Localize Da

Translate to Danish (da) — High-Fidelity Skill

Scope & Variants

Danish is a single standard target — Modern Standard Danish (rigsdansk). No significant regional split for product UI:

| Locale | Notes | |--------|-------| | da / da-DK | Standard Danish (Denmark). Default. | | da-GL | Greenlandic Danish — vocabulary essentially identical for software UI. | | da-FO | Faroese Danish — same. |

Faroese (fo) and Greenlandic (kl) are separate languages, not Danish dialects — they have their own ISO codes. Don't confuse them with Danish.

Practical reality: Danish translation has one target. Treat da as the universal target.

Danish vs Norwegian Bokmål — distinct languages, often confused

Danish and Norwegian Bokmål are mutually intelligible in writing (Bokmål was historically derived from Danish) but they are separate languages. AI translators sometimes mix them. Key distinguishing features of Danish vs Bokmål:

| English | Danish (da) ✓ | Norwegian Bokmål (nb) — do NOT use in da | |---------|---------------|-------------------------------------------| | I | jeg | jeg (same, but Danish pronounces "yai") | | not | ikke | ikke (same) | | what | hvad | hva | | how | hvordan | hvordan (same) | | we | vi | vi (same) | | me | mig | meg | | you (obj.) | dig | deg | | city | by | by (same) | | now | nu | nå | | sweet / nice | sød | søt | | white | hvid | hvit | | black | sort | svart | | open | åben (or åbn) | åpen (or åpne) | | school | skole | skole (same) | | from | fra | fra (same) | | many | mange | mange (same) | | use (v.) | bruge | bruke | | do / does | gøre / gør | gjøre / gjør | | something | noget | noe | | have / had | har / havde | har / hadde | | become | blive | bli | | say / said | sige / sagde | si / sa | | big | stor | stor (same) |

The soft-d (ð-like sound, spelled d) in many Danish words is the most distinctive feature: mad (food), god (good), gade (street). Norwegian Bokmål has hard-d or no-d in equivalent positions.

If a Danish translation contains meg / deg / nå / hva / søt / hvit / svart / åpen / noe / bli / si / sa — it's accidentally Norwegian.

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Register Auto-Detection (Apply Before Translating)

Modern Danish, like Swedish and Norwegian, abandoned the formal De form. De is virtually extinct in modern Danish UI — even banking and government use du. Reserve De for ceremonial address to royalty or in very archaic legal text.

Auto-detect from source:

| Source signal | Target register | |---------------|-----------------| | Casual / conversational (Hey!, contractions, emoji, marketing voice, social) | Casual du — direct verbs, contractions where natural, short sentences. Allow some loanwords (email, link are fine alongside Danish equivalents). | | Neutral product UI / docs (DEFAULT) | Neutral du — du throughout, imperative buttons, present-tense status, native Danish vocabulary preferred but established loanwords OK. | | Legal / banking / government / enterprise | Formal du — still du (NEVER De in modern UI), but use full forms (skal not ska), prefer impersonal passives, avoid colloquialisms. |

Hard rule: NEVER use De in modern Danish UI. It's archaic. Even formal Danish government communication uses du.

Hard rule: source register matching for vocabulary — if source is casual English (stay, countless, ship), do NOT elevate to literary Danish.

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Critical Hard Rules (Severity ≥ 2.0 — Auto-Fail If Wrong)

1. Compound words written as ONE word — særskrivning is wrong (severity 2.5)

Danish forms compounds by concatenation, exactly like Swedish/Norwegian. Separating a compound (særskrivning — sometimes called "Danglish") is the most-mocked Danish writing error.

| ✗ Wrong (split) | ✓ Correct (joined) | English | |-----------------|---------------------|---------| | data base | database | database | | bruger grænseflade | brugergrænseflade | user interface | | pass ord | password (loanword) or adgangskode | password | | e mail | e-mail (hyphen OK for this) | email | | web side | webside or hjemmeside | website | | lyse rød | lyserød (= pink) vs lys rød (= a light red) | pink vs light red | | tag selvbillede (split) | tag selvbillede ✓ (tage = take, selvbillede = selfie — these ARE two words) | take a selfie | | kør stol | kørestol | wheelchair |

Hyphens appear only in:

• Acronym + Danish word: IT-firma, 25-årig.
• Compounds with brand/foreign words: Google-konto, iPhone-en.
• e-mail is officially hyphenated (email increasingly accepted, but e-mail is the orthographic standard).

2. Hybrid-compound verb anti-pattern — REJECT (severity 2.5)

Danish prefixes (af-, fra-, ud-, op-, ind-) onto English roots create non-words. Always find the dictionary-attested native form.

| ✗ Wrong (hybrid) | ✓ Correct (native attested) | English | |------------------|------------------------------|---------| | aflinke / aflinket | frakoble / frakoblet | unlink / disconnected | | afsynce | synkronisere / fjerne synkronisering | sync / desync | | delee (as verb) | dele ✓ (dele exists) | share | | paire | parre / forbinde | pair | | merge (as Danish verb) | flette sammen / sammenflette | merge | | pushe | skubbe / pushe (git context only, attested) | push | | downloade | ✓ downloade is attested in Den Danske Ordbog | download (also hente) | | uploade | ✓ uploade is attested | upload (also lægge op) | | installe | installere | install | | cancele | annullere | cancel | | deletee | slette | delete | | updaee | opdatere | update |

Verification test: if you used a Danish prefix + English-looking root, look it up in Den Danske Ordbog (https://ordnet.dk/ddo) or Retskrivningsordbogen (Danish official orthography). If not found, replace with the native verb.

A few English loans are attested and acceptable: downloade, uploade, streame, chatte, mejle, googler, tweete. Their hybrid prefixed forms generally are NOT (no afmejle, udchatte, etc.).

3. Two-gender system — en (common) vs et (neuter) (severity 2.0)

Danish has two genders: common (en, ~75%) and neuter (et, ~25%). There's no reliable phonological rule — gender must be memorized.

Common IT nouns and their genders:

| en (common) | et (neuter) | |-------------|-------------| | en fil (file) | et system (system) | | en mappe (folder) | et konto — WAIT: en konto is common in modern Danish (NOT et konto, despite some old usage) | | en platform (platform) | et problem (problem) | | en app (app) | et password (password) — also "et adgangskode" wait: en adgangskode (common) | | en side (page) | et netværk (network) | | en knap (button) | et dokument (document) | | en indstilling (setting) | et navn (name) | | en bruger (user) | et alternativ (option) | | en flig / fane (tab) | et felt (field) | | en søgning (search) | et tema (theme) | | en webside (web page) | et kort (card) | | en e-mail | et emne (subject/topic) | | en kommentar (comment) | et resultat (result) | | en notifikation (notification) | — |

Indefinite article: en/et before the noun. Definite (without adjective): suffix -en (common) or -et (neuter). filen, systemet. Definite (with adjective): free article den/det + adjective + noun in plain form — Danish uses only the free article, NOT a double-definiteness like Swedish.

4. Double-definiteness DIFFERENCE from Swedish (severity 2.0)

This is a critical Danish-specific rule. Unlike Swedish (which uses both article AND suffix), Danish uses EITHER suffix OR free article — never both:

| ✗ Wrong (over-marked, Swedish-style) | ✓ Correct (Danish) | English | |--------------------------------------|---------------------|---------| | den store filen | den store fil | the big file | | det nye systemet | det nye system | the new system | | de nye filerne | de nye filer | the new files |

Pattern:

• No adjective → use suffix only: filen, systemet, filerne.
• With adjective → use free article + plain noun: den store fil, det nye system, de nye filer.

This is the OPPOSITE pattern from Swedish (den stora filen — both article AND suffix). Don't confuse them.

5. V2 word order (verb in position 2 of main clauses) (severity 2.0)

Like all Scandinavian languages, Danish is strict V2: the finite verb takes position 2 of any declarative main clause, regardless of what fills position 1.

| ✗ Wrong | ✓ Correct | |---------|-----------| | I dag brugeren gemmer filen | I dag gemmer brugeren filen (Today saves the user the file) | | Nu systemet indlæser data | Nu indlæser systemet data | | Efter login du kan ændre... | Efter login kan du ændre... | | Snart vi lancerer | Snart lancerer vi |

When an adverbial or object is fronted to position 1, the subject is inverted with the verb.

V2 after subordinate clauses (main clause comes second): the main clause after a subordinate clause still respects V2 — the subordinate clause counts as position 1.

| ✗ Wrong | ✓ Correct | |---------|-----------| | Hvis du klikker her, du vil se... | Hvis du klikker her, vil du se... | | Når filen gemmes, du får besked | Når filen gemmes, får du besked |

6. Subordinate clause word order — subject before verb (severity 1.5)

In subordinate clauses (introduced by at, som, fordi, når, om, mens, inden, efter at), the subject comes BEFORE the verb, and adverbs like ikke, altid, aldrig go between subject and verb.

| Clause type | Word order | Example | |-------------|-----------|---------| | Main (V2) | Subj — Verb — Adv — Obj | Brugeren gemmer ikke filen. | | Subordinate (SVx) | Subj — Adv — Verb — Obj | …fordi brugeren ikke gemmer filen. |

7. Negation placement (severity 1.5)

| Context | Pattern | Example | |---------|---------|---------| | Main clause | Verb + ikke | Filen gemmes ikke. (The file is not saved.) | | Subordinate clause | ikke + Verb | …fordi filen ikke gemmes. |

8. Adjective agreement (severity 1.5)

Three forms: base / -t / -e.

| Subject | Form | Example | |---------|------|---------| | en-noun (common) indefinite sg. | base | en stor fil | | et-noun (neuter) indefinite sg. | -t | et stort system | | plural (indefinite) | -e | store filer | | definite (sg./pl., either gender) | -e | den store fil, det store system, de store filer |

Irregular: lille (small) → lille (neuter same) / små (plural).

9. Comma rules — eller / og vs men / for (severity 1.0)

Same pattern as Swedish/Norwegian:

| Rule | Example | |------|---------| | NO comma before og (and) | Træk hertil og klik. | | NO comma before eller (or) | Træk hertil eller klik. | | NO comma before eller (or, second use) | Vælg fil eller mappe. | | Comma before men (but) | Hurtig, men effektiv. | | Comma before for (because) | Annulleret, for det fejlede. | | Comma before at (subordinating "that") | Jeg ser, at filen er åben. | | Comma before når / hvis / fordi / hvorfor | Gem, når du er klar. | | Comma before relative som / der (with care — see below) | Filen, som er gemt, ... |

Note on som / der (relative pronouns): Danish has both restrictive (no comma, often som or der) and non-restrictive (with comma) relative clauses. For UI / product copy, the comma is usually omitted in short relative phrases. For prose, follow standard Danish punctuation (the so-called "new comma" vs "grammatical comma" rules — both are tolerated in modern Danish).

10. Special characters æ ø å — NEVER strip (severity 3.0)

Replacing æ ø å with ae oe aa (or worse, a o a) is a critical readability failure. These are letters, not diacritics. Gem vs Gem is fine but Vælg → Vaelg and Søg → Soeg are broken.

A Danish product UI with Adgangskode → Adgangskode ✓ but Søg → Sog ✗.

11. ICU plurals — one / other (severity 1.5)

Danish has two CLDR plural categories: one (n = 1) and other (everything else).

{count, plural,
  one {# fil}
  other {# filer}
}

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Pronouns and Possessives

Personal pronouns

| English | Danish | Notes | |---------|--------|-------| | I | jeg | | | you (sg.) | du | NEVER De for singular formal (archaic) | | you (pl.) | I (capitalized when 2nd-person plural — yes, the pronoun is literally I) | Capitalization is fixed for unambiguity | | he / she / they (sg.) | han / hun | | | it (common) | den | | | it (neuter) | det | | | we | vi | | | they | de (subject) / dem (object) | | | me | mig | | | you (obj. sg.) | dig | | | us | os | | | them | dem | |

Possessive (agree with possessed noun's gender/number)

| Person | en-noun | et-noun | plural | |--------|---------|---------|--------| | min (my) | min fil | mit system | mine filer | | din (your sg.) | din fil | dit system | dine filer | | hans / hendes (his / her — invariable) | hans fil | hans system | hans filer | | sin / sit / sine (reflexive — own) | sin fil | sit system | sine filer | | vores (our — invariable) | vores fil | vores system | vores filer | | jeres (your pl. — invariable) | jeres fil | jeres system | jeres filer | | deres (their — invariable) | deres fil | deres system | deres filer |

Reflexive sin / sit / sine is required when the possessor is the subject of the same clause:

• Hun gemmer sin fil. (She saves her own file.) ← reflexive
• Hun gemmer hendes fil. (She saves [someone else's] file.) ← non-reflexive

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UI Conventions

Buttons — imperative (preferred)

| English | ✓ Imperative | |---------|--------------| | Save | Gem | | Cancel | Annuller | | Delete | Slet | | Send | Send | | Edit | Rediger | | Search | Søg | | Confirm | Bekræft | | Continue | Fortsæt | | Submit | Send / Indsend | | Sign in / Log in | Log ind | | Sign out / Log out | Log ud | | Sign up | Opret konto / Tilmeld dig | | Next | Næste | | Back | Tilbage | | Done | Færdig | | OK | OK | | Close | Luk | | Upload | Upload / Læg op | | Download | Download / Hent | | Refresh | Opdater | | Settings | Indstillinger | | Apply | Anvend | | Reset | Nulstil | | Select all | Vælg alle | | Add more | Tilføj flere |

Status messages — present tense + ellipsis

| English | ✓ Danish | |---------|----------| | Loading… | Indlæser… | | Saving… | Gemmer… | | Sending… | Sender… | | Connecting… | Forbinder… | | Processing… | Behandler… | | Uploading… | Uploader… | | Downloading… | Downloader… | | Searching… | Søger… | | Please wait | Vent venligst / Vent et øjeblik |

Completion messages — concise

| English | ✓ Danish | |---------|----------| | Saved | Gemt / Alt gemt | | Done | Færdig / Klar | | Translation complete | Oversættelse fuldført | | File uploaded | Filen er uploadet / Fil uploadet | | Sent | Sendt | | Payment successful | Betalingen er gennemført / Betaling gennemført |

Empty states — concise, drop pronouns

| ✗ Verbose | ✓ Concise | |-----------|-----------| | Der blev ikke fundet nogen resultater | Ingen resultater | | Du har endnu ikke nogen projekter | Ingen projekter endnu | | Der er ikke noget at vise | Intet at vise | | Ingen filer tilgængelige | Ingen filer |

Drag-and-drop

• drag → træk
• drop → slip (NOT drop as English calque, though many Danes use it informally)
• release → slip
• Combined: Træk og slip filer her (Drag and drop files here).

Quantity expressions

| ✗ Calque | ✓ Native | |----------|----------| | 25+ sprog

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Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: i18n-agent
• Source: i18n-agent/i18nstack
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://i18nagent.ai

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.