Jeg har været glad for at synge, siden jeg var helt lille, og da jeg var 10, ville jeg gerne lære at spille et instrument. Så mine forældre købte en guitar til mig, og jeg startede også med at gå til undervisning. Og siden da har musikken været næsten hele mit liv.

at synge = to sing

helt = completely

lille = small

ville = wanted - Derivative: ville gerne = would like to

lære = learn

at spille = to play (an instrument)

startede ogsa med = started also with

gå til undervisning = go to lessons

siden da = since then

næsten = almost

hele = whole, all, entire

→ I have been happy to sing since I was very small, and when I was 10, I wanted to learn to play an instrument. So my parents bought a guitar for me, and I also started to go to lessons. And since then, music has been almost my whole life.

Ja, det går ok. Selvfølgelig er det meget forskelligt, hvad der kommer ind på min konto hver måned. Og der har også været perioder, hvor min økonomi ikke har været så god, og så har jeg selvfølgelig været nødt til at tænke mere over, hvordan jeg bruger mine penge. Men lige nu går det faktisk rigtig fint.

meget = very

forskelligt = different, varying

konto = account

måned = month

økonomi = economy, finances

nødt til = have to, must

tænke over = think about

lige nu = right now

bruge = use

penge = money

rigtig = really, very

→ Yes, it is going okay. Of course, it varies a lot what comes into my account each month. And there have also been periods where my finances have not been so good, and then I have of course had to think more about how I use my money. But right now, it is actually going really well.

At stå på en scene foran en masse mennesker og spille min musik. For når jeg gør det, kan jeg altid mærke, at min musik betyder noget for andre. Og når folk hører min musik, og kommer hen til mig efter koncerten og siger, at de er vilde med mine sange, bliver jeg rigtig stolt og glad.

at stå = to stand

pa en scene = on a stage

foran = in front of

masse mennesker = lots of people

altid = always

mærke = feel, notice

betyder noget for andre = means something to others

kommer hen til mig = come up to me

siger = say

vilde med = crazy about, love

sange = songs

stolt = proud

→ To stand on a stage in front of lots of people and play my music. Because when I do that, I can always feel that my music means something to others. And when people hear my music and come up to me after the concert and say that they love my songs, I become really proud and happy.

Nej, det synes jeg ikke. Men det er også kun,fordi jeg nu er i en situation, hvor jeg kan leve af min musik. Mange af mine kolleger vil helt sikkert sige, at det er et stort problem, at de ikke tjener nok til at kunne leve af at spille. Og det er hårdt. Det ved jeg alt om, for jeg har selv prøvet det.

kun = only

leve af = live off

vil helt sikkert sige = will definitely say

tjene nok = earn enough

hårdt = hard, tough

alt om = all about

→ No, I don’t think so. But that is also only because I am now in a situation where I can live off my music. Many of my colleagues will definitely say that it is a big problem that they do not earn enough to be able to live by playing. And it is tough. I know all about that, because I have experienced it myself.

Det føles mest naturligt, fordi det er mit modersmål. Nu skriver jeg jo selv mine sange, og det er det sprog, jeg bedst kan udtrykke mig på. Men jeg ved godt, at hvis jeg i fremtiden også skal have succes i udlandet, bliver jeg nødt til at skrive mine sange på engelsk.

mest naturligt = most natural

udstrykke mig pa = express myself in

men jeg ved godt = but I know well

fremtiden = the future

• decomposed: frem = forward + tiden = the time

udlandet = abroad

• decomposed: ud = out + landet = the country

bliver nødt til = will have to

→ It feels most natural, because it is my mother tongue. Now I write my own songs, and it is the language I can best express myself in. But I know well that if I am also to have success abroad in the future, I will have to write my songs in English.

Jeg har en bred musiksmag, så jeg hører faktisk mange forskellige slags musik. Jeg går tit til klassiske koncerter. Og jeg kan også godt lide heavy rock. Det er mange overraskede over, men jeg hører det tit, når jeg fx løber eller er til fitness, fordi jeg synes, der er en god energi i den musik.

en bred musiksmag = a broad taste in music

• musiksmag: music taste

faktisk = actually

forskellige = different, various

slags = kinds, types

tit = often

lide = like

overraskede over = surprised about

→ I have a broad taste in music, so I actually listen to many different kinds of music. I often go to classical concerts. And I also like heavy rock. Many people are surprised by that, but I often listen to it when, for example, I’m running or at the gym, because I think there’s a good energy in that music.

At få international succes med min musik og rejse rundt i hele verden og en dag give koncerter på nogle af de helt store scener rundt om i verden, fx i England og Japan. Men det er jo desværre ikke noget, der sker for særlig mange musikere. Men det kunne jeg godt tænke mig.

fa =

verden = world

scener = stages

jo = after all

sker = happen

særlig = special, particular

musikere = musicians

tænke = think

→ To achieve international success with my music and travel around the whole world and one day give concerts on some of the really big stages around the world, for example in England and Japan. But unfortunately, that is not something that happens for very many musicians. But I would like that.

Jeg har min egen stil, hvor jeg blander pop med lidt jazz. Jeg synger på dansk, og de fleste af mine sange er kærlighedssange, der handler om drømme og oplevelser, jeg selv har haft. Jeg synes selv, at de bedste af mine sange er dem, der er meget personlige.

min egen stil = my own style

blander = mix, blend

fleste = most

kærlighedssange = love songs

• kærlighed = love + sange = songs

handler om = are about

drømme = dreams

oplevelser = experiences

• decomposed: opleve = to experience + lser = plural ending

haft = had

personlige = personal

→ I have my own style, where I mix pop with a bit of jazz. I sing in Danish, and most of my songs are love songs that are about dreams and experiences I have had myself. I think myself that the best of my songs are those that are very personal.

Summary

Most frequent (short) words & useful extra meanings

Notes: Frequency is approximate (from this document). Meanings include common alternatives. Examples are simple and beginner-friendly.

jeg (≈ many)

• Meaning: I
• Also seen as: mig (me), min/mine (my)
• Examples:
  • Jeg synger på dansk. → I sing in Danish.
  • Folk kommer hen til mig. → People come up to me.

det (≈ many)

• Meanings: it / that; sometimes “dummy” subject (“it is…”) / general “this situation”
• Examples:
  • Det går ok. → It’s going okay.
  • Det er hårdt. → It’s tough.

og (≈ many)

• Meaning: and (links words/clauses)
• Example: Jeg synger, og jeg skriver sange. → I sing, and I write songs.

at (≈ many)

• Meanings: to (infinitive marker); “that” in some fixed patterns (not used as “that” here)
• Examples:
  • at synge → to sing
  • at spille → to play (an instrument)

er (≈ many)

• Meaning: is/are (present of at være)
• Example: Det er mange overraskede over. → Many are surprised by that.

har (≈ many)

• Meanings: have; auxiliary for perfect tense (“have + past participle”)
• Examples:
  • Jeg har en bred musiksmag. → I have a broad taste in music.
  • Jeg har været glad for at synge. → I have been happy to sing.

på (≈ often)

• Meanings: on; in/at (language/medium); about (depending on phrase)
• Examples:
  • på en scene → on a stage
  • på dansk / på engelsk → in Danish / in English

i (≈ often)

• Meanings: in (time/place); during
• Examples:
  • i fremtiden → in the future
  • i udlandet → abroad (lit. “in the abroad”)

til (≈ often)

• Meanings: to; for; at (destination/purpose)
• Examples:
  • gå til undervisning → go to lessons
  • nødt til at… → have to…

med (≈ often)

• Meanings: with; by/using
• Examples:
  • blander pop med lidt jazz → mix pop with a bit of jazz
  • succes med min musik → success with my music

så (≈ often)

• Meanings: so/therefore; then (sequence)
• Examples:
  • Jeg var 10, så ville jeg lære et instrument. → I was 10, so I wanted to learn an instrument.

når (≈ a few)

• Meanings: when (often for repeated/general situations); “when/if” in habits
• Examples:
  • Når jeg gør det, kan jeg mærke det. → When I do that, I can feel it.

fordi (≈ a few)

• Meaning: because
• Example: Jeg hører heavy rock, fordi der er god energi i den musik. → I listen to heavy rock because there’s good energy in that music.

selv / selvfølgelig (≈ a few)

• Meanings: self; of course
• Examples:
  • jeg skriver selv mine sange → I write my own songs myself
  • Selvfølgelig er det forskelligt… → Of course it varies…

jo (≈ a few)

• Meaning: discourse particle: “as you know / after all / you see” (adds a shared/obvious tone)
• Example: Nu skriver jeg jo selv mine sange. → Now I do write my own songs (as you know/after all).

ikke (≈ a few)

• Meaning: not
• Example: Det synes jeg ikke. → I don’t think so.

Beginner grammar takeaways (very concise)

1. Main-clause word order (V2): the verb is usually 2nd.

   • Lige nu går det fint. / Selvfølgelig er det forskelligt…

2. Infinitive with at (“to”):

   • at synge, at spille, at lære.

3. Perfect tense: har + past participle.

   • Jeg har været glad… / …oplevelser jeg selv har haft.

4. Modal verbs: kan (can), vil (will), skal (shall/need to), ville (wanted/would).

   • jeg kan leve af… / jeg vil gerne… / jeg skal have succes…

5. Fixed necessity phrase: bliver nødt til at = will have to.

   • jeg bliver nødt til at skrive på engelsk.

6. Subordinate clauses: words like fordi, når, at, hvor introduce clauses; the verb tends to come later.

   • …fordi jeg synes, der er en god energi…

7. Common preposition phrases:

   • gå til undervisning (go to lessons), leve af musik (live off), tænke over noget (think about).

Vocabulary list