A1 Expression Neutral

det er mit pas

it is my passport

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use this essential phrase to identify your passport during travel, check-ins, or official identity verifications in Denmark.

  • Means: 'It is my passport' — used to claim or present your travel document.
  • Used in: Airports, hotels, banks, or when talking to border police.
  • Don't confuse: Never use 'min' here; 'pas' is neuter, so it must be 'mit'.
🛂 (Border Control) + 📖 (Passport) = 🆗 (Identification)

Explanation at your level:

This is a very simple sentence. 'Det' means 'it'. 'Er' means 'is'. 'Mit' means 'my'. 'Pas' means 'passport'. We use 'mit' because 'pas' is a neuter word (et pas). You use this when you show your passport to a person at the airport or a hotel.
At this level, you should notice the word order. In 'det er mit pas', the verb 'er' is in the second position. If you ask a question, you swap them: 'Er det mit pas?'. Remember that 'pas' is an 'et-ord', so you must use 'mit' and not 'min'. This is essential for basic travel communication.
This phrase demonstrates the use of possessive pronouns in the neuter gender. While the sentence is simple, it's important to distinguish 'pas' (passport) from the verb 'at passe' (to fit/to look after). In a travel context, 'det er mit pas' is a declarative statement of ownership and identity, often used as a response to a request for identification.
From a linguistic perspective, 'det' acts as a dummy subject or a demonstrative pronoun identifying a specific object in the immediate environment. The phrase is part of the 'identifying' function of language. Note that in fast speech, 'det er' often contracts to sound like 'de'er', and the 't' in 'mit' might be softened or elided before the 'p' in 'pas'.
Advanced learners should analyze the pragmatic force of this statement. Depending on intonation, 'det er mit pas' can range from a polite offering to a firm assertion of property rights. It also serves as a baseline for more complex structures like 'Det er mit pas, du står og kigger i,' which adds a layer of social commentary or confrontation through the use of 'sidde/stå/ligge og' constructions.
At a near-native level, one appreciates the polysemy of 'pas'. While this phrase is literal, the word 'pas' exists in various idioms (melde pas, på pas). The mastery here lies in the perfect prosody—the stød-like glottal stop is absent in 'pas', but the sentence rhythm must be natural, with the primary stress usually falling on 'pas' to emphasize the object being identified.

Bedeutung

Identifying a travel document.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

Danish passports are burgundy and feature the Danish coat of arms. They are highly respected globally. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, so residents use Danish passports, but they can choose a version with 'Grønland' on the cover. Similar to Greenland, Faroe Islanders use Danish passports but with 'Føroyar' on the cover. As an EU member, Danish passports follow the common EU format, allowing for easy travel across the continent.

💡

Gender is Key

Always remember 'et pas'. This will help you with 'mit pas', 'dit pas', and 'passet'.

⚠️

Don't say 'min'

Saying 'min pas' is a very common beginner mistake that sounds slightly jarring to native speakers.

Bedeutung

Identifying a travel document.

💡

Gender is Key

Always remember 'et pas'. This will help you with 'mit pas', 'dit pas', and 'passet'.

⚠️

Don't say 'min'

Saying 'min pas' is a very common beginner mistake that sounds slightly jarring to native speakers.

🎯

Add 'Værsgo'

Saying 'Værsgo, det er mit pas' makes you sound much more polite and fluent.

💬

The Red Passport

Danes often refer to their passport as 'det røde pas' (the red passport).

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the correct possessive pronoun (min/mit).

Det er ___ pas.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: mit

'Pas' is a neuter noun (et pas), so we use 'mit'.

Which sentence is correct when showing your passport?

Choose the best option:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Det er mit pas.

This uses the correct dummy subject 'det' and the correct neuter possessive 'mit'.

Complete the dialogue at the airport.

Officer: 'Må jeg se dit pas?' Learner: 'Ja, ___ ___ ___ ___.'

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: det er mit pas

This is the most natural and grammatically correct response.

Match the phrase to the situation.

When would you say 'Det er mit pas'?

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: At border control

Passports are used for identification at borders.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Possessives by Gender

📦

Neuter (Et)

  • • Mit pas
  • • Mit hus
  • • Mit barn
👤

Common (En)

  • • Min bil
  • • Min hund
  • • Min ven

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Because 'pas' is a neuter noun (et pas). In Danish, possessive pronouns must match the gender of the noun.

Yes, in casual situations or when handing it over, 'Mit pas' is perfectly fine.

No, a driver's license is a 'kørekort'. 'Pas' is strictly for the travel document.

You swap the verb and subject: 'Er det mit pas?'

It's an idiom meaning 'I don't know' or 'I give up', coming from card games.

Usually no, due to the Nordic Passport Union, but you should always carry ID like a 'pas' just in case.

It sounds very similar to the English word 'pass', but with a shorter 'a' sound.

It is neutral. It's appropriate for both a police officer and a friend.

The plural is also 'pas'. So 'to pas' (two passports).

Yes, you can point to your phone and say 'Det er mit pas'.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

her er mit pas

similar

Here is my passport

🔗

hvor er mit pas

builds on

Where is my passport

🔗

visum

similar

Visa

🔗

legitimation

specialized form

Identification

🔄

rejsepas

synonym

Travel passport

🔗

at passe på

contrast

To take care of

Wo du es verwendest

✈️

Airport Security

Officer: Må jeg se din legitimation?

Learner: Ja, det er mit pas.

neutral
🏨

Hotel Check-in

Receptionist: Har du et pas med?

Learner: Værsgo, det er mit pas.

neutral
🔍

Finding a lost item

Friend: Hvad er det her?

Learner: Hov! Det er mit pas!

informal
🏦

At the Bank

Bank Clerk: Jeg skal bruge dit pas til oprettelsen.

Learner: Her, det er mit pas.

formal
🚗

Renting a Car

Agent: Kan jeg se dit pas og kørekort?

Learner: Ja, det er mit pas, og her er mit kørekort.

neutral
📦

Post Office

Staff: Jeg skal se ID for at udlevere pakken.

Learner: Det er i orden, det er mit pas.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'PASsing' through a gate. 'MIT PAS' sounds like 'ME PASS' (I pass).

Visual Association

Imagine a bright red Danish passport with the word 'MIT' (MY) written in big gold letters on the cover. You are holding it up at a gate.

Rhyme

Mit pas i min taske, klar til at plaske (My passport in my bag, ready to splash/travel).

Story

You are at the Copenhagen airport. You reach into your pocket and pull out a small red book. You show it to the friendly officer and say 'Det er mit pas'. He smiles and lets you through to your dream vacation.

Word Web

pasrejselufthavnidentitetmitditvisumgrænse

Herausforderung

Next time you see your passport, say 'Det er mit pas' out loud three times with different emotions: happy, hurried, and serious.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Es mi pasaporte

Danish requires gender agreement (mit vs min), Spanish does not for 'mi'.

French high

C'est mon passeport

French 'mon' is masculine; Danish 'mit' is neuter.

German high

Das ist mein Reisepass

German nouns are capitalized; Danish ones are not.

Japanese moderate

これは私のパスポートです (Kore wa watashi no pasupōto desu)

Japanese uses particles (wa, no) and puts the verb at the end.

Arabic partial

هذا جواز سفري (Hādhā jawāz safari)

Possession is shown via a suffix in Arabic, not a separate word like 'mit'.

Chinese high

这是我的护照 (Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào)

Chinese has no grammatical gender, so 'wǒ de' never changes.

Korean moderate

이것은 제 여권입니다 (Igeoseun jeui yeogwonimnida)

Korean requires different levels of politeness in the verb ending.

Portuguese high

Este é o meu passaporte

Portuguese usually requires an article ('o meu') whereas Danish does not ('mit').

Easily Confused

det er mit pas vs. Jeg melder pas

Uses the word 'pas' but means 'I don't know' or 'I pass'.

If there is a verb like 'melder' before it, it's not about a passport.

det er mit pas vs. Det passer

Sounds like 'pas' but means 'it fits' or 'it is true'.

Listen for the '-er' ending which makes it a verb.

FAQ (10)

Because 'pas' is a neuter noun (et pas). In Danish, possessive pronouns must match the gender of the noun.

Yes, in casual situations or when handing it over, 'Mit pas' is perfectly fine.

No, a driver's license is a 'kørekort'. 'Pas' is strictly for the travel document.

You swap the verb and subject: 'Er det mit pas?'

It's an idiom meaning 'I don't know' or 'I give up', coming from card games.

Usually no, due to the Nordic Passport Union, but you should always carry ID like a 'pas' just in case.

It sounds very similar to the English word 'pass', but with a shorter 'a' sound.

It is neutral. It's appropriate for both a police officer and a friend.

The plural is also 'pas'. So 'to pas' (two passports).

Yes, you can point to your phone and say 'Det er mit pas'.

War das hilfreich?

Kommentare (0)

Zum Kommentieren Anmelden
Noch keine Kommentare. Sei der Erste, der seine Gedanken teilt!