Signification
Illuminating a room.
Contexte culturel
Danes are obsessed with 'hygge' lighting. They rarely use bright ceiling lights, preferring many small lamps with warm bulbs. On May 4th, Danes put candles in their windows to celebrate the end of WWII and the removal of blackout curtains. During the 'mørketid' (dark time) in winter, lighting is a matter of mental health. 'At tænde lyset' is the first thing people do when they wake up at 8 AM because it's still pitch black. Denmark is highly digitized. Many homes use 'smart lys' controlled by apps, but the phrase 'tænde lyset' remains the same.
The 'For' Rule
You can say 'tænde lyset' or 'tænde for lyset'. Both are correct, but 'tænde lyset' is more common for beginners.
No 'Open'!
Never say 'åbne lyset'. It's the most common mistake for foreigners in Denmark.
Signification
Illuminating a room.
The 'For' Rule
You can say 'tænde lyset' or 'tænde for lyset'. Both are correct, but 'tænde lyset' is more common for beginners.
No 'Open'!
Never say 'åbne lyset'. It's the most common mistake for foreigners in Denmark.
Hygge Lighting
If you want to sound like a local, ask to 'tænde for hyggelampen' (turn on the cozy lamp).
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing verb in the present tense.
Det er mørkt i stuen. Jeg ______ lyset.
We use 'tænder' because the room is dark and we need light.
Which sentence is correct for a bicycle at night?
Hvad skal du gøre på din cykel om natten?
You must turn on the lights on your bike by law.
Match the Danish phrase with the English meaning.
Match the pairs:
These are all common uses of the verb 'tænde'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Kan du se noget? B: Nej, det er for mørkt. Kan du ______?
If it's too dark to see, you need to turn on the light.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Tænde vs Slukke
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesDet er mørkt i stuen. Jeg ______ lyset.
We use 'tænder' because the room is dark and we need light.
Hvad skal du gøre på din cykel om natten?
You must turn on the lights on your bike by law.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are all common uses of the verb 'tænde'.
A: Kan du se noget? B: Nej, det er for mørkt. Kan du ______?
If it's too dark to see, you need to turn on the light.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, you can say 'tænde computeren' or 'tænde for computeren'.
The opposite is 'slukke' (to turn off/extinguish).
No, it is neutral and used in all situations.
It's part of 'hygge' and helps combat the dark winters.
Yes, that means 'turn on the switch'.
No, it is silent. It sounds like 'tæn-ne'.
You say 'at dæmpe lyset'.
Yes, 'at tænde en cigaret' is the correct phrase.
Use 'tænde lygterne' or 'tænde lyset på bilen'.
It means the action of starting a fire, not the fire itself (which is 'ild').
Expressions liées
at slukke lyset
contrastTo turn off the light
at tænde for
similarTo turn on (an appliance)
at tænde et lys
specialized formTo light a candle
at oplyse
similarTo illuminate/inform
lyslevende
builds onIn the flesh / very much alive
