Danish language, the official language of Denmark, spoken there by more than five million people. It is also spoken in a few communities south of the German border; it is taught in the schools of the Faroe Islands, of Iceland, and of Greenland. Danish belongs to the East Scandinavian branch of

Danish (dansk) Danish is a North Germanic language spoken mainly in Denmark, where there are 5.46 million speakers, and by 6,200 people in Greenland, and 1,546 people in the Faroe Islands. There are also 39,500 Danish speakers in Sweden, 28,300 in the USA, 24,900 in Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany, 21,000 in Norway, 12,600 in Canada, 10,000 in the UK, and smaller numbers in other countries.

Danish itself can be divided into three main dialect areas: Jutlandic (West Danish), Insular Danish (including the standard variety), and East Danish (including Bornholmian and Scanian).

Danish is a Scandinavian language originating in Old Norse, the common language of the Vikings. While it has its unique characteristics, if you know Danish, you’ll likely find Swedish and Norwegian somewhat familiar.

If you live in Europe, you probably know the difference between Danish and Dutch. But for people further afield, the two are often mixed up. The words sound similar in English, both languages come from northern Europe, and to an untrained ear they can even sound alike.