Danish language goals for 2026

Brooke Taylor Fossey’s roadmap to sustainable Danish learning in 2026.

Images: Canva

Text: Brooke Taylor Fossey

Do you have a New Year’s resolution to learn Danish?

Then I have a word for you: nytårsforsæt.

It's not fortsæt – a word you might already know, meaning continue. That would turn your New Year’s resolution into a New Year’s continuation…not quite what we’re aiming for.

Forsæt – without the second t – means intention, and intentions are about deliberately committing to an action or goal.

If that describes you when it comes to Danish, here's how I would set attainable Danish language nytårsforsætter in 2026.

1. Create habits

One of the key factors in long-term success is building realistic, repeatable habits. Create cues for yourself so that you choose Danish automatically. This could look like:

• Setting your homepage to a Danish news site

• Always starting tv time with a Danish show

• Making Danish music or podcasts your go-to during your commute

• Scheduling snakkeklub into your calendar every week for all of 2026 – and planning around it, not the other way around

Habits form when tasks no longer feel like extra work and become part of your lifestyle.

2. Find the right motivation

You need a reason to choose Danish – and to genuinely look forward to it. If learning Danish feels like something you have to do, it will never become something you turn to for comfort, curiosity, or joy.

For me, the motivations that last are:

Self-improvement: I see learning Danish as an investment in myself and a way I continue to grow as a person

Connection: language is a means to the ends I care about: deeper relationships with people I care about.

Empowerment: through understanding and clarity, I navigate my day-to-day with greater confidence.

Take time to identify what truly motivates you, and shift your mindset from “I have to study” to “this is my path to ___.”

3. Find support

It's easy to turn inwards with language learning until you feel ready to ‘go public,’ but finding your community will give you the support you need to blossom.

• Tell people that Danish is your goal.

• Join speaking groups.

• Find the people who have your back and set up

Danish-only recurring plans with them.

Ultimately, speaking will involve other people, so find your people!

4. Make it enjoyable (so it doesn’t burn you out)

When we enjoy something, habits form naturally.

Language learning isn’t one-size-fits-all, so your approach shouldn’t be either. Pay attention to what energises you and spend your time there.

Do you work better learning alone or with others? Find the right mix of apps versus in-person that suits you!

Love reality TV? Binge Danish shows -- with Danish subtitles.

Wild about board games? Join a local Danish game night meet-up.

Obsessed with pop music? Let Danish pop music become your newest fixation. Don't just listen passively: look up the lyrics, search up words you don’t know yet, and learn to sing along.

The more Danish feels like pleasure rather than pressure, the more sustainable your learning becomes.

5. Celebrate your successes

You will make progress! And you’ll probably hit plateaus, too. That is all part of the long game.

Take note of where you are today. Record a video in which you speak Danish, or write an email without using Google Translate or ChatGPT. Look back in 3 months, 6 months, and a year. Note your progress and celebrate! This is motivation for continuation.

6. Set realistic goals – and stay flexible

Goals shouldn’t be rigid. Break your big language goal into smaller, manageable steps.

Want to understand spoken Danish better? Start with beginner podcasts like Dansk i Ørerne and gradually work up to native-speed podcasts.

Want to improve your spoken Danish? Speak out loud – even to yourself – for at least five minutes a day.

You can set very specific goals or keep it general, depending on you. Build lifestyle changes. Adjust as you go. And remember, we’re not robots.

Show up in small ways, even on your worst days.

And if you fall off the Danish language tog (train), hop back on. Better yesterday than today -- BUT better today than tomorrow!

Godt nytår, and happy habit-forming in 2026!