A1 Collocation Neutral

at holde pause

to take a break

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'at holde pause' to say you are stopping an activity temporarily to rest or recharge.

  • Means: To take a break from work, study, or an activity.
  • Used in: Offices, schools, gyms, and during long conversations or tasks.
  • Don't confuse: With 'at stoppe', which means ending something permanently.
Working hard 💻 + Stopping 🛑 = Rest time ☕

Explanation at your level:

In A1, 'at holde pause' is a basic phrase you use to say you are stopping work or study for a short time. You use 'jeg holder pause' (I am taking a break) or 'vi holder pause' (we are taking a break). It is very simple and useful for everyday life in a Danish classroom or office.
At the A2 level, you can start to use the phrase in different tenses. You can say 'Jeg holdt pause i går' (I took a break yesterday) or 'Jeg vil holde en pause senere' (I will take a break later). You also learn to add simple adjectives like 'en lille pause' (a small break) or 'en lang pause' (a long break).
At B1, you understand that 'at holde pause' is a collocation where 'holde' and 'pause' belong together. You can use it to explain reasons, such as 'Det er vigtigt at holde pause for at kunne koncentrere sig' (It is important to take a break to be able to concentrate). You also start to recognize compound words like 'frokostpause'.
At B2, you can use the phrase in more abstract contexts, such as taking a break from a relationship or a long-term project. You understand the subtle difference between 'at holde pause' and 'at tage en pause'. You can also discuss the cultural importance of the Danish work-life balance and how 'pauser' contribute to it.
At C1, you master the nuances of register. You know when to use 'at holde pause' versus more formal terms like 'at suspendere arbejdet'. You can analyze the phrase's role in Danish social dynamics and its linguistic roots. You use the phrase effortlessly in complex sentences with correct inversion and placement of adverbs.
At C2, you have a near-native grasp of the phrase's cognitive linguistics. You understand how 'holde' (to hold) reflects a specific Danish conceptualization of time as a state to be maintained. You can use the phrase metaphorically in literature or high-level debate, and you understand its historical evolution from agrarian roots to modern corporate culture.

Significado

Stopping work to rest.

🌍

Contexto cultural

The 'kaffepause' is a vital social lubricant in Danish offices. It's often where informal decisions are made. Children have 'frikvarter', which are mandatory breaks between lessons to play outside, regardless of the weather. Breaks are often legally protected. A 30-minute lunch break is standard for workdays over 6 hours. It is considered polite to ask others if they want to 'holde pause' rather than just taking one yourself.

🎯

Drop the 'en'

For the most natural sound, say 'Jeg holder pause' without the 'en'. It sounds more like a native speaker.

💬

The Coffee Invite

If a Dane asks 'Skal vi holde pause?', they are usually asking if you want to go get coffee and chat.

Significado

Stopping work to rest.

🎯

Drop the 'en'

For the most natural sound, say 'Jeg holder pause' without the 'en'. It sounds more like a native speaker.

💬

The Coffee Invite

If a Dane asks 'Skal vi holde pause?', they are usually asking if you want to go get coffee and chat.

⚠️

Past Tense Trap

Remember the past tense is 'holdt' (one syllable), not 'holdte'.

💡

Compound Power

You can combine almost any activity with '-pause' to create a new word, like 'læsepause' or 'strikkepause'.

Ponte a prueba

Fill in the correct form of the verb 'holde'.

Vi ______ pause klokken 12 hver dag.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: holder

'Hver dag' indicates a present habit, so we use 'holder'.

Which sentence is correct?

How do you say 'We took a break'?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Vi holdt en pause.

'Holdt' is the past tense of 'holde'.

Match the Danish phrase with its English meaning.

Match the following:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: a

These are common compound nouns for specific breaks.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Jeg er meget træt af at læse. B: Skal vi ikke _________?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: holde pause

When you are tired of an activity but will continue later, you 'holder pause'.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Types of Pauses

☕

Work

  • • Frokostpause
  • • Kaffepause
  • • Røgpause
📖

School

  • • Frikvarter
  • • Læsepause

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Yes, it is very common and understood, but 'holde pause' is the more traditional Danish collocation.

No, it is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your friends, or your children.

'Frikvarter' is specifically for school breaks. 'Pause' is for everything else.

You say 'Jeg trænger til en pause' or 'Jeg har brug for en pause'.

Yes, 'at holde pause i et forhold' means to take a temporary break from each other.

No, in standard Danish, the 'd' in 'holde' is silent.

Usually no. 'Jeg holder pause' is more common than 'Jeg holder en pause'.

Yes, when you add an adjective like 'lille' (small) or 'lang' (long), you must use the article 'en'.

It's a very common, slightly informal way to say 'bathroom break'.

A coffee break is 10-15 minutes, and a lunch break is usually 30 minutes.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

at tage en pause

synonym

To take a break

🔗

et frikvarter

specialized form

A school break

🔗

at puste ud

similar

To catch one's breath

🔗

at trække stikket

idiom

To unplug

Dónde usarla

🏢

At the office

Colleague A: Skal vi holde pause nu?

Colleague B: Ja, jeg trænger til en kop kaffe.

neutral
🏫

In a classroom

Teacher: Vi holder pause i ti minutter.

Student: Må vi gå udenfor?

neutral
🚗

During a long drive

Driver: Jeg er træt. Vi skal holde en pause.

Passenger: Der er en tankstation om to kilometer.

informal
💔

A difficult relationship talk

Partner A: Jeg tror, vi skal holde en pause.

Partner B: Mener du, at vi skal flytte hver for sig?

informal
🎮

Gaming with friends

Gamer 1: Hold lige pause! Jeg skal hente vand.

Gamer 2: Okay, jeg venter i lobbyen.

informal
🏋️

At the gym

Trainer: Hold pause i 30 sekunder mellem hvert sæt.

Client: Det er hårdt!

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'holding' a pause in your hands like a precious gift. You don't just 'take' it; you 'hold' it carefully.

Visual Association

Imagine a person sitting on a park bench, physically holding a large 'Pause' button (like on a remote) in their lap.

Rhyme

Når du er træt og vil have ro, hold en pause, det er go'!

Story

Hans was working so hard his head started to spin. He decided to 'holde pause'. He grabbed his coffee cup, 'held' it with both hands, and for ten minutes, the world stopped. Now he 'holds' his energy better.

Word Web

arbejdehvilekaffefrokostfrikvarterafslapningstoppeenergi

Desafío

Next time you are studying, set a timer for 25 minutes. When it rings, say out loud: 'Nu holder jeg pause!' and step away for 5 minutes.

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Hacer una pausa

The verb 'hacer' vs 'holde'.

French moderate

Faire une pause

French 'makes' the break, Danes 'hold' it.

German high

Pause machen

German uses 'machen' (make) while Danish uses 'holde' (hold).

Japanese low

休憩する (kyuukei suru)

Japanese uses a specific kanji-based noun for 'rest'.

Arabic partial

أخذ استراحة (akhdh istiraha)

The verb 'take' vs 'hold'.

Chinese low

休息一下 (xiūxi yīxià)

Chinese uses a verb-complement structure.

Korean low

쉬다 (swida)

Single verb vs verb-noun collocation.

Portuguese moderate

Fazer uma pausa

The verb 'fazer' vs 'holde'.

Easily Confused

at holde pause vs at stoppe

Learners use 'stoppe' when they mean 'take a break'.

'Stoppe' is permanent or for machines; 'holde pause' is temporary and for people.

at holde pause vs at vente

Both involve not doing the main task.

'Vente' is waiting for something else to happen; 'holde pause' is for your own rest.

Preguntas frecuentes (10)

Yes, it is very common and understood, but 'holde pause' is the more traditional Danish collocation.

No, it is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your friends, or your children.

'Frikvarter' is specifically for school breaks. 'Pause' is for everything else.

You say 'Jeg trænger til en pause' or 'Jeg har brug for en pause'.

Yes, 'at holde pause i et forhold' means to take a temporary break from each other.

No, in standard Danish, the 'd' in 'holde' is silent.

Usually no. 'Jeg holder pause' is more common than 'Jeg holder en pause'.

Yes, when you add an adjective like 'lille' (small) or 'lang' (long), you must use the article 'en'.

It's a very common, slightly informal way to say 'bathroom break'.

A coffee break is 10-15 minutes, and a lunch break is usually 30 minutes.

¿Te ha servido?

Comentarios (0)

Inicia Sesión para Comentar
¡No hay comentarios todavía. Sé el primero en compartir tus ideas!