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Norwegian · Danish · for English speakers

Norwegian vs Danish: which should you learn?

A side-by-side comparison of Norwegian and Danish: how hard each is, how long it takes, where you can use it and who each suits.

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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team

Norwegian vs Danish at a glance

Norwegian compared with Danish
FeatureNorwegianDanish
Written inLatin alphabet (same as English)Latin alphabet (same as English)
Difficulty for English speakersClosest to EnglishClosest to English
Hours to working proficiencyabout 700about 700
Time at 15 minutes a day7.7 years7.7 years
Time at 30 minutes a day3.8 years3.8 years
Time at 1 hour a day1.9 years1.9 years
HelloHeiHej
Thank youTakkTak

Estimates for a native English speaker, following the US Foreign Service Institute’s groupings. Languages the Institute does not rank are placed beside their closest relatives. Your own pace will differ.

Choose Norwegian if...

  • You want very regular grammar and a good base for reading Swedish and Danish.
  • You will use it in Norway.

Watch out for: dialects vary a lot, and Norwegians often switch to English.

Choose Danish if...

  • You want simple grammar and a gateway to the other Scandinavian languages.
  • You will use it in Denmark and Greenland.

Watch out for: pronunciation is soft and swallowed, so listening practice matters most.

Pronunciation and grammar: what to expect

Norwegian. dialects vary a lot, and Norwegians often switch to English

Danish. pronunciation is soft and swallowed, so listening practice matters most

In both, the quickest fix for pronunciation is the same: hear a whole sentence, say it out loud and check how close you were. That is the loop 4ToSpeak runs on every sentence.

Which first, Norwegian or Danish?

Norwegian and Danish are close relatives, so a lot carries over. Learn one, and the second takes noticeably fewer hours than starting from scratch. Start with whichever you will use sooner.

If you cannot decide, start both for a week at 15 minutes a day. After seven days you will know which one you look forward to, and motivation matters more than the difference in hours.

Start Norwegian or start Danish, both free with no card.

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FAQ

Questions, answered

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Is Norwegian or Danish easier to learn?

Norwegian and Danish are a close call for English speakers: both take about 700 hours to reach working proficiency, so pick by where you will use it. Difficulty is for native English speakers and follows the US Foreign Service Institute's groupings.

Should I learn Norwegian or Danish first?

Learn Norwegian first if you want very regular grammar and a good base for reading Swedish and Danish. Learn Danish first if you want simple grammar and a gateway to the other Scandinavian languages. Norwegian and Danish are close relatives, so a lot carries over. Learn one, and the second takes noticeably fewer hours than starting from scratch. Start with whichever you will use sooner.

Can I learn Norwegian and Danish at the same time?

You can, but their similarity makes them easy to mix up. Most learners do better by getting Norwegian to a comfortable level first and then adding Danish, which will feel much faster.

How long does it take to learn Norwegian compared with Danish?

At 30 minutes a day, Norwegian takes about 3.8 years to reach working proficiency and Danish about 3.8 years. Holding a first simple conversation takes far less in either.

Related guides

More on Norwegian and Danish

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