English to Danish Translation

This direction is used when an English document has to be submitted in Denmark. The typical applicant is someone presenting a diploma, a registry record or a company document issued in an English-speaking country to a university, an employer or an authority in Denmark. The most striking feature of this direction lies on the target side: Denmark abolished the official authorised translator (translatør) title in 2016, which makes it an exception in northern Europe.

Concrete examples bring the direction into focus: taking a diploma obtained abroad through recognition in Denmark, a foreign company entering the Danish market with its registry documents, criminal record and income documents submitted for a work permit. The source carries an Anglo-Saxon reality, while the destination assesses it according to Danish administrative tradition.

Education and employment files predominate in this direction; because certification works differently here from the other Scandinavian countries, what the destination institution wants is asked at the outset. This is necessary if the process is to be set up correctly.

The Germanic kinship between English and Danish creates a risk of false friends in this direction too; terms are chosen by function, not by resemblance.

What sets this direction apart is that Denmark has abolished the official translator title; the translation is therefore prepared so that it can be submitted together with a statement of accuracy, and whether the destination institution requires an additional notarisation or consular attestation is asked at the outset. In this respect the process differs from the other Scandinavian countries.

English diplomas and degree names are given in their original form with an explanation; the recognition decision is taken by the Danish authority. Credit and level information is preserved in a comparable form.

In commercial documents company forms are not forced into equivalence with Danish structures; the original abbreviation is kept and explained. The decimal separator is adapted to a comma, and amounts are not converted.

Because of the false friend risk arising from the Germanic kinship, terms are chosen by function; relying on the nearest Danish counterpart of an English concept can shift the official meaning. The risk grows above all in legal texts such as contracts and criminal record documents, since a single wrong term can lead to a liability or a status being misunderstood.

Technical points specific to English into Danish

Words that look alike form a trap in this direction as well; the nearest Danish counterpart of an English term may carry a different legal meaning, which is why the rendering is chosen by function. English names are kept in their original Latin spelling in the Danish text.

Company forms (Ltd., LLC) are not automatically converted into the Danish ApS or A/S structure; the original abbreviation is kept and explained, because the liability structures do not overlap. English legal concepts are rendered in Danish according to their function.

Dates and currency are not converted; the Danish text uses a comma as the decimal separator. English abbreviations are expanded and, where needed, given in brackets.

The signature and date information in the document is kept in place. In documents belonging to the same person the spelling of the name is kept consistent.

In diploma applications the degree and credit information is conveyed explicitly; English degree names are not forced into equivalence with a Danish degree but explained, and the Danish authority takes the decision. This is decisive in the recognition process.

In commercial files, conveying the company name, the partners and the amounts with exact consistency is necessary for the application to be assessed as a whole; registration numbers are not translated but given with a reference to the record.

Since certification in Denmark rests on the agency’s own statement, the layout is prepared on the assumption that the translation will be submitted together with a statement of accuracy; the position of the signature and date fields is preserved.

Documents for which this direction is requested

• Diplomas, transcripts and professional documents
• Birth, marriage and residence documents
• Company registry records and commercial contracts
• Work and residence application documents
• Criminal record and income documents

Education and employment files predominate in this direction; because certification works differently here from the other Scandinavian countries, what the destination institution wants is asked at the outset. Degree and credit information is conveyed explicitly.

In commercial documents the company form and the registry details are kept in their original form. In criminal record documents the date and the issuing authority are stated explicitly.

Chain of certification

Since Denmark abolished official translator authorisation in 2016, what is used now is the agency’s statement and, where needed, notarisation or consular attestation; this parts company with the authorised translator system of Sweden and Norway. A document arriving from the English-speaking source country is expected to bear an apostille.

To see these expectations and Denmark’s certification regime, look through the country page and the requirements for the document type. Tell us the institution the document will be submitted to before you send it.

By uploading your document you can see the page count and the current fee, and compare the unit prices.

The account given here summarises the typical case; notarisation and apostille steps are costed as separate items. Confirming the current requirement before you apply saves time.