Signification
to be treated with indifference
Contexte culturel
In Denmark, social exclusion is often subtle. Because of the cultural emphasis on 'hygge' (coziness/inclusion), giving someone a 'kold skulder' is a powerful way to signal that they have broken a social norm without causing a loud, public scene. The 'Law of Jante' (Janteloven) influences this idiom. If someone acts as if they are better than others, the community might collectively give them a cold shoulder to bring them back to 'level'. Danish workplaces are flat and egalitarian. A 'kold skulder' from a manager is rare; usually, rejection of an idea is handled with a 'nej tak' or a discussion. If you get a cold shoulder, it usually signals a serious personal or professional rift. Denmark is highly digitized. The 'cold shoulder' has moved to platforms like Messenger and MobilePay. Not responding to a MobilePay request is a modern version of this idiom.
Use 'Fik' for stories
When telling a story about a past event, always use 'Jeg fik en kold skulder'. It sounds much more natural than 'Jeg blev ignoreret'.
Don't over-pluralize
Even if ten people ignore you, you still get 'en kold skulder' (singular). Saying 'kolde skuldre' is grammatically correct but idiomatically rare.
Signification
to be treated with indifference
Use 'Fik' for stories
When telling a story about a past event, always use 'Jeg fik en kold skulder'. It sounds much more natural than 'Jeg blev ignoreret'.
Don't over-pluralize
Even if ten people ignore you, you still get 'en kold skulder' (singular). Saying 'kolde skuldre' is grammatically correct but idiomatically rare.
The 'Silent' Dane
Danes often use silence as a form of politeness to avoid conflict. Don't always assume a 'kold skulder' is a permanent rejection; it might just be a need for space.
Teste-toi
Udfyld det manglende ord i sætningen.
Jeg prøvede at tale med hende, men jeg fik en kold _______.
Det korrekte idiom er 'en kold skulder'.
Hvilken situation passer bedst til udtrykket?
Hvornår får man en kold skulder?
Udtrykket handler om social afvisning.
Vælg det rigtige svar til dialogen.
A: 'Hvordan gik din date i går?' B: 'Ikke så godt. _______.'
Hvis daten ikke gik godt, fordi den anden person var uinteresseret, passer 'fik en kold skulder' bedst.
Match idiomet med den korrekte betydning.
Hvad betyder 'at give en kold skulder'?
At give en kold skulder er den aktive handling af at ignorere nogen.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesJeg prøvede at tale med hende, men jeg fik en kold _______.
Det korrekte idiom er 'en kold skulder'.
Hvornår får man en kold skulder?
Udtrykket handler om social afvisning.
A: 'Hvordan gik din date i går?' B: 'Ikke så godt. _______.'
Hvis daten ikke gik godt, fordi den anden person var uinteresseret, passer 'fik en kold skulder' bedst.
Hvad betyder 'at give en kold skulder'?
At give en kold skulder er den aktive handling af at ignorere nogen.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsThe phrase itself isn't rude, but the action it describes is considered quite unfriendly or passive-aggressive in Danish culture.
No, it's strictly for human interaction or organizations (like a bank or government). You wouldn't say your computer gave you a cold shoulder.
'At få' means you are the victim of the ignoring. 'At give' means you are the one doing the ignoring.
Yes, very. It's often used when a proposal or a job application is ignored. 'Mit forslag fik en kold skulder.'
No, that's not an idiom. The opposite would be 'at blive taget godt imod' (to be well received) or 'en varm velkomst'.
Usually, yes, or at least that they are uninterested or disapproving.
In spoken Danish, 'at få en kold skulder' is more descriptive and idiomatic, so it's very popular in storytelling.
Yes, 'den kolde skulder' is common when you are talking about a specific instance of rejection that the listener already knows about.
Younger people use 'at ghoste', but 'kold skulder' is understood by everyone from age 8 to 80.
You could say: 'Det var ikke min mening at give dig en kold skulder, jeg havde bare travlt.' (I didn't mean to ignore you, I was just busy.)
Expressions liées
at vende ryggen til
similarTo turn one's back on someone.
at fryse nogen ude
synonymTo freeze someone out.
at overse nogen
similarTo overlook or ignore someone.
at lukke af
builds onTo shut down or close off emotionally.
