When telling a story in Danish, especially if you're talking about something that happened a long time ago, you can use dengang to mean 'back then' or 'at that time'.
For instance, if you're describing your childhood, you might say, "Dengang jeg var lille, boede jeg på landet" (Back then, when I was little, I lived in the countryside).
It helps to set the scene and clearly indicate that you're referring to a past period, making your narration smoother and easier to follow.
§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
- Definition
- The Danish word "dengang" is an adverb that directly translates to "back then" or "at that time" in English. It's used to refer to a specific point or period in the past. Think of it as a way to say "in those days" or "at that moment in the past."
You'll use "dengang" when you want to make it clear you're talking about something that happened in the past, often to contrast it with the present. It helps set the scene for a past event or situation. It's a common and practical word for everyday conversation when Danes recall memories or discuss historical events.
For example, if you're telling a story about your childhood, you might start a sentence with "Dengang, da jeg var barn..." (Back then, when I was a child...). This immediately signals to the listener that you're shifting to a past timeframe.
Dengang boede vi i en lille lejlighed. (Back then, we lived in a small apartment.)
Notice how "dengang" comes at the beginning of the sentence here. This is a very common placement, emphasizing the past context.
Han var glad for at arbejde der dengang. (He was happy to work there back then.)
Here, "dengang" comes at the end. This is also perfectly fine. The placement can vary depending on what you want to emphasize in the sentence. If you want to highlight the past time more strongly, putting it at the beginning works well. If it's more of an added detail, placing it later is natural.
You can also use "dengang" to talk about habitual actions in the past. For instance, if you're reminiscing about something you used to do regularly:
Dengang løb jeg hver morgen. (Back then, I ran every morning.)
It's important to understand that "dengang" is specifically for the past. You wouldn't use it for the present or future. It helps ground your statements in a previous time. It's a simple word, but it carries a lot of meaning in terms of time reference.
Consider how it helps clarify statements. Without "dengang," a sentence about the past might sound a bit ambiguous, especially if the context isn't perfectly clear. It acts as a time marker. It's similar to how you might use "in the old days" in English to add a touch of nostalgia or historical context.
Here are some more examples to get a better feel for its usage:
Vi mødtes ofte dengang. (We often met back then.)
Dengang var alt anderledes. (Back then, everything was different.)
Husk på, hvordan det var dengang. (Remember how it was back then.)
As you can see, "dengang" is a key word for expressing past time in Danish. It's a fundamental part of building sentences about memories, history, or past states. Mastering its use will greatly improve your ability to tell stories and share experiences in Danish.
Grammaire à connaître
Placing 'dengang' in a sentence: 'Dengang' typically goes at the beginning of a clause, setting the time frame for the action or state described.
Dengang spiste vi aftensmad klokken seks. (Back then, we ate dinner at six o'clock.)
Using 'dengang' with past tenses: 'Dengang' almost always refers to a past period, so it's naturally used with past tenses (e.g., preterite, perfect).
Jeg besøgte ofte mine bedsteforældre dengang. (I often visited my grandparents back then.)
'Dengang' as a conjunction: 'Dengang' can also function as a conjunction meaning 'when' or 'at the time when' (similar to 'da').
Dengang jeg var barn, legede jeg meget udenfor. (When I was a child, I played outside a lot.)
Distinguishing 'dengang' from 'da': While 'da' also means 'when' for a past, single event, 'dengang' refers to a more extended period or general state in the past.
Vi mødtes dengang vi studerede. (We met back when we were studying.) vs. Da jeg mødte ham, var han glad. (When I met him, he was happy.)
Inversion after 'dengang': If 'dengang' starts a sentence and refers to a specific time, it acts as a 'time adverbial,' leading to inversion of the verb and subject.
Dengang var der færre biler på vejene. (Back then, there were fewer cars on the roads.)
Exemples par niveau
Dengang boede vi i Aarhus.
Back then, we lived in Aarhus.
Jeg husker dengang, det var koldt.
I remember back then, it was cold.
Dengang havde jeg et andet job.
Back then, I had a different job.
Var du der dengang?
Were you there back then?
Dengang spiste vi meget rugbrød.
Back then, we ate a lot of rye bread.
Hun var en lille pige dengang.
She was a little girl back then.
Det var en god tid dengang.
It was a good time back then.
Vi mødte hinanden dengang.
We met each other back then.
Jeg kan huske dengang, vi boede i den lille lejlighed i Aarhus; livet var så simpelt, og vi var så glade.
I remember back then, we lived in the small apartment in Aarhus; life was so simple, and we were so happy.
Dengang troede jeg, at det ville vare evigt, men som tiden går, ændrer alt sig.
Back then, I thought it would last forever, but as time goes on, everything changes.
Min bedstemor elsker at fortælle historier fra dengang, hun var ung, om alle de eventyr hun oplevede.
My grandmother loves to tell stories from back then, when she was young, about all the adventures she experienced.
Vi havde ikke mobiltelefoner dengang, så vi måtte aftale at mødes på et bestemt sted og tidspunkt.
We didn't have mobile phones back then, so we had to agree to meet at a specific place and time.
Erindringen om dengang, vi rejste rundt i Asien med rygsæk, er stadig levende i mit sind.
The memory of back then, when we traveled around Asia with a backpack, is still vivid in my mind.
Dengang var musikken helt anderledes; der var en særlig lyd, som man sjældent hører nu.
Back then, the music was completely different; there was a special sound that you rarely hear now.
De siger, at byen var meget roligere dengang, før alle de nye bygninger blev opført.
They say the city was much quieter back then, before all the new buildings were erected.
Jeg savner virkelig den uhyggelige spænding fra dengang, vi legede gemmeleg i skoven som børn.
I really miss the eerie excitement from back then, when we played hide-and-seek in the forest as children.
Souvent confondu avec
While 'dengang' means 'back then' and refers to a past time, 'da' can also be used for a single past event, leading to some overlap in contexts where you're talking about a specific past moment.
This phrase also means 'at that time' and can often be used interchangeably with 'dengang' when referring to a specific point in the past. 'Dengang' might have a slightly more nostalgic or storytelling feel.
Meaning 'in the past' or 'formerly', this phrase is broader than 'dengang'. 'Dengang' points to a more specific, albeit not precisely defined, point in the past, whereas 'før i tiden' speaks more generally about past times.
Facile à confondre
'Da' can mean 'when' or 'since/because', which can be tricky for English speakers as 'when' often uses 'når' in Danish, and 'since/because' can also be expressed with 'fordi'.
Use 'da' for a single past event (when) or to give a reason (since/because). Use 'når' for habitual actions or future events (when). Use 'fordi' specifically for 'because'.
Da jeg var barn, boede jeg i Aarhus. (When I was a child, I lived in Aarhus.) / Da du ikke kom, gik vi hjem. (Since you didn't come, we went home.)
Often confused with 'da' because both can mean 'when'.
Use 'når' for something that happens repeatedly, or for something that will happen in the future. 'Da' is for a single past event.
Når jeg er færdig med arbejdet, tager jeg hjem. (When I am finished with work, I go home.) / Vi spiser altid frokost, når solen skinner. (We always eat lunch when the sun shines.)
Often confused with 'lægge' because they both relate to placing something and have similar sounds.
'Ligge' means 'to lie' (intransitive – the subject is lying down). 'Lægge' means 'to lay' (transitive – someone is laying something down).
Bogen ligger på bordet. (The book is lying on the table.) / Jeg ligger på sofaen og læser. (I am lying on the sofa and reading.)
Often confused with 'ligge'.
'Lægge' means 'to lay' or 'to put down' (transitive). You are actively placing something. 'Ligge' means 'to lie' (intransitive), referring to the state of something resting.
Jeg lægger bogen på bordet. (I am laying the book on the table.) / Kan du lægge tøjet sammen? (Can you fold the clothes together?) / Han lægger sig til at sove. (He lies down to sleep.)
Both 'kende' and 'vide' can be translated as 'to know' in English, which causes confusion.
'Kende' means 'to know' a person, place, or thing (to be familiar with). 'Vide' means 'to know' a fact or information.
Jeg kender ham godt. (I know him well.) / Jeg kender Vejle. (I know Vejle.)
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYou pronounce 'dengang' as 'DEN-gang'. The 'g's are soft, similar to the 'g' in 'sing'.
You use 'dengang' to refer to a specific time in the past. It's like saying 'back then' or 'at that time'.
No, 'dengang' is strictly for referring to the past. It literally means 'then-time' or 'that time' in a past context.
It's neutral. You can use 'dengang' in both informal and formal settings.
'Dengang' refers to a specific point in the past ('back then'). 'Tidligere' means 'earlier' or 'formerly' and can be more general about something that happened before.
Yes, it often is! For example: 'Dengang, da jeg var barn, boede vi på landet.' (Back then, when I was a child, we lived in the countryside.)
A common phrase is 'dengang for længe siden', meaning 'a long time ago'. Another is 'ligesom dengang', meaning 'just like back then'.
No, 'dengang' is an adverb. It modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, indicating when something happened.
It's always 'dengang'. Adverbs in Danish don't change for plural or gender.
Think of 'den' meaning 'that' and 'gang' meaning 'time' or 'occasion'. So, 'that time' in the past = 'back then'.
Teste-toi 24 questions
Listen for 'dengang'.
The question is about what someone did 'dengang'.
This sentence mentions where the speaker lived 'dengang'.
Read this aloud:
Dengang var det koldt.
Focus: den-gang
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Jeg spiste is dengang.
Focus: spiste, is, dengang
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Dengang havde jeg en hund.
Focus: havde, en, hund
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The correct word order in Danish is Subject (Jeg) + Verb (var) + Adjective (glad) + Adverb of time (dengang).
The correct word order in Danish is Subject (Vi) + Verb (boede) + Adverb of place (der) + Adverb of time (dengang).
The correct word order in Danish is Subject (Hun) + Verb (havde) + Object (en hund) + Adverb of time (dengang).
Write a short paragraph about a memorable childhood experience, making sure to use the word 'dengang' at least once. Describe what you used to do or what things were like back then.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Dengang jeg var barn, elskede jeg at lege i skoven bag vores hus. Jeg byggede huler og fandt på sjove eventyr med mine venner. Det var en fantastisk tid, fuld af frihed og fantasi.
Imagine you are talking to a friend about a significant change in your life or in the world. Use 'dengang' to contrast how things are now with how they were in the past. What is different?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Dengang havde vi ikke smartphones, og vi aftalte at mødes uden at sende beskeder hele tiden. Nu er det hele meget nemmere med mobiler, men jeg savner lidt spontaniteten fra dengang.
Write a few sentences describing a historical event or a period in history that you find interesting. Include 'dengang' to refer to that specific time.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Jeg er fascineret af 1960'erne. Dengang skete der så mange kulturelle forandringer og nye idéer opstod. Musikken var også helt speciel dengang, med nye genrer og kunstnere.
Hvad var en af de største forskelle i transport, som bedstemoren beskrev?
Read this passage:
Min bedstemor fortalte ofte historier fra sin ungdom. Dengang var verden meget anderledes. Biler var sjældne, og de fleste mennesker rejste med tog eller cykel. Der var ingen fjernsyn, så familier samledes om radioen om aftenen for at lytte til nyheder og drama. Hun syntes, at livet var enklere dengang, men også hårdere.
Hvad var en af de største forskelle i transport, som bedstemoren beskrev?
Passagen nævner, at biler var sjældne, og de fleste rejste med tog eller cykel.
Passagen nævner, at biler var sjældne, og de fleste rejste med tog eller cykel.
Hvad var en typisk måde at finde information på, 'dengang' internettet ikke var udbredt?
Read this passage:
Dengang internettet ikke var udbredt, søgte vi information i bøger og leksika. Det tog længere tid at finde svar på spørgsmål, men processen var ofte mere grundig. Man skulle besøge biblioteket og bladre igennem siderne. Nu er information lige ved hånden, hvilket er praktisk, men det har også ændret vores måde at lære på.
Hvad var en typisk måde at finde information på, 'dengang' internettet ikke var udbredt?
Teksten siger, at man søgte information i bøger og leksika dengang.
Teksten siger, at man søgte information i bøger og leksika dengang.
Hvad var en almindelig måde at lytte til musik på 'dengang' ifølge teksten?
Read this passage:
Jeg husker tydeligt, hvordan musik blev lyttet til dengang. Man købte CD'er eller kassettebånd, og man skulle skifte dem manuelt i afspilleren. Det var en hel ceremoni at vælge musik til en fest. Nu streamer vi det meste, og det er nemt at hoppe fra sang til sang. Jeg savner lidt charmen ved at have en fysisk samling dengang.
Hvad var en almindelig måde at lytte til musik på 'dengang' ifølge teksten?
Passagen nævner, at man købte CD'er eller kassettebånd dengang.
Passagen nævner, at man købte CD'er eller kassettebånd dengang.
The typical word order in Danish for a simple statement is Subject-Verb-Adverb. 'Jeg' (I) is the subject, 'var' (was) is the verb, 'ung' (young) is an adjective, and 'dengang' (back then) is an adverb modifying the time.
In a question starting with an interrogative word like 'Hvor' (Where), the verb usually comes next, followed by the subject, and then the adverb. 'Hvor' (where) is the interrogative, 'boede' (lived) is the verb, 'hun' (she) is the subject, and 'dengang' (back then) specifies the time.
The standard word order for a negative statement is Subject-Verb-Object-Negative Particle-Adverb. 'Jeg' (I) is the subject, 'husker' (remember) is the verb, 'det' (it) is the object, 'ikke' (not) is the negative particle, and 'dengang' (back then) indicates the time.
/ 24 correct
Perfect score!
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