hej
/hɑj/
The Danish phrase hej means hello or hi.
hej is a common greeting used to say hello or hi in almost all daily situations.
Which one should you use?
While hej is a standard, friendly greeting, doubling the word to hej hej changes the meaning from a greeting to a common, informal way to say goodbye. In contrast to the formal goddag (good day), hej is the standard choice for friendly interactions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hej is considered an informal greeting used with friends, colleagues and even strangers in casual settings. For a slightly more informal variant, you can use hejsa. Use goddag if you are in a professional or very stiff social context.
How do you pronounce it?
/hɑj/
Did you know?
- The word hej may have been influenced by the English word 'hi' during its development.
- If you repeat the goodbye phrase hej hej multiple times in a row, you will sound like you are speaking to a toddler or a puppy rather than an adult.
- Despite its informal nature, you can use hej to greet your boss or a professor, reflecting the deeply egalitarian structure of Danish society.
Examples in context
- Hej, hvordan går det?Hello, how is it going?
- Hej med dig!Hello to you!
- Hej alle sammen.Hello everyone.
Example conversation
Lucas and Freja meet at a cafe.
- LucasHej, Freja!Hi, Freja!
- FrejaHej, Lucas! Hvad laver du her?Hi, Lucas! What are you doing here?
- LucasJeg skal bare have en kaffe.I'm just getting a coffee.
- FrejaDet lyder hyggeligt.That sounds cozy.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hej, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hej, CC BY-SA 4.0.
