hej
/hɑj/
hej is the Danish way to say hey in Danish.
hej is a common and versatile way to say hello in Danish suitable for both formal and informal situations.
Meaning: informal greeting (intj)
Which one should you use?
Hejsa is a popular informal greeting derived from hej, and Hvad så literally means 'What then' but is used as an informal greeting, especially among younger people.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hej is a common, informal way to say 'hi' or 'hello' in Danish. In contrast, Goddag is a formal greeting that translates to 'good day'.
How do you pronounce it?
/hɑj/
Did you know?
- While hej is a greeting, it is also the standard word used to say 'goodbye' in Denmark. You will often hear people say 'hej hej' when leaving a room.
- In Denmark, it is common to accompany a greeting like hej with a slight nod or a wave, but kissing on the cheek is reserved for close friends and family.
- The word hej may have its origins in the Old Norse word hei, which was an exclamation used to grab attention, much like the English 'hey'.
Examples in context
- Hej du, sæt farten ned!Hey, slow down!This sentence shows how to use hej to get someone's attention.Tatoeba #3555185 by danepo, translation #3554565 by Objectivesea
- Hej, rør ikke ved noget!Hey, don't touch anything!This sentence demonstrates using hej as an exclamation.Tatoeba #3425055 by danepo, translation #2271408 by CK
- Hej alle sammen, hør efter!Hey everybody, listen up!This sentence shows how to use hej when addressing a group.Tatoeba #3524639 by danepo, translation #2650916 by meerkat
- Hallo, hvad laver du?Hey, what are you up to?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mikkel and Emma meet on the street.
- MikkelHej, Emma!Hey, Emma!
- EmmaHej Mikkel, hvordan går det?Hey Mikkel, how are you?
- MikkelDet går fint, tak.It's going well, thanks.
- EmmaDet er godt at høre.That is good to hear.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
