vær så venlig og tak
The phrase "please and thank you" in Danish is vær så venlig og tak.
This phrase is a polite combination used when making a request and expressing gratitude simultaneously.
What does it mean word for word?
The literal translation of vær så venlig og tak is "be so kind and thanks".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
vær så venlig og tak is quite formal and is more common in written instructions or very polite, old-fashioned speech than in casual daily conversation. If you want to say "Please" in a formal context, you can use Vær venlig. For an informal context, use Vær sød to mean "Please" or Gider du to mean "Would you please".
Did you know?
- The word tak shares a surprising ancestry with the Middle Low German word for a 'twig' or 'branch', tacke.
- In daily life, Danes often use tak at the end of a request to serve as the word 'please'.
- If you are asking a friend for a favor, you would say Vær sød, which translates to 'be sweet' rather than 'be kind'.
Example conversation
Lucas asks Mette to pass him a glass of water.
- LucasKan du give mig vandet, vær så venlig og tak?Can you give me the water, please and thank you?
- MetteJa, selvfølgelig, Lucas.Yes, of course, Lucas.
- LucasDet er meget sødt af dig.That is very sweet of you.
- MetteDet var ikke noget, Mette siger.It was nothing, Mette says.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries og, så, tak, venlig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
