, you can use the phrase En kop kaffe tak to say "A cup of coffee, please."
Meaning: beverage (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word kaffe is a common-gender noun. To say "a coffee", use the indefinite form en kaffe. To say "the coffee", use the definite form kaffen. The genitive form for "the coffee's" is kaffens.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkɑfə/
Did you know?
- Danes have a tradition called kaffemik, a casual open-house gathering where guests drop in for kaffe and cake without a fixed start or end time.
- In Denmark, the concept of hygge is often physically manifested through a cup of kaffe and a piece of cake, making the beverage a cultural symbol of coziness rather than just a caffeine source.
- Historically, the Danish government tried to curb kaffe consumption by taxing it heavily in the 18th century, though it remained wildly popular.
Examples in context
- Her er din kaffe.Here's your coffee.This sentence shows how to present kaffe to someone.Tatoeba #7068512 by danepo, translation #5832532 by OsoHombre
- Toms kaffe er god.Tom's coffee is good.This sentence is useful for describing the quality of the kaffe.Tatoeba #8591468 by danepo, translation #8591466 by CK
- Han vil lave kaffe.He'll make coffee.This sentence uses the verb for making kaffe.Tatoeba #5941968 by danepo, translation #5939922 by bretsky
- En kop sort kaffe, takOne cup of black coffee, please.
- Ja tak, en kop kaffeYes, please, a cup of coffee.
- 250 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are meeting at a cafe.
- NoahVil du have en kop kaffe?Do you want a cup of coffee?
- MetteJa tak, det vil jeg gerne.Yes please, I would like that.
- NoahJeg køber kaffen til os begge.I will buy the coffee for both of us.
- MetteDet er meget sødt af dig, Noah.That is very sweet of you, Noah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee” translations and entries kaffe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
