Meaning
to destroy or complete
Cultural Background
Danes often use this phrase in a self-deprecating way regarding food. If someone eats the last piece of cake, they might say it with a wink to acknowledge their 'crime' against the group's shared snacks. The phrase is a hallmark of 'Nordic Noir' crime fiction. It provides a cold, clinical way to describe a murder without using the more emotional 'dræbe' (kill). In Greenlandic Danish, the phrase might be used more literally in the context of hunting and processing animals, reflecting the practical necessity of 'finishing' an animal quickly and humanely. In the Danish startup scene, 'at gøre det af med' is often used to describe 'disrupting' an industry or making a competitor's product obsolete.
The 'Det' Rule
Always keep the 'det'. It's the glue that holds the idiom together. Without it, the phrase falls apart.
Don't be too aggressive
Be careful using this about people unless you are joking or talking about a competition. It literally means 'to kill' in many contexts.
Meaning
to destroy or complete
The 'Det' Rule
Always keep the 'det'. It's the glue that holds the idiom together. Without it, the phrase falls apart.
Don't be too aggressive
Be careful using this about people unless you are joking or talking about a competition. It literally means 'to kill' in many contexts.
The Cake Context
Using this at a Danish birthday party when finishing the last piece of 'lagkage' will make you sound very native and humorous.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Vi har så meget kage. Vil du ikke være sød at gøre det ___ ___ resten?
The full idiom is 'at gøre det af med'.
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly in a professional context?
How would you say the crisis destroyed the company?
The object 'firmaet' must follow the preposition 'med'.
Match the sentence to the most likely situation.
Sentence: 'Han gjorde det af med sin rival i finalen.'
The phrase is often used for defeating opponents in competition.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
A: 'Er der flere edderkopper i kælderen?' B: 'Nej, jeg ___.'
The past tense 'gjorde' is used, and 'dem' (them) correctly refers to the spiders.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesVi har så meget kage. Vil du ikke være sød at gøre det ___ ___ resten?
The full idiom is 'at gøre det af med'.
How would you say the crisis destroyed the company?
The object 'firmaet' must follow the preposition 'med'.
Sentence: 'Han gjorde det af med sin rival i finalen.'
The phrase is often used for defeating opponents in competition.
A: 'Er der flere edderkopper i kælderen?' B: 'Nej, jeg ___.'
The past tense 'gjorde' is used, and 'dem' (them) correctly refers to the spiders.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, if you mean you finished reading it completely, especially if it was a long or difficult one. 'Jeg gjorde endelig det af med den tykke roman.'
Yes, it can be very aggressive. It implies killing or completely destroying their reputation/career. Only use it for people in sports or games.
'At afslutte' is neutral and formal. 'At gøre det af med' is more idiomatic and implies a more decisive or physical end.
No. The 'det' is a fixed part of the idiom and never changes to 'den'.
Absolutely. It's very common for finishing a bottle of wine or a beer. 'Lad os gøre det af med flasken.'
Yes, to describe a company going under or a product being discontinued. 'Krisen gjorde det af med firmaet.'
You say 'Jeg gjorde det af med det.'
Yes, 'at nakke' is a common slang alternative, though it's much more informal.
Yes, 'Medicinen gjorde det af med infektionen' is a perfect usage.
Yes, it is used throughout Denmark, though some regional accents might shorten the pronunciation of 'af med'.
Related Phrases
at gøre kål på
synonymto finish off / to defeat
at tage livet af
similarto kill / to exhaust
at få bugt med
similarto overcome / to master
at gøre op med
contrastto settle with / to break with
