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DANISH WORD OF THE DAY

Danish word of the day: Firkantet

Is it hip to be square in Danish?

What is firkantet? 

The word firkant is a square – literally, a “four-side”.

If something is firkantet it is “square shaped” or “squared” (meaning to resemble a square, not multiplied by itself).

While this literal meaning is not incorrect and can be used and will be understood correctly in the right context, it’s not the normal use of firkantet.

It can also be used as an adjective to describe something or someone as inflexible, strict or somewhat set in their ways.

Why do I need to know firkantet?

We’ve previously written about the word langhåret (“long-haired”) which, like firkantet, has both literal and figurative meanings, and the figurative meanings are opposites in some senses, which can make them easier to remember.

While langhåret means a concept that is very abstract, philosophical, or unrealistic, firkantet is much easier to, erm, put in a box with a label on.

If a person is set in their ways and doesn’t like to change their methods, they might be described as firkantet. A set of rules which can often be impractical but always strictly applied are also firkantet.

Something very simple and without any nuance is also firkantet, making it easier to understand. It is this use that is closest to being an opposite of langhåret, in my experience.

Examples

Han er en meget firkantet mand, så du skal ikke spørge ham, om han vil købe Heinz i stedet for Beauvais ketchup.

He’s very set in his ways, so don’t ask him to buy Heinz Ketchup instead of Beauvais.

Reglerne er meget firkantede. Går du på græsset, får du en bøde. Der er ingen undtagelser.

The rules are very clear. If you walk on the grass, you will receive a fine. There are no exceptions.

I firserne så bilerne langt mere firkantet ud, end de gør i dag.

Cars had a far more square-shaped appearance in the 1980s than they do now.

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DANISH WORD OF THE DAY

Danish word of the day: Varmebølge

Here's a Danish word to use when complaining about the hot weather.

Danish word of the day: Varmebølge

What is varmebølge?

Varmebølge means “heatwave” in Danish.

Varme means “heat” or “warmth”, and bølge means “wave”, so it’s an easy translation. You’ll sometimes hear hedebølge used too, using another Danish word for “heat”. The word varme is the more common of the two, and can be used in situations where you might say either “heat” or “warmth” in English. Hede, on the other hand, implies a more extreme type of heat.

For example, the Danish words for “hot water bottle” and “central heating” both use varme rather than heat (varmedunk and centralvarme or just varmen, respectively) and “hot weather” is varmt vejr but the phrase i kampens hede means “in the heat of the battle”. 

Why do I need to know varmebølge?

While the above terms – varmebølge and hedebølge – are synonyms on first glance, there’s an important difference.

Denmark’s national meteorological agency, DMI, defines a varmebølge as a three-day period on which the average highest temperature is over 25 degrees Celsius.

For a hot spell to qualify as a hedebølge, on the other hand, the average highest temperature for the three days in question must exceed 28 degrees Celsius

People from southern parts of Europe might consider either type of Danish heatwave to feel more like regular summer weather – and perhaps this helps explain why extreme weather in southern regions in recent years, related to climate change, has led to speculation Denmark could become an increasingly popular summer destination for foreign holidaymakers.

The phrases also reveal a little about how Denmark’s climate influences language and the way Danes talk about the weather.

READ ALSO: Five Danish phrases you only hear in summer

While almost everyone gets quickly tired of long spells of cool, wet summer weather – like those seen during most of June 2024 – it also doesn’t take much for Danes to begin longing for more moderate temperatures to return once it heats up.

Anything over around 24-25 degrees Celsius is likely to be considered for meget (“too much”) what I would consider a regulation summer temperature of 26 degrees might be described as denne forfærdelige varme (“this dreadful heat”).

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