København
/købənˈhɑwˀn/
Copenhagen in Danish is København.
København is the name of the capital of Denmark. You can also refer to the city using the formal term Hovedstaden, which means "The Capital".
Meaning: capital of Denmark (name)
Which one should you use?
København is the standard name for the city. For a more formal reference, you can use Hovedstaden. In informal contexts, the acronym KBH is often used.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a proper noun, København does not take an article in Danish, which distinguishes it from how many other cities or countries are treated.
How do you pronounce it?
/købənˈhɑwˀn/
Did you know?
- The name København literally means 'merchants' harbor'. It comes from the Old Danish Køpmannæhafn, which describes the city's origins as a trading port.
- While English speakers say 'Copenhagen', an Icelandic speaker would call the city Kaupmannahöfn. Both names share the same ancient root meaning 'merchants' harbor'.
- The Danish word København contains the letter ø, which represents a vowel sound that does not exist in English.
Examples in context
- København er en cykelvenlig by.Copenhagen is a bike-friendly city.This sentence is useful for describing København as a bike-friendly city.Tatoeba #4684686 by danepo, translation #2195121 by Hybrid
- København er Danmarks hovedstad.Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark.This sentence is useful for stating that København is the capital of Denmark.Tatoeba #2305630 by danepo, translation #1556528 by brymck
- Nogle af mine venner skal til København næste sommer.Some of my friends are going to Copenhagen next summer.This sentence is useful for describing plans to travel to København.Tatoeba #10954013 by danepo, translation #10953999 by sundown
- Jeg bor i KBHI live in Copenhagen
- Jeg elsker at besøge København om sommeren.I love to visit Copenhagen in the summer.
- Hvilken café skal vi besøge i KBH?Which café should we visit in Copenhagen?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mikkel and Freja are planning a trip together.
- MikkelSkal vi tage til København i weekenden?Shall we go to Copenhagen this weekend?
- FrejaJa, det lyder som en god idé.Yes, that sounds like a good idea.
- MikkelJeg kender et fint hotel i København.I know a nice hotel in Copenhagen.
- FrejaDet er perfekt, så booker vi det nu.That's perfect, then we'll book it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “copenhagen” translations and entries København, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries København, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
