In modern Danish, the informal pronoun du (you) is the standard in almost every situation. However, you will still encounter the formal register in high-end customer service, professional correspondence, or when showing deep respect.
To address someone formally, Danish uses three pronouns:
- De (Subject "you")
- Dem (Object "you")
- Deres (Possessive "your")
Important spelling rule: You must always capitalize De, Dem, and Deres. If written in lowercase (de, dem, deres), they mean "they", "them", and "their".
Here is how De is used as the subject:
Use Dem when the person addressed is the object or follows a preposition:
For possession, use Deres. Unlike some possessive pronouns, Deres never changes form based on the noun's gender or number.
Polite and professional language
The formal register pairs well with polite vocabulary like venligst (kindly/please) to soften instructions, and formal words like en forespørgsel (an inquiry) and at imødekomme (to accommodate).