sej
The English word cool translates to sej in Danish.
To express excitement, enthusiasm or approval, you can also use the word Fedt. Additionally, the word Lækkert is a colloquial way to say something is 'delicious', but it is also used informally to mean 'cool', 'awesome' or 'great'.
Meaning: having a slightly low temperature (adj)
Which one should you use?
While sej means 'cool' in a slang sense (awesome/great), kølig is the word used to describe a slightly low temperature.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Copenhagen and other urban areas, young Danes often use the English word 'cool' itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form seje is used for plural nouns or when the noun is in the definite form.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use kølig to mean 'awesome' or 'cool' in a social sense. In Danish, kølig refers only to temperature or a person's calm/detached demeanor.
Did you know?
- If you want to express that something is extremely 'cool' or 'awesome', you might use the word fedt, which literally translates to 'fat'.
- The word sej is related to the concept of being 'tough' or 'persistent', as it stems from a root meaning 'viscous' or 'thick' in the sense of something that is hard to break.
- Using kølig to describe a person's demeanor means they are detached or emotionally distant. Unlike the English 'cool', which can be positive, kølig often implies a lack of warmth.
Examples in context
- Tom er rigtig sej.Tom is really cool.This sentence shows how to use sej to describe a person.Tatoeba #1878053 by danepo, translation #1877492 by CK
- Vil du se noget sejt?Do you want to see something cool?This sentence shows how to use sejt.Tatoeba #3243978 by danepo, translation #3243929 by Hybrid
- Det er en sej motorcykel.That's a cool motorcycle.This sentence shows how to use sej to describe a noun.Tatoeba #4482709 by danepo, translation #3594034 by CK
- Det ser virkelig fedt udIt looks really cool
- Det er virkelig fedt!That is really cool!
- Det lyder rigtig niceThat sounds really cool
- Wow, det ser lækkert ud!Wow, that looks cool!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking about the weather outside.
- LucasEr det ikke lidt sej luft i dag?Isn't the air a bit cool today?
- EmmaJa, jeg tror, jeg tager en jakke på.Yes, I think I'll put on a jacket.
- LucasDet er faktisk ret sejt udenfor.It is actually quite cool outside.
- EmmaDet er perfekt vejr til en gåtur.It is perfect weather for a walk.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
