How to Say “Of Course” in Danish

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selvfølgelig
[sɛlˈføljəli]
The English phrase "of course" can be translated into Danish as selvfølgelig.
selvfølgelig is used to indicate enthusiastic agreement or to confirm that a request is granted. It can also be used as a standalone response to a question.
Meaning: indicates enthusiastic agreement (intj)

What does it mean word for word?

The word selvfølgelig is composed of selv (self), følge (follow) and the adverbial suffix -lig (ly), meaning "self-following" or "a matter of course".

Which one should you use?

While selvfølgelig is the standard way to express "of course", it is more emphatic and certain than the casual word jo, which is used to express that something is already known or obvious.

Did you know?

  • Danes may use selvfølgelig sarcastically to imply that the answer to a question is so obvious that the question itself was unnecessary.
  • In fast spoken Danish, selvfølgelig is often shortened to selvfølg'lig or even selvfølg' in very informal contexts to speed up the agreement.
  • Using selvfølgelig in a professional setting can sometimes sound overly assertive or dominant compared to a simple ja.

Examples in context

  • Selvfølgelig må du det.
    Of course, you may.
    This sentence shows how to use selvfølgelig to grant permission.
    Tatoeba #7271771 by danepo, translation #30544 by Mediabat
  • Selvfølgelig kan du det.
    Of course you can.
    This sentence demonstrates using selvfølgelig to express ability.
    Tatoeba #7271780 by danepo, translation #4490533 by Joseph
  • Du har selvfølgelig ret.
    You're right, of course.
    This sentence shows how to use selvfølgelig to confirm a fact.
    Tatoeba #8657472 by danepo, translation #2545646 by CK
  • 18 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Freja and Mikkel are planning a trip to the beach.

  1. Freja

    Vil du med til stranden?
    Do you want to come to the beach?
  2. Mikkel

    Selvfølgelig, det lyder skønt!
    Of course, that sounds wonderful!
  3. Freja

    Skal jeg tage snacks med?
    Should I bring snacks?
  4. Mikkel

    Ja, det vil være dejligt.
    Yes, that would be lovely.

Sources

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Sonia Beatrice
Sonia BeatriceHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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