Ways to say it
| Danish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sprog | /sprɔːˀɣ/ | neuter |
| mål | /mɔːl/ | |
| tunge | [ˈtˢɔŋə] (narrow) | common gender |
| tungemål | common gender |
The term 'language' refers to a body of words used for communication. While sprog is the standard term, mål is often used in more technical or linguistic contexts to refer to a specific tongue or dialect. To refer specifically to your 'mother tongue' or 'native language', you should use the compound word modersmål.
What does it mean word for word?
The word tunge literally means 'tongue' and serves as the root for the more formal term tungemål, which refers to a mother tongue or native language.
How does it change in a sentence?
To create the definite form 'the language', add the suffix '-et' to sprog to get sproget. For the definite plural 'the languages', use sprogene.
How do you pronounce it?
/sprɔːˀɣ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When you want to say 'mother tongue' or 'native language', do not use a literal translation of 'mother language'. Instead, use the compound word modersmål.
Did you know?
- Danish has two different words for 'heavy' and 'tongue' that are both spelled tunge, despite having entirely different origins.
- The word mål can have two completely unrelated meanings depending on the context: it can mean 'language' or it can mean 'measure' and 'size'.
Examples in context
- Frisisk er et sprog.Frisian is a language.This sentence shows how to identify a specific language using sprog.Tatoeba #12782133 by danepo, translation #12782078 by Tom9358
- Latin er et dødt sprog.Latin is a dead language.This sentence uses sprog to describe the status of a language.Tatoeba #476898 by danepo, translation #379238 by CK
- Ét sprog er aldrig nok.One language is never enough.This sentence illustrates the use of sprog when discussing quantities of languages.Tatoeba #693881 by danepo, translation #614312 by Eldad
- Han har stor viden om forskellige tungemål.He has great knowledge of different languages.
- Jeg elsker at lære nye tunger.I love learning new languages.
- 125 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mette and Noah are talking about their studies at a language school.
- MetteHvilket sprog lærer du?Which language are you learning?
- NoahJeg lærer et nyt sprog.I am learning a new language.
- MetteEr det et svært sprog?Is it a difficult language?
- NoahJa, det er et svært sprog.Yes, it is a difficult language.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “language” translations and entries sprog, mål, tunge, tungemål, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mål, sprog, tunge, tungemål, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
