Danish Translation

Two things about Danish documents are unexpected: the state abolished the sworn translator title in 2016, and Danish number words rest on a base-twenty system. The second is a genuine source of error in written-out amounts.

4 min readLast updated 2 September 2026

Short answer

Denmark abolished its state-conferred sworn translator title in 2016. Certification now runs through notaries and the relevant bodies. Because Denmark is a party to the Convention, an apostilled document from Türkiye is valid.

State title: Abolished in 2016
Number system: Carries traces of base twenty
Identity number: CPR, encodes the date of birth
Apostille: Denmark and Türkiye are both parties

The title abolished in 2016

For many years Denmark operated a state-authorised translator title. It was abolished in 2016 and can no longer be acquired. Those who held it may continue to use it, but the system no longer rests on a permanent state list.

In practice this means certification runs by different routes depending on where the document is going. A translation may be certified before a notary, through the relevant professional body, or via a ministry. Which route is valid is decided by the institution requesting the document.

Danish numbers: a remnant of base twenty

Above fifty, Danish number words are built on a base-twenty rather than a base-ten logic. Halvtreds (50) comes from an older expression meaning "half of the third twenty". This goes unnoticed in speech but is a serious source of error in written-out amounts.

Danish number words and their logic
Number	Danish	Underlying logic
50	halvtreds	Half of the third twenty (2.5 × 20)
60	tres	Three twenties (3 × 20)
70	halvfjerds	Half of the fourth twenty (3.5 × 20)
80	firs	Four twenties (4 × 20)
90	halvfems	Half of the fifth twenty (4.5 × 20)

Danish number words and their logic

In translation we show written-out amounts in figures as well and add a translator's note where the two differ. A mismatch between figure and words is a legal problem; the translator does not resolve it but makes it visible.

The CPR number

The Danish identity number has ten digits: the first six give the date of birth in day-month-year order, the remaining four serve registration. The number is the key to almost every procedure in Denmark.

The number is carried across unchanged in translation. Decoding the date inside it is not the translator's job, but knowing that it contains one explains why the information is present even where the document has no separate date field.

The alphabet, and the resemblance to Norwegian

The Danish alphabet has 29 letters with æ, ø and å following z in that order, exactly as in Norwegian. The written forms of the two languages are very close; the differences lie largely in pronunciation and in some lexical choices.

Danish and Norwegian (Bokmål) in writing
Meaning	Danish	Norwegian (Bokmål)
I	jeg	jeg
City	by	by
To speak	tale	tale
To find	finde	finne
To write	skrive	skrive

Danish and Norwegian (Bokmål) in writing

That closeness can mislead: telling whether a document is Danish or Norwegian is not always straightforward. Telling us which country it comes from lets us route it to a translator with the right oath record.

the year the state translator title was abolished: 2016the year the state translator title was abolished
the base underlying the number words: 20the base underlying the number words
in a CPR number: 10 digitsin a CPR number

Danish documents and how we render them

Frequently seen documents
Document	What it is	Our approach
Fødselsattest / Navneattest	Birth and name certificate	May be issued from church registers; the source is stated
Bopælsattest	Certificate of residence	Issued from the CPR register
Straffeattest	Criminal record certificate	Limited in scope; the extended record is separate
Eksamensbevis	Diploma	The grading scale has seven steps; it is stated
Opholdstilladelse	Residence permit	Its type and duration are always stated

Frequently seen documents

Frequently asked questions

If Denmark has no sworn translators, who certifies my translation?

For a document leaving Türkiye, Turkish practice applies: sworn translation, notarisation and an apostille. Where certification is needed within Denmark, the route runs through a notary or the relevant body. Ask the receiving institution which form it wants.

My document states an amount in words. How can I be sure it is read correctly?

We show written-out amounts in figures as well. Where the document also gives figures, we compare the two and add a translator's note if they differ. The base-twenty logic of Danish number words, and the units being said before the tens, make that check necessary.

Can one translator handle both Danish and Norwegian?

Not for official procedures. The written forms are very close but these are separate languages, and a sworn translation requires an oath record for the language concerned. The two countries also have different administrative terms and document names.

Is an apostille enough for a document going to Denmark?

Yes. Denmark is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so sworn translation, notarisation and an apostille are valid; consular legalisation is not required.