Common Irregular Verbs in Danish

Overview

Common Irregular Verbs (Almindelige Uregelmæssige Verber) is an important grammar concept at the A1 level in Danish. High-frequency irregular verbs with vowel changes: gå/gik/gået, se/så/set, komme/kom/kommet, gøre/gjorde/gjort.

At the beginner level, understanding this concept allows you to express yourself with greater accuracy and nuance. This grammar point builds on foundations you have established at earlier levels and connects to several related areas of Danish grammar.

As you work through this topic, pay attention to how it functions in authentic Danish texts and conversations. The patterns you learn here will become more natural with regular practice and exposure to the language.

How It Works

Core rules

High-frequency irregular verbs with vowel changes: gå/gik/gået, se/så/set, komme/kom/kommet, gøre/gjorde/gjort.

Key patterns

Danish	English
gå → gik → gået	go → went → gone
se → så → set	see → saw → seen
komme → kom → kommet	come → came → come
sige → sagde → sagt	say → said → said

Most common irregular verbs

Infinitive	Present	Past	Past participle	Translation
ga	gar	gik	gaet	go
se	ser	sa	set	see
komme	kommer	kom	kommet	come
gore	gor	gjorde	gjort	do/make
sige	siger	sagde	sagt	say
tage	tager	tog	taget	take
finde	finder	fandt	fundet	find
skrive	skriver	skrev	skrevet	write
give	giver	gav	givet	give
drikke	drikker	drak	drukket	drink

Examples in Context

Danish	English	Note
ga - gik - gaet	go - went - gone	Very common
se - sa - set	see - saw - seen	Vowel change
komme - kom - kommet	come - came - come	Short past
sige - sagde - sagt	say - said - said	Vowel + consonant change
gore - gjorde - gjort	do/make - did/made - done/made	Irregular
tage - tog - taget	take - took - taken	Vowel change
give - gav - givet	give - gave - given	Vowel change
finde - fandt - fundet	find - found - found	Vowel change
skrive - skrev - skrevet	write - wrote - written	Vowel change
drikke - drak - drukket	drink - drank - drunk	Vowel change

Common Mistakes

Transferring English patterns directly

• Wrong: Using English word order or structure when expressing common irregular verbs in Danish.
• Right: Follow Danish-specific rules for this grammar point.
• Why: Danish and English handle common irregular verbs differently. Learning the Danish pattern as its own system prevents interference from English.

Neglecting subordinate clause word order

• Wrong: Keeping main clause word order when common irregular verbs appears in a subordinate clause.
• Right: Remember that adverbs like ikke move before the verb in subordinate clauses.
• Why: The main clause/subordinate clause word order distinction is fundamental in Danish and affects how all grammar structures are used.

Overgeneralizing rules

• Wrong: Applying one pattern to all cases of common irregular verbs without considering exceptions.
• Right: Learn both the regular patterns and the common exceptions.
• Why: Danish grammar has regular patterns but also important exceptions, particularly with frequently used words.

Practice Tips

• Practice with flashcards. Create cards with examples of common irregular verbs on one side and their English translations on the other. Review daily until the patterns feel automatic.
• Use common irregular verbs in daily sentences. Try to create three new sentences each day using this grammar point. Write them in a notebook and review them weekly.
• Listen for common irregular verbs in Danish media. Even at the beginner level, try listening to simple Danish podcasts or children's shows and notice how native speakers use this pattern.

Related Concepts

• Present Tense - Parent concept