hjem
Danish word: hjem
- Word
- hjem (noun)
- CEFR Level
- A1
- Definition
- home
Where you actually hear "hjem"
The word "hjem" is super common in Danish. You'll hear it all the time, everywhere. It's not just a word for a building; it's about belonging. Let's look at some places where it naturally pops up.
§ At Work
Even at work, people talk about their homes. It's part of daily small talk and planning.
Jeg skal hjem
Translation hint: Jeg skal (I must/will), efter arbejde (after work).
Vi arbejder hjemme
Translation hint: Vi arbejder (We work), i dag (today). Notice the extra 'e' at the end. "Hjemme" means 'at home', while "hjem" is 'home' (as a destination).
§ At School
Students, teachers, and parents all use "hjem" when talking about school life.
Børnene går hjem
Translation hint: Børnene går (The children go), fra skole (from school).
Er du hjemme
Translation hint: Er du (Are you), efter skoletid (after school hours).
§ In the News
News reports often use "hjem" when discussing various topics, from local events to broader social issues.
Mange danskere vælger at holde ferie i eget hjem i år.
Translation hint: Mange danskere (Many Danes), vælger at holde ferie (choose to vacation), i eget (in their own), i år (this year).
Der er brug for flere pladser til ældre i plejehjem.
Translation hint: Der er brug for (There is a need for), flere pladser (more spots), til ældre (for elderly), i plejehjem (in nursing homes). Here, "hjem" is part of a compound word.
§ Other common uses
You'll also hear "hjem" in common phrases and idioms:
Komme hjem: To come home.
Hvornår kommer du hjem?
Translation hint: Hvornår (When), kommer du (are you coming).
Hjem til: Home to (someone/something).
Vi skal hjem til min mor.
Translation hint: Vi skal (We are going), min mor (my mother).
As you can see, "hjem" is a very versatile and fundamental word in Danish. Pay attention to how it's used in different contexts, especially the difference between "hjem" and "hjemme", and you'll quickly master it.
Wusstest du?
The English word 'home' shares the same Germanic root.
Beispiele nach Niveau
Efter et årtusinde med interstellare rejser har menneskeheden endelig fundet et nyt hjem blandt stjernerne, et sted hvor galaktiske civilisationer blomstrer i fred og velstand.
After a millennium of interstellar travel, humanity has finally found a new home among the stars, a place where galactic civilizations flourish in peace and prosperity.
Here, 'hjem' refers to a settled place of existence, extended metaphorically to a cosmic scale.
Selvom den gamle herregård nu huser en international kunstskole, betragter mange stadig dens skyggefulde alléer og knirkende gulve som det åndelige hjem for den excentriske baronesse, der engang boede der.
Although the old manor now houses an international art school, many still consider its shadowy avenues and creaking floors as the spiritual home of the eccentric baroness who once lived there.
In this context, 'hjem' is used to denote a spiritual or historical 'home' for a person's essence.
For den fortabte sømand, der havde krydset alle verdenshavene, var tanken om et fast hjem med en knitrende pejs og duften af friskbagt brød en uimodståelig drøm, et fyrtårn i hans stormfulde tilværelse.
For the lost sailor who had crossed all the world's oceans, the thought of a permanent home with a crackling fireplace and the smell of freshly baked bread was an irresistible dream, a lighthouse in his stormy existence.
This example uses 'fast hjem' to emphasize a stable and settled abode after a nomadic life.
Kunstnerens atelier, fyldt med ufærdige lærreder, spildt maling og en overvældende lugt af terpentin, var ikke kun hans arbejdsplads, men også hans kreative hjem, et fristed hvor ideer tog form og farve.
The artist's studio, filled with unfinished canvases, spilled paint, and an overwhelming smell of turpentine, was not only his workplace but also his creative home, a sanctuary where ideas took form and color.
Here, 'kreative hjem' metaphorically describes a place of comfort and belonging for creative expression.
Efter årtier med politisk eksil vendte professoren tilbage til sit barndomshjem, kun for at finde det forvandlet til et museum, en kold påmindelse om et hjem, der engang havde været fyldt med varme og latter.
After decades of political exile, the professor returned to his childhood home, only to find it transformed into a museum, a cold reminder of a home that had once been filled with warmth and laughter.
'Barndomshjem' specifies a childhood residence, while the subsequent 'hjem' carries an emotional weight of lost comfort.
Selvom vi bor i en digital tidsalder, hvor information er flygtig, forbliver biblioteket for mange det intellektuelle hjem, et sted hvor viden er samlet, bevaret og frit tilgængelig for alle søgende sjæle.
Although we live in a digital age where information is fleeting, the library remains for many the intellectual home, a place where knowledge is gathered, preserved, and freely accessible to all searching souls.
This usage of 'intellektuelle hjem' extends 'home' to a place of intellectual comfort and belonging.
Med global opvarmning, der truer lavtliggende øer, søger hele samfund desperat efter et nyt hjem, en sikker havn væk fra de stigende vandmasser, der langsomt opsluger deres forfædres jord.
With global warming threatening low-lying islands, entire communities are desperately searching for a new home, a safe haven away from the rising waters that are slowly engulfing their ancestral land.
Here, 'nyt hjem' signifies a new physical dwelling or territory for a community.
Den gamle borgruin, omgivet af tågede moser og hjemsøgt af legender, blev for den unge arkæolog et forskningsmæssigt hjem, et sted hvor fortidens hemmeligheder langsomt blev afdækket lag for lag.
The old castle ruin, surrounded by misty bogs and haunted by legends, became for the young archaeologist a research home, a place where the secrets of the past were slowly uncovered layer by layer.
'Forskningsmæssigt hjem' uses 'home' to describe a place of dedicated study and exploration, where one feels professionally 'at home'.
Grammatikmuster
Satzmuster
Jeg er hjemme.
Jeg er hjemme. (I am home.)
Vi tager hjem.
Vi tager hjem. (We are going home.)
Velkommen hjem!
Velkommen hjem! (Welcome home!)
Hjem er, hvor hjertet er.
Hjem er, hvor hjertet er. (Home is where the heart is.)
Jeg savner mit hjem.
Jeg savner mit hjem. (I miss my home.)
Han har et smukt hjem.
Han har et smukt hjem. (He has a beautiful home.)
De er rejst hjem.
De er rejst hjem. (They have gone home.)
Er du hjemme?
Er du hjemme? (Are you home?)
So verwendest du es
Hjem is a versatile word. It can be a noun meaning 'home' or an adverb meaning 'homeward/at home'. Pay attention to the context. When referring to the physical building, you'll often use et hus (a house) or en lejlighed (an apartment). Hjem carries the feeling of 'home' as a concept or direction.
A common mistake is confusing hjem with hus. While both relate to a dwelling, hjem is more abstract (like 'home' in English), and hus is the physical building ('house'). You go hjem (home), but you live in et hus (a house).
Wortherkunft
Old Norse
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: dwelling, house
GermanicKultureller Kontext
In Danish culture, 'hjem' (home) is often associated with 'hygge' (coziness, comfort), highlighting the importance of a warm and inviting domestic space. Danes place a high value on creating a comfortable and secure home environment.
Teste dich selbst 6 Fragen
Efter en lang rejse længtes hun bare efter at komme ___ til sit eget hyggelige ____.
The context implies a desire to return to one's residence after a long journey. 'Hjem' is the appropriate word for 'home' in this context.
Selvom de boede i udlandet i årevis, betragtede de stadig Danmark som deres sande ___.
'Hjem' here refers to one's native country or a place of belonging, even if not physically residing there.
Han følte sig fuldstændig tilpas og afslappet, det var som at komme ___ efter en stressende uge.
The phrase 'at komme hjem' can idiomatically mean to feel comfortable and at ease, akin to the feeling of being at home.
De har besluttet at bygge et nyt ___ fra grunden for at skabe deres drømmebolig.
The context of building a 'dream residence' strongly indicates 'home' as the subject of construction.
Efter den lange og udmattende konference så hun frem til at tilbringe en rolig aften ___ med en god bog.
'Hjemme' (at home) is the correct adverbial form to describe spending an evening at one's residence.
For mange mennesker er et hus mere end blot en bygning; det er et symbol på tryghed og et ___ for familien.
In this context, 'hjem' signifies a place of security and belonging for a family.
/ 6 correct
Perfect score!