toilet
/toalɛt/neuter
The English phrase 'toilet' is toilet in Danish. Wiktionary also lists wc and toiletkumme.
Meaning: fixture used for urination and defecation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Danish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| toilet | /toalɛt/ /tɔilɛt/ |
neuter |
| wc | /veːseː/ | neuter |
| toiletkumme | common gender |
toilet refers to a fixture used for urination and defecation.
Which one should you use?
While toilet can refer to the room or the fixture, toiletkumme refers specifically to the physical toilet bowl fixture. wc is commonly used on signage in public buildings and restaurants to indicate the location of the toilets.
How does it change in a sentence?
The definite form of toilet is toilettet, which is used when referring to a specific toilet or the concept of 'the bathroom'. The plural form is toiletter. toilet is a neuter noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/toalɛt/
When do people say it?
When asking for the toilet, it is considered courteous to say undskyld (excuse me) before your request.
Did you know?
- The English word 'toilet' shares its distant roots with the French word toile, which means 'cloth'. This is because the word originally referred to a small cloth used to cover or clean a surface.
- If you are looking for a restroom in a public space, you might see the sign Herre or Dame rather than 'men' or 'women'. These are the singular forms of 'gentleman' and 'lady'.
- In very informal Danish settings, people might use the word das, a colloquial term for a toilet that evokes older, outdoor latrines.
Examples in context
- Er der et toilet?Is there a toilet?Tatoeba #12968714 by danepo, translation #9434218 by Nylez
- Jeg er på toilettet.I'm in the toilet.Tatoeba #7063375 by danepo, translation #2304073 by CM
- Jeg skal på toilettet.I have to go to the toilet.Tatoeba #5374540 by danepo, translation #1421916 by CM
- Undskyld mig, hvor er toilettet?Excuse me, where is the toilet?
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Freja and Mads are at a small cafe.
- FrejaHvor er det nærmeste toilet?Where is the nearest toilet?
- MadsDet ligger ude i gangen.It is located in the hallway.
- FrejaTak skal du have.Thank you.
- MadsSelv tak, Freja.You're welcome, Freja.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “toilet” translations and entries toilet, wc, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries toilet, wc, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
