A1 Expression Neutral 1 Min. Lesezeit

Undskyld mig

Excuse me

Jetzt üben

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'Undskyld mig' to politely get someone's attention or excuse yourself when passing through a crowd.

  • Means: 'Excuse me' or 'Pardon me'.
  • Used in: Asking for directions, interrupting politely, or navigating crowded spaces.
  • Don't confuse: 'Undskyld' (sorry) with 'Undskyld mig' (excuse me/attention).
Polite nod + 'Undskyld mig' = Smooth social interaction

Erklärung auf deinem Niveau:

Use this phrase to say 'excuse me' when you want to talk to someone or walk past them. It is very polite and useful for tourists.
This expression is a functional imperative used to manage social space. It acts as a polite signal that you are about to interrupt someone's current activity or physical path.
In Danish culture, 'Undskyld mig' functions as a pragmatic marker. It effectively mitigates the imposition of an interruption, allowing the speaker to transition into a request or navigate crowded public spaces without violating social norms.
The phrase serves as a sociolinguistic tool for negotiating personal space. By invoking 'undskyld', the speaker acknowledges the other party's right to their current state, thereby reducing the perceived aggression of an interruption. It is a staple of Danish communicative competence.
From a discourse analysis perspective, 'Undskyld mig' functions as a phatic expression that establishes a channel for communication. It is a conventionalized formulaic sequence that minimizes face-threatening acts, essential for maintaining the egalitarian and low-conflict social structure characteristic of Danish society.
The phrase exemplifies the intersection of imperative morphology and pragmatic politeness strategies. It functions as a deictic marker of social distance, where the speaker assumes the role of the 'intruder' to facilitate a smooth transition in social interaction. Its usage is deeply embedded in the Scandinavian cultural ethos of 'Janteloven', where minimizing one's own presence is a virtue.

Bedeutung

Polite way to get attention.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

Danes are private. Using this phrase shows you respect their space.

💡

Smile

Always smile when saying it to appear friendly.

💡

Smile

Always smile when saying it to appear friendly.

Teste dich selbst

Which is correct for asking to pass?

___, må jeg komme forbi?

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Undskyld mig

It is the polite way to ask for space.

🎉 Ergebnis: /1

Aufgabensammlung

2 Aufgaben
Wähle die richtige Antwort Fill Blank

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
Which is correct for asking to pass? Choose A1

___, må jeg komme forbi?

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Undskyld mig

It is the polite way to ask for space.

🎉 Ergebnis: /2

Häufig gestellte Fragen

1 Fragen

No, use 'Undskyld' or 'Jeg er ked af det'.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

Må jeg bede om...

builds on

May I ask for...

Wo du es verwendest

🚌

Public Transport

You: Undskyld mig, skal du af ved næste stop?

neutral
⌚

Asking for Time

You: Undskyld mig, ved du hvad klokken er?

neutral

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of 'Undskyld' as 'Un-skill'—you are admitting you lack the skill to pass silently!

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a polite Viking bowing slightly while moving through a crowded market.

Rhyme

Undskyld mig, I need to be free, please let me pass, and let me be.

Story

You are in a busy Copenhagen cafe. You need to get to the counter. You tap a man on the shoulder and say 'Undskyld mig'. He smiles and moves. You get your coffee.

In Other Languages

Similar to 'Excusez-moi' in French or 'Entschuldigung' in German. It functions as a universal social key.

Word Web

UndskyldUndskyldningMå jegForbiTakHjælp

Herausforderung

Use it 3 times today: once to pass someone, once to ask for time, once to ask for help.

Review in 1 day, 3 days, 7 days.

Aussprache

Stress Stress on the first syllable.

The 'd' at the end is often silent or a soft glottal stop.

Formalitätsspektrum

Formell
Undskyld mig, må jeg forstyrre et øjeblik?

Undskyld mig, må jeg forstyrre et øjeblik? (Professional vs casual)

Neutral
Undskyld mig, har du et øjeblik?

Undskyld mig, har du et øjeblik? (Professional vs casual)

Informell
Undskyld, har du tid?

Undskyld, har du tid? (Professional vs casual)

Umgangssprache
Hey, hør lige!

Hey, hør lige! (Professional vs casual)

Derived from Old Norse 'afskyld', meaning to clear of guilt.

Viking Age:

Wusstest du?

It is the most common way to start a conversation with a stranger in Denmark.

Kulturelle Hinweise

Danes are private. Using this phrase shows you respect their space.

“Undskyld mig, må jeg komme forbi?”

Gesprächseinstiege

“

Undskyld mig, ved du hvor biblioteket er?

Häufige Fehler

✗

Undskyld mig for at være sen.

✓

Jeg er ked af, at jeg er sen.

wrong context
Don't use 'Undskyld mig' for apologies. It is for attention, not regret.

L1 Interference

0 1

In Other Languages

Spanish Very Similar

Disculpe

Spanish has formal/informal versions (Disculpe/Disculpa).

French Very Similar

Excusez-moi

French is slightly more common in daily small talk.

German Very Similar

Entschuldigung

German uses it more frequently for minor apologies.

Japanese moderate

Sumimasen

Japanese is much more versatile and culturally loaded.

Arabic moderate

Law samaht

Arabic is more focused on asking for permission.

Spotted in the Real World

📺

(2010)

“Undskyld mig, må jeg tale med dig?”

A character asking for a private moment.

Leicht verwechselbar

Undskyld mig vs. Undskyld

Learners think it's the same as 'Undskyld mig'.

Undskyld is for sorry; Undskyld mig is for attention.

Häufig gestellte Fragen (1)

No, use 'Undskyld' or 'Jeg er ked af det'.

common mistakes

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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