Bedeutung
Feeling affection.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Danes value 'emotional honesty' but also 'emotional modesty.' 'At holde af' is the perfect linguistic tool for this—it's honest without being dramatic. In Greenlandic Danish, 'at holde af' is also widely used, often carrying a strong sense of community and shared survival in harsh environments. Americans often use 'I love you' much more freely than Danes. A Dane saying 'Jeg holder af dig' is often equivalent in emotional weight to an American saying 'I love you, man!' In cultures where physical touch and grand expressions are common, 'at holde af' might seem cold at first, but it actually represents a very deep, steady loyalty.
The 'Meget' Rule
Always put 'meget' (much) before 'af'. It sounds much more native than putting it at the end.
Avoid for Food
If you say 'Jeg holder af denne kage,' people will think you have a deep emotional history with that specific cake.
Bedeutung
Feeling affection.
The 'Meget' Rule
Always put 'meget' (much) before 'af'. It sounds much more native than putting it at the end.
Avoid for Food
If you say 'Jeg holder af denne kage,' people will think you have a deep emotional history with that specific cake.
The Safe Bet
When in doubt about whether to say 'I love you' in Danish, use 'Jeg holder meget af dig.' It's never wrong.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing preposition to complete the phrase.
Jeg holder meget ___ min lillesøster.
The phrase is always 'at holde af' when expressing affection.
Which sentence is most appropriate for a long-term friend?
How would you tell a close friend you care about them?
'Jeg holder meget af dig' is the standard way to show deep, non-romantic affection.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the verb.
A: Hvorfor græder du? B: Fordi jeg ____ så meget af min gamle kat, som er død nu.
The past tense of 'holde' is 'holdt'.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
1. At kunne lide | 2. At holde af | 3. At elske
Kunne lide = objects/casual; Holde af = family/friends; Elske = deep/romantic love.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
The Spectrum of Liking in Danish
Who can you 'holde af'?
People
- • Venner
- • Familie
- • Kolleger
Animals
- • Hunde
- • Katte
- • Heste
Abstract
- • Hverdagen
- • Naturen
- • Friheden
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenJeg holder meget ___ min lillesøster.
The phrase is always 'at holde af' when expressing affection.
How would you tell a close friend you care about them?
'Jeg holder meget af dig' is the standard way to show deep, non-romantic affection.
A: Hvorfor græder du? B: Fordi jeg ____ så meget af min gamle kat, som er død nu.
The past tense of 'holde' is 'holdt'.
1. At kunne lide | 2. At holde af | 3. At elske
Kunne lide = objects/casual; Holde af = family/friends; Elske = deep/romantic love.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, absolutely! It's a very common way to express love before you are ready for the 'big' 'Jeg elsker dig.'
No, it's neutral. You can use it with your boss (if you're close) or your toddler.
'Være glad for' is more casual and can be used for things more easily. 'Holde af' is deeper.
You say 'Jeg holder ikke af ham.' It sounds quite serious and cold.
You can, but it sounds a bit poetic. 'Jeg holder af at male' is fine, but 'Jeg kan lide at male' is more common.
Yes, in modern Danish, the 'd' in 'holde' is never pronounced.
No, that would be very weird. It implies a pre-existing bond.
The past tense is 'holdt af'. Example: 'Jeg holdt af hende.'
Literally, yes, but don't translate it that way. Think of it as 'cherishing'.
Yes, it's one of the most common phrases in Danish pop songs and folk music.
Verwandte Redewendungen
at kunne lide
similarto like
at elske
builds onto love
at være glad for
synonymto be fond of
at have kær
specialized formto hold dear
at sætte pris på
similarto appreciate
at holde om
contrastto hug
