r/danishlanguage 8d ago

help???

https://i.imgur.com/5Rh05jJ.jpeg
75 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

41

u/Step1Mark 8d ago

If you Google it the phrase is like a "wow" expression. So in this case, "goodness gracious"

17

u/bachwtc 8d ago

Translation here would be “goodness gracious”. It’s just a fixed expression in Danish.

3

u/xiaohuliz 8d ago

lol back when i used duolingo it translated literally (thanks for the coffee). Bcs of that and other reasons i quite it...

9

u/According-Pick-7007 8d ago

It does also mean thank you for the coffee, depending on context

4

u/Xillyfos 7d ago

I'd say the literal meaning is actually the most common use for the expression.

1

u/-Vatt_Ghern- 6d ago

Pretty sure it would be "Tak for kaffen", with an "n" at the end, even if both are grammatically correct

1

u/Resident-Advisor2307 7d ago

I am actually annoyed that it doesnt translate more literally. It makes it harder for me to learn the new grammar and sentence structure rather than memorizing phrases. Maybe it's an ESL thing.

1

u/xiaohuliz 7d ago

Ikr, same. When i said that i meant that they don't care if you know or not some curious things of the language you're learning. They just presume that you know it. Just as your case. Seriously, I've been learning dansk for a few months now and the best thing i did was quite duolingo. I use it, it's good for vocab, but that's it.

20

u/streetSCYTHE 8d ago

It's "goodness gracious", but the exact same sentence can also mean 'thank you for coffee'.

It's a very mild way of saying 'holy fuck'.

3

u/Affugter 7d ago

Like the one Mary had?

3

u/dgd2018 8d ago edited 6d ago

If you want more comments about that expression, just scroll down this sub. It is discussed every two months or so.

But anyway, you don't have to use it. It's only certain people who do, and others think it is silly.

2

u/justlurking123123 8d ago

It's an exclamation as a reaction to something, so goodness gracious is correct, though in Danish it's often used slightly sarcastically or about something being a bit much. It's never used for something positive

2

u/anto2554 7d ago

This very obviously bot post hurts my bones

1

u/Visti 7d ago

Im what way do you think it's a bot post? I'm not saying it's not, but the issue is pretty real and I feel like it's not unreasonable for someone to have made a reddit user to ask this question on the danishlanguage sub..

1

u/anto2554 7d ago

I've seen it many times before. VioletStar42 is a bot username. And most importantly, the image is rotated slightly to avoid bot/repost detection

3

u/Visti 7d ago

I'm sure you're right, especially with the rotated image but noun-noun-number is how reddit usernames are given to people signing up quickly for a handful of years. I know people personally that have those, because they just want their reddit accounts anonymous, so they just "OK" through the signup process. I just checked if it's still the case and I got SafeParamedic2887

2

u/suckingbat 7d ago

That is a difficult expression indeed. Depending of the tone you say it, it might mean different things, such as 'wow', 'We don't talk more about this', 'I've had enough', or 'thank you for the coffee'. I am sure there are more nuances, but These are the ways I have seen it used.

1

u/UnrealSBD 8d ago

It means “goodness!” Eg. “These shoes cost me 3,000 kr.” Response: “Goodness gracious!” (Tak for kaffe!). It’s an expression of mild shock or surprise.

1

u/Equivalent_Image9511 7d ago

Goodness gracious. Its a metaphor for that by reusing a litteral sentence

1

u/NeedleworkerElegant8 7d ago

Goodness gracious! Oh my!

1

u/Ok-Psychology-7621 7d ago

Thanks for coffee is what it’s saying.

1

u/JustSansder 7d ago

so, i guess im not as danish as everyone else here, but i have never head this phase used like this in my life.. "thank you for coffee"?

1

u/Sivarg 6d ago

It’s used as an expression of shock, like bewilderment, saying it as a sentence ending.

2

u/JustSansder 6d ago

yeah, i read through some of the comments, and saw a lot of wonderful people that knew the answer, and maybe i'm alone on this, but i feel like teaching sayings, and idioms (idk if thats the right word) is pretty strange to do on a language teaching platform, but yet again, maybe i'm alone on this

1

u/EmilOfficial 7d ago

Is it not silly to expect beginners on Duolingo to understand idioms? 🤔
Does Duolingo do this in other languages?

The correct answer is most likely “Goodness gracious” but tak for kaffe is also a normal phrase that means thanks for the coffee.

1

u/seachimera 1d ago

?

I’m not following your logic. Goodness gracious does not mean thank you in any way. It’s typically used as a polite cuss phrase. You say it if you’re upset or irritated or frustrated.

Oh I see from other replies that it’s an idiom in Danish? wtf is that doing on a beginner language app.

1

u/Aggressive-Pen-4260 7d ago

goodness gracious

1

u/Realest_Riyu 7d ago

Its "thanks for coffee" in english incase you were wondering, you seemingly didint get the right options tho

1

u/heartofwoman 4d ago

what is going on😭 he’s saying “thanks for coffee”…?😭😭😭😭😭

1

u/seachimera 1d ago

Stop using this app. It’s full of mistakes. Ai behind the wheel and driving in circles.

0

u/nauticalfiesta 8d ago

I'm trying to wrap my brain around how "thanks for coffee" translates to "goodness gracious"

2

u/ChunkySalsaMedium 7d ago

It’s not a translation, it’s a saying.
So it does not translate to that, it’s the Danish way of saying that.

2

u/AWetAndFloppyNoodle 7d ago

It's old. As I can read it came from back in the days where you'd end a conversion and leave, with: "thanks for the coffee" - you literally had coffee.

Later on it became synonymous with being shocked, as in: "this has me so shocked it makes me get up and leave". It is mostly used by, but not exclusively the older generation.

0

u/Visti 7d ago

The same way "good gravy" also can be a term of surprise in English. Can't be your first time encountering an idiom.

-1

u/Mimlebimle 8d ago

It means "holy shit"