Danish word of the day: spurgt

We know nobody asked us, but we think today’s word of the day is a good one to know if you want to stay on top of modern Danish lingo.

Spurgt is literally the past tense of the Danish verb at spørge which means “to ask”.

In modern slang, if someone says spurgt , it’s used as a standalone, dismissive retort meaning “Who asked?” or “Nobody cares”.

The expression became popular among Danish teenagers in the early 2010s, peaking in 2014-2015. It was eventually so widely used that it became featured in The Danish Language Council’s list of new slang, and was heavily featured in slang glossaries as an example of teenage dismissiveness.

Spurgt nicely encapsulates the specific blunt, sarcastic Danish humour. Used in the wrong setting, spurgt can be hurtful even to Danes who are used to this type of humour. It’s a single-syllable word designed to instantly deflate someone’s ego, and is the ultimate conversation killer.

Knowing it gives you a deeper understanding of informal Danish banter, and the direct (and sometimes harsh) way Danes tease each other.

Make sure to only use this with close friends and family. Only very informal work places would give this expression a chuckle.

Person A: Jeg er faktisk begyndt at løbe 10 kilometer hver morgen inden arbejde. / "I actually just started running 10 kilometers every morning before work."

Person A: Vidste du, at jordnødder teknisk set ikke er nødder? De er faktisk bælgfrugter. / "Did you know that peanuts aren't technically nuts? They're actually legumes."