Være (to be) in Danish

Overview

The verb vaere (to be) is the most essential verb in Danish and one of the first you will learn at the A1 level. Like "to be" in English, it is irregular and does not follow standard conjugation patterns. The present tense form is er for all persons, and the past tense form is var for all persons.

The irregular verb 'være' (to be): er (present), var (past). Same form for all persons. Essential for identity and descriptions. You will use vaere constantly: to introduce yourself (Jeg er Maria), to describe things (Det er koldt), to state your nationality (Han er dansk), and in many fixed expressions. Because Danish verbs do not change form based on the subject, you only need to remember er for present and var for past.

The past participle is vaeret, used in the perfect tense: Jeg har vaeret i Danmark (I have been in Denmark). This verb is also used as an auxiliary in the passive voice and in certain perfect constructions with verbs of motion.

Formation

Conjugation of vaere (to be)

Form	Danish	English
Infinitive	at vaere	to be
Present	er	am/is/are
Past	var	was/were
Past participle	vaeret	been
Present participle	vaerende	being

Present tense usage

Danish	English
Jeg er laerer.	I am a teacher.
Du er fra Danmark.	You are from Denmark.
Han er hoj.	He is tall.
Det er koldt.	It is cold.
Vi er glade.	We are happy.
De er her.	They are here.

Past tense usage

Danish	English
Jeg var traet.	I was tired.
Hun var i London.	She was in London.
Vi var unge.	We were young.
Det var dejligt.	It was lovely.

Examples in Context

Danish	English	Note
Jeg er lærer.	I am a teacher.	Profession, no article
Hun er træt.	She is tired.	State/condition
Det er koldt.	It is cold.	Weather
Vi var hjemme i går.	We were home yesterday.	Past tense
Er du dansk?	Are you Danish?	Question
Han er ikke her.	He is not here.	Negation
De er glade.	They are happy.	Emotion
Det er fredag.	It is Friday.	Day of week
Jeg har været i Paris.	I have been to Paris.	Perfect tense
Det var dejligt.	It was lovely.	Past evaluation

Common Mistakes

Conjugating for different persons

• Wrong: hun ers or vi ere
• Right: hun er, vi er
• Why: Danish uses the same form er for all persons in the present tense.

Confusing er and var

• Wrong: Jeg var træt i dag.
• Right: Jeg er træt i dag.
• Why: Use er for present situations and var for past. 'Today' requires present tense.

Using an article with professions

• Wrong: Jeg er en lærer.
• Right: Jeg er lærer.
• Why: Danish omits the indefinite article before professions after være.

Usage Notes

The verb vaere is the most frequently used verb in Danish and appears in countless expressions and constructions. Unlike many other Danish verbs, it has distinct past and present forms (er vs. var), which makes it stand out. In spoken Danish, er is often reduced to just a schwa sound, especially in rapid speech. The verb is essential for describing identity, states, weather, and time.

Practice Tips

• Practice with flashcards. Create cards with examples of være (to be) on one side and their English translations on the other. Review daily until the patterns feel automatic.
• Use være (to be) 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 være (to be) 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

• Personal Pronouns - Parent concept
• Der er (There is/are)
• Formal Subject 'Det'