Quantity and Partitives in Danish

Overview

Quantity and Partitives (Mængdeudtryk) is an important grammar concept at the A2 level in Danish. Expressing quantity: lidt (a little), meget/mange (much/many), nok (enough), for (too). 'Meget' with uncountable, 'mange' with countable.

At the elementary 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

Expressing quantity: lidt (a little), meget/mange (much/many), nok (enough), for (too). 'Meget' with uncountable, 'mange' with countable.

Key patterns

Danish	English
Jeg drikker meget kaffe.	I drink a lot of coffee.
Der er mange mennesker.	There are many people.
Hun har nok penge.	She has enough money.
Det er for dyrt.	It's too expensive.

Quantity words by countability

	Uncountable (mass)	Countable (plural)
A lot	meget kaffe	mange kopper
A little / A few	lidt maelk	fa/nogle fa kopper
Too much / Too many	for meget kaffe	for mange kopper
Enough	nok kaffe	nok kopper
No / None	ingen kaffe	ingen kopper

Position in the sentence

Danish	English	Note
Jeg drikker meget kaffe.	I drink a lot of coffee.	After verb
Der er mange mennesker.	There are many people.	Before noun
Hun har nok penge.	She has enough money.	Before noun
Det er for dyrt.	It's too expensive.	Before adjective

Examples in Context

Danish	English	Note
Jeg drikker meget kaffe.	I drink a lot of coffee.
Der er mange mennesker.	There are many people.
Hun har nok penge.	She has enough money.
Det er for dyrt.	It's too expensive.

Common Mistakes

Transferring English patterns directly

• Wrong: Using English word order or structure when expressing quantity and partitives in Danish.
• Right: Follow Danish-specific rules for this grammar point.
• Why: Danish and English handle quantity and partitives 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 quantity and partitives 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 quantity and partitives 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

• Write short paragraphs. Practice using quantity and partitives in connected text rather than isolated sentences. This builds fluency and helps you internalize the patterns.
• Practice transformations. Take simple sentences and transform them to practice quantity and partitives: change tenses, switch between positive and negative, or rephrase using different structures.
• Find a language partner. Practice quantity and partitives in conversation with a Danish speaker or fellow learner. Speaking practice is essential for making grammar automatic.