I'm from Denmark, ask me anything you might be curious about

[ScandinavianSummer]

Hello everyone! I'm a (very) long time lurker of Mumsnet, particularly the AMA-section - I thought I'd start a thread of my own in case anyone is curious about my country, Denmark, or anything Danish! I'm happy to answer any question!

An older Danish friend said when she lived there they didn't need ticket barriers at the stations because people did the right thing and bought a ticket anyway. Is that (still) true?

Yes, it is. I can't think of a single train or metro station here in Copenhagen that has a barrier. You buy a ticket, or tap your travel card, at your own discretion. If you get caught by a transport ticket controller without a ticket, you will be fined quite heavily, though.

We are taking a trip to Copenhagen next summer. My son has seen Tivoli Gardens online. Would you recommend?

Absolutely! Tivoli Gardens is not just a tourist attraction, it's also a very loved venue by locals. It's especially lovely to visit in the summer, or during Halloween and Christmas season.

Did you know Tivoli Gardens is the world's 2nd oldest amusement park in the world? THE oldest amusement park is also here in Denmark, actually! It's called Bakken, and it's located in a forest just north of Copenhagen in a town called Klampenborg. It's easy to get there by train, and the entry to Bakken is completely free! You should definitely visit it as well if you can.

Is Lego very popular in Denmark ? We have a houseful here (uk)

This probably isn't the kind of question you were expecting, but... I'm excited to be going to Aarhus on holiday this summer and am learning some Danish on Duolingo! I'm a linguist and already speak German, so I'm generally not finding it too hard, but the pronunciation is surprisingly tricky! I have two questions -

1. Is 'jeg' pronounced like 'yah' or does it sound like the English word 'I' but with a 'y' sound on the front. Or is it a question of regional accent? Because I think I've heard it both ways!
2. Is there any way to predict where the glottal stops are in Danish words? They seem to be scattered around randomly with no indication in the spelling!

Tak!

Haha, yes I do! Although, it's been a while since I last played with Lego.

Do you think Danish people are really one of the happiest nations in the world (as often cited by the media)? If so why do you think that is? I often wonder this considering the weather is not great and the days are quite short in Northern countries.

Sorry, you answered before I had time to edit my question!

In the bakery when we went last year there was a little basket of tiny bottles of spirits and the lady said “yes they are the breakfast alcohol. What is the breakfast alcohol in England?” I was absolutely agog. Was she serious?

(And as I was on my holidays I had a little bottle of the licorice one, with a pastry and I must say, the morning went just that bit smoother!)

Do you think that Margrethe made the right decision in abdicating, and will Frederik be up to the job?

I am really interested in how schools differ, what age do children start school, when they start more formal learning are there still opportunities for play? How many times a week do children do sport? How long are school days and do children take lunches in or do they eat at school?

Am interested as so many children in the UK are not in school due to anxiety, SEN and unmet needs - I wonder if its an issue in other countries to or if the education system is so different that children are happier and needs are better met?

Which Danish authors would you recommend ? I'm mostly interested in literary fiction. I've read (and like) Helle Helle, but would like recommendations for other authors.

When booking a restaurant why ask if I want a flag on the table? I assume it’s lost in translation and means a birthday or something but it was very strange and happened 6 out of 7 restaurants!

Very interesting questions! It sounds like you have had a small taste of the complexities of the Danish language. It is indeed known for not being very logical or structured - as French or Spanish are - which is why a lot of people struggle with learning Danish. Anyway, to answer your questions:

'Jeg' is correctly pronounced like the English word 'I' with a Y in front of it. However, Danish people often 'skip' letters or endings in normal daily speaking, which is why you might often hear people say 'yah' instead. Personally, I pretty much always pronounce 'jeg' as 'y-I' - but you will be understood if you say 'yah'.

Unfortunately, a big part of learning Danish is to develop an instinct for how words should be correctly pronounced. Let me give you an example:

The Danish words 'mig' (it means 'me') or 'dig' (it means 'you' (singular)) is pronounced like an English 'I' with an M in front, and an English 'I' with a D in front. However, the Danish word 'sig' (in this context, it means 'say') is NOT pronounced like an English 'I' with an S in front of it. It's actually pronounced 'see'.

The word 'sig' can also mean 'self'. In which case, you DO pronounce it as 's-I' - and not 'see'. Same spelling, different pronounciation.

Hope I answered your questions.

I think Danish people can complain a lot, but we are also, generally, a very positive people who look at the bright side of things. I think it's just part of the culture here, supported by one of the best welfare systems in the world - meaning you don't necessarily have to worry too much about things like unemployment, needing medical care, etc.

I'm not sure you can really measure true happiness, but yes, I would say that the general Danish population is one of the happiest in the world. Quality of life is high, there's a pretty decent safety net for everyone, unemployment rates are low, and we have a lot of trust in each other here, and tend to value community in one way or another. I think all of these things combined, makes Danes quite happy.

As for the weather, yes, it's quite miserable in the winter - and it's not helped by the fact that the the sun sets around 15.00 - 16.00 in the afternoon. We have a known concept called 'Hygge', which is something that gets us through winter and terrible weather. Again, we make the best of the cards we've been dealt with, and can't control. Danish people are generally very outdoorsy and active, also during the winter.

In all honesty, I have not heard of breakfast alcohol before. It's definitely not a common thing here. Coffee is the most popular breakfast beverage by far, as in most parts of Europe.

Do you have a summer house?

I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask this question to as I'm very indifferent to the entire Danish royal family. With that said, Margrethe was loved, and I reckon she still had more in her to give as a queen. But I'm sure Frederik will do just fine, too - I don't really mind him, and he's not too problematic as far as I'm aware.

I'd love to know something about Danish school and university life!
And also, do you have free health care?

Do Danes really think that their way to do something is the right way and that if you aren't doing it their way you're doing it wrong? (had somewhat catastrophic experience of this mindset when I worked for Danes in the UK and have always wondered if it was just those people or if it's a general attitude).

And - does Georg Jensen in Stroget still have the decorated displays at Christmas?

Do you agree that Jante Law is alive and kicking in Denmark?

What is your state pension like? Do people have a state pension and a private work pension?

How long do parents have for maternity and paternity leave? Is it common for men and women to share the leave equally?

Thanks for your questions. I'll try to answer them as best as I can...

what age do children start school
Children here start school, in børnehaveklasse (I suppose you call it kindergarten in English), when they are 5-6 years old. They have to be enrolled in school in the year they turn 6.

when they start more formal learning are there still opportunities for play?
Absolutely. There's a lot of room for creativity, play, physical activity and discussions in Danish schools. In many ways, pupils have a say in their own education as they get to choose topics they would like to research and write projects about. And project work in Danish schools almost always require an element of creativity. As far as I know, pupils have to spend part of their lunch break playing outside.

How many times a week do children do sport?
I believe P.E is on their schedule once a week, and it's a mandatory subject from 1st grade until pupils graduate in 9th grade.

How long are school days
The younger kids are typically in school from 8.00 to 14.00, and the older kids are in school from 8.00 to 14.30 or 15.00.

do children take lunches in or do they eat at school?
Kids typically bring their own lunches from home, but some schools have small cafeterias where the kids can buy things like sandwiches, salads, fruits, etc. Some school even sell hot meals like spaghetti bolognese, rice with curry, etc.

I wonder if its an issue in other countries to or if the education system is so different that children are happier and needs are better met?
There's definitely an increased problem with anxiety amongst children here, sadly. There's a lot of awareness around this issue, and efforts are made to accommodate children with special needs. But there's still a lot of work to be done to help children who need support.

Why do you think rates of alcohol use among adolescents are so much higher than in other European countries and have been that way for so many years?