Fluent Fiction - Danish Fluent Fiction Network

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Discovering 'Hygge' in Copenhagen: A Cozy Tale of Friendship
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/discovering-hygge-in-copenhagen-a-cozy-tale-of-friendship

Story Transcript:

Da: I det hjørne af København, hvor husene klæder sig i mange farver, bor Lars.
En: In the corner of Copenhagen, where the houses are dressed in many colors, lives Lars.

Da: En dag ringede hans dørklokke.
En: One day, his doorbell rang.

Da: Der stod en pige.
En: There stood a girl.

Da: Det var Signe.
En: It was Signe.

Da: Signe var fra Australien.
En: Signe was from Australia.

Da: Hun var i København for første gang.
En: She was in Copenhagen for the first time.

Da: Signe havde hørt om noget specielt.
En: Signe had heard about something special.

Da: Noget hun ikke helt forstod.
En: Something she didn't quite understand.

Da: Det var 'hygge'.
En: It was 'hygge'.

Da: "Kan du fortælle mig om 'hygge'?
En: "Can you tell me about 'hygge'?"

Da: ", spurgte hun.
En: she asked.

Da: Lars kiggede på hende.
En: Lars looked at her.

Da: Han smilede.
En: He smiled.

Da: "Kom ind", sagde han.
En: "Come in," he said.

Da: Der var varmt i Lars' hus.
En: It was warm in Lars' house.

Da: Der var også mange lys.
En: There were also many lights.

Da: Certificerede danske hyggebelysning.
En: Certified Danish coziness lighting.

Da: Lysene lavede små skygger på væggene.
En: The lights created small shadows on the walls.

Da: Det var bløde skygger.
En: They were soft shadows.

Da: De gjorde huset hyggeligt.
En: They made the house cozy.

Da: "Se", sagde Lars.
En: "Look," said Lars.

Da: "Dette er 'hygge'".
En: "This is 'hygge'."

Da: Men Signe forstod det ikke helt.
En: But Signe didn't quite understand.

Da: "Er 'hygge' lys?
En: "Is 'hygge' lights?"

Da: ", spurgte hun.
En: she asked.

Da: "Mere end det", sagde Lars.
En: "More than that," said Lars.

Da: Lars åbnede sin bogsamling.
En: Lars opened his book collection.

Da: Han fandt en bog.
En: He found a book.

Da: Det var hans yndlingsbog.
En: It was his favorite book.

Da: Han satte sig i sin bløde stol.
En: He sat in his soft chair.

Da: Signe satte sig ved siden af ham.
En: Signe sat next to him.

Da: Lars begyndte at læse.
En: Lars began to read.

Da: Ordene flød som vand i en flod.
En: The words flowed like water in a river.

Da: De fik Signe til at føle sig varm indeni.
En: They made Signe feel warm inside.

Da: Og her var det, hun begyndte at forstå 'hygge'.
En: And here, she began to understand 'hygge'.

Da: Det var denne følelse.
En: It was this feeling.

Da: "Er 'hygge' bøger?
En: "Is 'hygge' books?"

Da: ", spurgte hun.
En: she asked.

Da: "'Hygge' er også bøger", sagde Lars.
En: "'Hygge' is also books," said Lars.

Da: Derefter viste Lars hende til køkkenet.
En: Then Lars showed her to the kitchen.

Da: Han lavede varm kakao.
En: He made hot cocoa.

Da: Kakaoen duftede sødt.
En: The cocoa smelled sweet.

Da: De drak deres kakao sammen.
En: They drank their cocoa together.

Da: De snakkede og grinte.
En: They talked and laughed.

Da: Nu begyndte Signe at forstå 'hygge'.
En: Now Signe began to...

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Unveiling 'Hygge': A Cozy Journey in Copenhagen
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/unveiling-hygge-a-cozy-journey-in-copenhagen

Story Transcript:

Da: I hjertet af det summende København eksisterer der en lille tryg krog.
En: In the heart of bustling Copenhagen, there exists a small cozy nook.

Da: Her bor Lars.
En: Here lives Lars.

Da: Han elsker sin by.
En: He loves his city.

Da: Brostenene.
En: The cobblestones.

Da: Kanalerne.
En: The canals.

Da: Men mest af alt, han elsker 'hygge'.
En: But most of all, he loves 'hygge'.

Da: I dag skal han forklare 'hygge' til sine venner.
En: Today he will explain 'hygge' to his friends.

Da: Vennerne er ikke fra Danmark.
En: The friends are not from Denmark.

Da: De er fra England, USA og Japan.
En: They are from England, USA, and Japan.

Da: De kender ikke til 'hygge'.
En: They are not familiar with 'hygge'.

Da: Lars tænker, det er mærkeligt.
En: Lars thinks it's strange.

Da: Han starter enkelt.
En: He starts simply. "

Da: " 'Hygge' er en stemning," siger Lars.
En: 'Hygge' is a feeling," says Lars.

Da: "Det er venner, mad og varme.
En: "It's friends, food, and warmth."

Da: " Vennerne nikker, men forstår det ikke rigtigt.
En: The friends nod but don't quite understand.

Da: "Tænk over en kold, mørk aften," starter Lars igen.
En: "Imagine a cold, dark evening," Lars begins again.

Da: "Du er hjemme.
En: "You're at home.

Da: Du har varme sokker på.
En: You have warm socks on.

Da: Du drikker kakao.
En: You're drinking hot cocoa.

Da: Og du griner med venner.
En: And you're laughing with friends."

Da: " Vennerne smiler, men ryster på hovedet.
En: The friends smile but shake their heads.

Da: Fortsætter med, " Vi har det samme, men det er ikke 'hygge'.
En: Continuing, "We have the same, but it's not 'hygge'."

Da: "Lars vil vise dem.
En: Lars wants to show them.

Da: Han inviterer dem hjem.
En: He invites them home.

Da: Han tænder stearinlys.
En: He lights candles.

Da: Han laver varm kakao.
En: He makes hot cocoa.

Da: Han tager deres frakker.
En: He takes their coats.

Da: De snakker.
En: They chat.

Da: De griner.
En: They laugh.

Da: De spiser kager.
En: They eat cakes.

Da: Lars spørger, "Føler I det?
En: Lars asks, "Do you feel it?"

Da: " Vennerne ser rundt.
En: The friends look around.

Da: Så ser de på hinanden.
En: Then they look at each other.

Da: De smiler og nikker.
En: They smile and nod.

Da: "Ja, Lars," siger de, "Nu tror vi, at vi forstår 'hygge'.
En: "Yes, Lars," they say, "Now we believe we understand 'hygge'."

Da: "Lars er glad.
En: Lars is happy.

Da: Det er svært at forklare 'hygge'.
En: It's hard to explain 'hygge'.

Da: Men det er lettere at føle 'hygge'.
En: But it's easier to feel 'hygge'.

Da: Og fungerer bedst med ens venner omkring sig.
En: And it works best with friends around.

Da: København er ikke kun brosten og kanaler.
En: Copenhagen is not just cobblestones and canals.

Da: Det er også 'hygge'.
En: It's also 'hygge'.

Da: Lars siger farvel til sine venner.
En: Lars bids farewell to his friends.

Da: Vennerne går hjem.
En: The friends go home.

Da: De tager...

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Lost in Translation: Decoding Danish Humor Across Continents
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/lost-in-translation-decoding-danish-humor-across-continents

Story Transcript:

Da: Solens stråler dansede på de rødbede-lignende ansigter af Maja og Lars. De stod i midten af Kongens Nytorv, København. De blev forvirrede. Men ikke over vejen de skulle gå. Men over hvordan de skulle forklare dansk humor til en udlænding, som befandt sig tusindvis af kilometer væk på en Skype chat.
En: The sun's rays danced on the beetroot-like faces of Maja and Lars. They stood in the middle of Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen. They were perplexed. Not about the street they had to cross. But about how to explain Danish humor to a foreigner thousands of kilometers away on a Skype chat.

Da: Maja kiggede på Lars. Hans øjne var sprængfyldt med forvirring. Humor er svært, tænkte hun. I særdeleshed dansk humor. Det er som at prøve at forklare farveskalaen til en blind person.
En: Maja looked at Lars. His eyes were filled with confusion. Humor is difficult, she thought. Especially Danish humor. It's like trying to explain color to a blind person.

Da: Hun så på hendes telefon. Hun begyndte at skrive. "Dansk humor...hattes...er svær at forklare," kommer hun ud for. Det var ikke perfekt, men det var et startpunkt.
En: She looked at her phone. She started typing. "Danish humor... hats... is hard to explain," she typed out. It wasn't perfect, but it was a starting point.

Da: Lars kiggede hen over hendes skulder. Han så på de ord, der stod på hendes skærm. Han forstod hendes punkt, men han kunne ikke hjælpe meget. Han kendte bare dansk humor. Han forstod ikke, hvordan det fungerede. Han kunne bare genkende det, når han så det.
En: Lars looked over her shoulder. He read the words on her screen. He understood her point, but he couldn't help much. He just knew Danish humor. He didn't understand how it worked. He could only recognize it when he saw it.

Da: Tiden gik. Maja og Lars talte, grinede, og forsøgte at finde den rette måde at forklare det. De brugte eksempler, skrev lange sætninger, og endda begyndte at tegne billeder. Men de kom ingen vegne. Det var som om de var faret vild i en labyrint.
En: Time passed. Maja and Lars talked, laughed, and tried to find the right way to explain it. They used examples, wrote long sentences, and even started to draw pictures. But they got nowhere. It was as if they were lost in a maze.

Da: Efter flere timer af forsøg og fejl, blev de trætte. De sad i en trappeopgang, udmattede. Så faldt det dem ind. De havde glemt en ting. Humor er universel. Den er ikke begrænset af sprog eller traditioner. Måske er dansk humor bare en del af den universelle humor.
En: After several hours of trial and error, they grew tired. They sat in a stairwell, exhausted. Then it dawned on them. They had forgotten one thing. Humor is universal. It is not limited by language or traditions. Perhaps Danish humor is just part of the universal humor.

Da: Meget tilfredse clickede Maja på Skypes send-knap. "Dansk humor er svær at forklare, fordi det er en del af en større helhed. Det er som et familiemedlem. Du kan ikke altid forstå det. Men du kan altid genkende det."
En: Feeling very satisfied, Maja clicked the send button on Skype. "Danish humor is hard to explain because it is part of a larger whole. It's like a family member. You don't always understand it. But you can always recognize it."

Da: Det var slutningen på deres undervisning i dansk humor for den dag. Det var ikke perfekt. Men det var et skridt på vejen. Og det tæller.
En: That was the end of their lesson in Danish humor for...

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Sweet Mess: A Tale of Pastries and Powdered Sugar in Tivoli
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/sweet-mess-a-tale-of-pastries-and-powdered-sugar-in-tivoli

Story Transcript:

Da: Historien begynder en strålende sommerdag i Tivoli.
En: The story begins on a brilliant summer day in Tivoli.

Da: Mellem de farvestrålende blomster og de gamle træer, der står som vagter rundt om det historiske forlystelsespark, finder vi vores tre hovedpersoner: Lars, Signe og Sofie.
En: Among the colorful flowers and the old trees that stand as guards around the historic amusement park, we find our three main characters: Lars, Signe, and Sofie.

Da: Lars er en høj, skaldet mand på midten af fyrrerne, altid med et lunt smil på læben.
En: Lars is a tall, bald man in his mid-forties, always with a warm smile on his lips.

Da: Signe, hans kone, er en lille, rødhåret kvinde med en energi, der kunne matche selveste Rutchebanen.
En: Signe, his wife, is a petite, red-haired woman with an energy that could match the famous Roller Coaster.

Da: Deres datter, Sofie, er en tiårig pige med krøllet hår og store blå øjne fulde af nysgerrighed og eventyrlyst.
En: Their daughter, Sofie, is a ten-year-old girl with curly hair and big blue eyes full of curiosity and adventurous spirit.

Da: Lars havde lige købt tre stykker wienerbrød fra bageriet lige ved indgangen.
En: Lars had just bought three pastries from the bakery right by the entrance.

Da: De duftede himmelsk af smør og kanel, svøbt i et fint lag puddersukker på toppen.
En: They smelled heavenly of butter and cinnamon, wrapped in a fine layer of powdered sugar on top.

Da: Men alle, der nogensinde har forsøgt at spise et wienerbrød uden at drysse puddersukker, ved, hvor svært det kan være.
En: But anyone who has ever tried to eat a pastry without getting powdered sugar everywhere knows how difficult it can be.

Da: Lars og Signe udvekslede et blik.
En: Lars and Signe exchanged a glance.

Da: De vidste begge, at deres hvide bluser snart ville se ud som en sneboldkamp efter et møde med wienerbrødet.
En: They both knew that soon their white blouses would look like a snowball fight aftermath after meeting the pastry.

Da: Men det sidste, de ville, var at skræmme Sofie fra at smage denne danske delikatesse.
En: But the last thing they wanted to do was to scare Sofie away from tasting this Danish delicacy.

Da: "Så piger," sagde Lars med en dramatisk tone, som om han skulle til at fortælle den mest spændende historie, "vi har en udfordring.
En: "So, girls," Lars said in a dramatic tone, as if about to tell the most exciting story, "we have a challenge.

Da: Hvordan spiser vi disse wienerbrød uden at få puddersukker over det hele?
En: How do we eat these pastries without getting powdered sugar all over?"

Da: "Sofie, med sin uendelige kreativitet, havde en strålende ide.
En: Sofie, with her endless creativity, had a brilliant idea.

Da: "Vi bruger servietterne som skjold," sagde hun triumferende, mens hun straks begyndte at pakke hendes wienerbrød ind i servietterne som en lille burrito.
En: "We use the napkins as shields," she said triumphantly, while immediately starting to wrap her pastry in the napkins like a little burrito.

Da: Lars og Signe smilte stolt og fulgte hendes eksempel.
En: Lars and Signe smiled proudly and followed her lead.

Da: Derinde i servietten lå deres wienerbrød, klar til at blive spist uden at drysse.
En: Inside the napkin lay their pastries, ready to be eaten without sprinkling.
br...

Fluent Fiction - Danish: The Heartwarming Sunday Surprise: A Tale of Kindness in a Crowded Bakery
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/the-heartwarming-sunday-surprise-a-tale-of-kindness-in-a-crowded-bakery

Story Transcript:

Da: Det var søndag formiddag, og solen skinnede over København.
En: It was Sunday morning, and the sun was shining over Copenhagen.

Da: Lars, en hjertevarm mand i hans fyrrerne, havde besluttet at starte dagen uforglemmeligt.
En: Lars, a warm-hearted man in his forties, had decided to start the day unforgettable.

Da: Bageriet ved den ikoniske Rundetårn, kendt for sine velkendte kager, var hans første destination.
En: The bakery at the iconic Round Tower, known for its famous cakes, was his first destination.

Da: Han trådte ind i bageriet.
En: He stepped into the bakery.

Da: Duften af nybagt brød og søde kager fyldte straks luften.
En: The smell of freshly baked bread and sweet cakes filled the air immediately.

Da: Til hans overraskelse så han en kø, der nåede helt ud til døren.
En: To his surprise, he saw a line that reached all the way to the door.

Da: Lars tænkte, at det ville være en lang ventetid, men det var det værd.
En: Lars thought it would be a long wait, but it was worth it.

Da: Hans mund vandede bare ved tanken om de lækre kager.
En: His mouth watered just at the thought of the delicious cakes.

Da: Køen bevægede sig langsomt.
En: The line moved slowly.

Da: Folk snakkede, nogle klagede, mens andre bare nød aromaen.
En: People talked, some complained, while others just enjoyed the aroma.

Da: Børnene hoppede rundt utålmodigt, mens deres forældre forsøgte at dæmpe dem.
En: The children jumped around impatiently while their parents tried to calm them down.

Da: Lars var næsten ved at give op, da han så en lille dreng stå alene bare et par pladser foran ham.
En: Lars was almost about to give up when he saw a little boy standing alone just a few spots ahead of him.

Da: Drengen så ud til at være bekymret.
En: The boy looked worried.

Da: Lars besluttede at skifte sin opmærksomhed fra de lækre kager til drengen.
En: Lars decided to shift his focus from the delicious cakes to the boy.

Da: Han flyttede forsigtigt igennem.
En: He carefully moved through.

Da: "Din mor?
En: "Your mom?"

Da: " Spurgte Lars drengen.
En: Lars asked the boy.

Da: Drengen så op på Lars og nikkede.
En: The boy looked up at Lars and nodded.

Da: Lars besluttede at blive hos drengen, indtil hans mor kom tilbage.
En: Lars decided to stay with the boy until his mother returned.

Da: I mellemtiden begyndte køen at bevæge sig hurtigere.
En: Meanwhile, the line started moving faster.

Da: De var nu næsten ved disken, men drengens mor var stadig ingen steder at se.
En: They were now almost at the counter, but the boy's mother was still nowhere to be seen.

Da: Lars kunne ikke bare overlade drengen alene.
En: Lars couldn't just leave the boy alone.

Da: Så han tog drengens hånd og sammen bestilte de kager.
En: So, he took the boy's hand, and they ordered cakes together.

Da: Kort efter kom drengens mor løbende tilbage.
En: Shortly after, the boy's mother came running back.

Da: Hun så ud til at være lettet over at finde hendes søn i sikre hænder.
En: She seemed relieved to find her son in safe hands.

Da: Hun takkede Lars, hvorefter de alle fik deres søde, velsmagende kager.
En: She thanked Lars, and then...

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Unveiling 'Hygge': Lars' Quest to Share Danish Warmth
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/unveiling-hygge-lars-quest-to-share-danish-warmth

Story Transcript:

Da: I centrum af København, i en lille snæver gade fyldt med charmerende butikker og farvestrålende huse, ligger Lars' hyggelige lejlighed.
En: In the center of Copenhagen, in a small narrow street filled with charming shops and colorful houses, lies Lars' cozy apartment.

Da: Den er fuld af liv, og det varme skær fra vinduerne viser, at der er varme mennesker indeni.
En: It is full of life, and the warm glow from the windows shows that there are warm people inside.

Da: Lars er en stolt københavner.
En: Lars is a proud Copenhagener.

Da: Han bærer sin by med stolthed.
En: He carries his city with pride.

Da: Han har en rolig og blød stemme, som får folk til at føle sig hjemme.
En: He has a calm and gentle voice that makes people feel at home.

Da: Selvom hans job som turguide gør ham kendt i byen, er der en ting, han holder mest af: hygge.
En: Although his job as a tour guide makes him known in the city, there is one thing he loves most: 'hygge'.

Da: Lars elsker at forklare det danske begreb 'hygge' til udlændinge.
En: Lars loves explaining the Danish concept of 'hygge' to foreigners.

Da: En dag stødte Lars på en ny turist i byen.
En: One day Lars encountered a new tourist in the city.

Da: Hans navn var Tony, en forvirret mand fra USA.
En: His name was Tony, a confused man from the USA.

Da: Tony havde hørt om 'hygge', men kunne ikke helt forstå konceptet.
En: Tony had heard about 'hygge', but could not quite grasp the concept.

Da: Han besluttede sig for at spørge Lars, da han syntes, Lars virkede vidende.
En: He decided to ask Lars as he thought Lars seemed knowledgeable.

Da: Lars smilede bredt og sagde, "Kom med mig, jeg viser dig.
En: Lars smiled widely and said, "Come with me, I'll show you."

Da: " De gik gennem byens labyrintformede gader til Lars' lejlighed - det perfekte sted til at opleve 'hygge'.
En: They walked through the city's labyrinthine streets to Lars' apartment - the perfect place to experience 'hygge'.

Da: Indenfor fyldte duften af varm gløgg og friskbagt brød rummet.
En: Inside, the scent of warm mulled wine and freshly baked bread filled the room.

Da: Lars tændte stearinlysene og spillede blid musik.
En: Lars lit the candles and played soft music.

Da: De satte sig ned med varm kakao og snakkede længe.
En: They sat down with hot cocoa and talked for a long time.

Da: Tony så forvirret ud.
En: Tony looked puzzled.

Da: "Er det her 'hygge'?
En: "Is this 'hygge'?

Da: Bare at sidde og snakke?
En: Just sitting and talking?"

Da: "Lars rystede på hovedet.
En: Lars shook his head.

Da: "Det er mere end det," sagde han.
En: "It's more than that," he said.

Da: "Hygge er ikke bare at slappe af.
En: "Hygge is not just about relaxing.

Da: Det handler om at være tilfreds og tryg.
En: It's about being content and comfortable.

Da: At være sammen og dele øjeblikke.
En: Being together and sharing moments."

Da: "Tony smilede.
En: Tony smiled.

Da: Han kunne mærke den varme glød af hygge i værelset.
En: He could feel the warm glow of 'hygge' in the room.

Da: Han indså, at Lars havde ret.
En: He realized Lars was right.

Da: Hygge var noget helt specielt.
En: Hygge was something very special.
br...