A phone call with your mother-in-law

Your mother-in-law, Hanne, is calling you. She wants to invite you and your partner, Mads, to lunch on Sunday – and she talks fast.

Medium · 4 min

Your mother-in-law calls about Sunday. Ask her to repeat or slow down when you need to, confirm the plan and offer to bring something.

Scenario: Din svigermor, Hanne, ringer til dig. Hun vil invitere dig og din kæreste, Mads, til frokost på søndag – og hun taler hurtigt.

Hej, det er Hanne! Hør, Peter og jeg tænkte på, om I ville komme til frokost på søndag? Lone og børnene kommer også, hvis de kan nå det, og så kunne vi måske gå en tur ved vandet bagefter, hvis vejret holder.

Hi, it's Hanne! Listen, Peter and I were wondering if you'd like to come for lunch on Sunday? Lone and the kids are coming too if they can make it, and then maybe we could go for a walk by the water afterwards, if the weather holds.

Hanne

Your response:

Hej Hanne! Undskyld, kan du sige det igen, lidt langsommere? Det gik lidt hurtigt for mig.

polite

Hi Hanne! Sorry, could you say that again, a bit more slowly? That was a bit fast for me.

How the conversation starts

One way it can go. Play the conversation above to choose your own replies and see where they take it.

Hanne

You

Hej Hanne! Undskyld, kan du sige det igen, lidt langsommere? Det gik lidt hurtigt for mig.

Hi Hanne! Sorry, could you say that again, a bit more slowly? That was a bit fast for me.

Hanne

Ja, selvfølgelig. Undskyld, jeg snakker altid alt for hurtigt. Altså: Vi vil gerne have jer til frokost. På søndag. Kan I komme?

Yes, of course. Sorry, I always talk far too fast. So: we'd love to have you over for lunch. On Sunday. Can you come?

You

Ja tak, det vil vi meget gerne. Tak for invitationen!

Yes please, we'd love to. Thanks for inviting us!

Hanne

Dejligt! Så siger vi klokken halv et. Peter laver sin sildesalat, og jeg bager nok en æblekage, hvis jeg når det – ellers henter jeg bare noget hos bageren.

Lovely! Let's say half past twelve, then. Peter is making his herring salad, and I'll probably bake an apple cake if I get round to it – otherwise I'll just pick something up at the baker's.

You

Undskyld, sagde du halv et eller halv to?

Sorry, did you say half past twelve or half past one?

Hanne

Halv et. Men det er ikke så nøje – I kommer bare, når I kommer.

Half past twelve. But it's not that strict – just come whenever suits you.

Vocabulary in this conversation

The key Danish words and phrases that appear in this dialogue.

hurtigt

quickly

langsom

slow

invitation

(en)

invitation

halv

half

hilse

greet

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