DK
Denmark
Summary
Official Name
International Conventions
CDE (1963), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2009), ECRML (2000), FCPNM (1997), ICCPR (1972), ILOCITP (1996), UNCRPD (2009), UNDRIP (2007)
Population
5,823,000
Principal Languages
Danish
Literacy Rate
99% (Roser and Ortiz-Ospina 2018)
General References
Campbell and King 2011, Comrie 1987, Hancock 1992, Stephens 1976
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Denmark is 8. Of these, 7 are living and 1 is extinct. Of the living languages, 3 are indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 5 are institutional and 2 are developing. Also listed are 43 unestablished languages.
Languages
- Arabic, Moroccan Spoken ary
- Users: 5,900 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
- Arabic, North Levantine Spoken apc
- Users: 48,500 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
- Bengali ben
- Users: 1,790 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bengali-Assamese
- Bosnian bos
- Users: 16,800 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western
- Bulgarian bul
- Users: 9,900 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern
- Burmese mya
- Users: 1,840 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Ngwi-Burmese, Burmish, Southern
- Chinese zho
- Users: 12,900 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished.
- Croatian hrv
- Users: 2,380 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western
- Czech ces
- Users: 1,670 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Czech-Slovak
- Danish dan
- Widespread. Users: 5,460,000 in Denmark (European Commission 2012). Total users in all countries: 5,613,190. Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Alternate Names: Rigsdansk Autonym: Dansk Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Danish-Riksmal, Danish
- Danish Sign Language dsl
- Scattered. Users: 16,000 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 6,000 in Denmark (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated assuming 0.1% of the total population. Other estimates: 4,000 (2014 EUD), 5,000 (Bergman and Engberg-Pedersen 2010), 24,500 (2014 IMB). L2 users: 10,000 (McGregor et al 2015). Total users in all countries: 16,110 (as L1: 6,110; as L2: 10,000). Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2015, Law 61, amendment to Danish Language Council). Alternate Names: DTS, Dansk tegnsprog Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
- Dutch nld
- Users: 6,900 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian
- English eng
- Widespread. Users: 5,031,600 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 31,600 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. L2 users: 5,000,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 4 (Educational). Alternate Names: Engelsk Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
- Estonian, Standard ekk
- Users: 1,370 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic, Finnic
- Faroese fao
- Users: 21,000 in Denmark (2015 R. Hansen). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, West Scandinavian
- Finnish fin
- Users: 3,610 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic, Finnic
- French fra
- Scattered. Users: 426,800 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 6,800 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. L2 users: 420,000 (Beck et al 2018). Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
- German, Standard deu
- South Denmark region: north Slesvig. Users: 2,777,800 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 37,800 in Denmark (2020 Eurostat). L2 users: 2,740,000 (2020). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory language of provincial identity in Syddanmark region (1955, Danish-German Agreement). Alternate Names: Deutsch, Tysk Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
- Greek ell
- Users: 3,340 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic
- Greenlandic kal
- Scattered. Users: 7,000 in Denmark (2007 L. Toreby). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Greenland (1978, Greenland Homerule Act No. 577, Article 9(1)). Alternate Names: Greenlandic Kalaallisut, Grønlandsk, Inuktitut, Kalaallisut Classification: Eskimo-Aleut, Eskimo, Inuit-Inupiaq
- Hungarian hun
- Users: 5,370 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic
- Icelandic isl
- Users: 7,920 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, West Scandinavian
- Italian ita
- Users: 9,000 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
- Iu Mien ium
- Users: 8,000 in Denmark (2007). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Hmong-Mien, Mienic, Mian-Jin
- Japanese jpn
- Users: 1,790 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Japonic
- Korean kor
- Users: 1,150 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Koreanic
- Kurdish, Northern kmr
- Users: 20,000 in Denmark (2007). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish
- Latvian, Standard lvs
- Users: 5,120 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern
- Lithuanian lit
- Users: 13,200 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern
- Macedonian mkd
- Users: 3,620 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern
- Nepali npi
- Users: 4,150 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Eastern, Eastern Pahari
- Norwegian nor
- Users: 15,700 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Danish-Bokmal
- Persian, Iranian pes
- Users: 17,200 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
- Polish pol
- Users: 41,500 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic
- Portuguese por
- Users: 6,930 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician
- Romanian ron
- Users: 30,600 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern
- Russian rus
- Users: 11,000 in Denmark (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 6,380 (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
- Serbian srp
- Users: 1,650 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western
- Sinhala sin
- Users: 7,000 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern, Sinhalese-Maldivian
- Slovak slk
- Users: 2,920 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Czech-Slovak
- Somali som
- Users: 11,300 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
- Spanish spa
- Users: 252,000 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 19,000 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. L2 users: 233,000 (2020). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
- Swedish swe
- Scattered. Users: 754,400 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 14,400 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. L2 users: 740,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Svenska Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish
- Tagalog tgl
- Users: 10,700 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog
- Tamil tam
- Users: 9,000 in Denmark. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil
- Thai tha
- Users: 11,900 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Kra-Dai, Kam-Tai, Tai, Southwestern
- Traveller Danish rmd
- Users: No known L1 speakers. Became extinct early in 20th century. Status: 10 (Extinct). Alternate Names: Rodi, Rotwelsch Classification: Mixed language, Danish-Romani
- Turkish tur
- Users: 33,100 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish
- Ukrainian ukr
- Users: 12,100 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
- Urdu urd
- Users: 14,500 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani
- Vietnamese vie
- Users: 9,650 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Viet-Muong, Vietnamese
Languages by Status
Danish
[dan] 1 (National). De facto national language. 5,460,000 in Denmark (European Commission 2012). Total users in all countries: 5,613,190.
German, Standard
[deu] 2 (Provincial). Statutory language of provincial identity in Syddanmark region (1955, Danish-German Agreement). 2,777,800 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 37,800 in Denmark (2020 Eurostat). L2 users: 2,740,000 (2020).
Greenlandic
[kal] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Greenland (1978, Greenland Homerule Act No. 577, Article 9(1)). 7,000 in Denmark (2007 L. Toreby).
French
[fra] 4 (Educational). 426,800 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 6,800 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. L2 users: 420,000 (Beck et al 2018).
English
[eng] 4 (Educational). 5,031,600 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 31,600 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. L2 users: 5,000,000 (European Commission 2012).
Swedish
[swe] 5* (Dispersed). 754,400 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 14,400 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality. L2 users: 740,000 (European Commission 2012).
Danish Sign Language
[dsl] 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2015, Law 61, amendment to Danish Language Council). 16,000 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 6,000 in Denmark (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated assuming 0.1% of the total population. Other estimates: 4,000 (2014 EUD), 5,000 (Bergman and Engberg-Pedersen 2010), 24,500 (2014 IMB). L2 users: 10,000 (McGregor et al 2015). Total users in all countries: 16,110 (as L1: 6,110; as L2: 10,000).
Traveller Danish
[rmd] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. Became extinct early in 20th century.
Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden
Language Vitality Profile
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Language Status Profile
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