altså

Altså is a Danish discourse particle and adverb used to signal consequence, clarification, or emphasis. In everyday language it functions similarly to “therefore,” “thus,” or “I mean,” and can also act as a filler in conversation.

As a marker of explanation or conclusion, altså introduces a restatement or summation. For example, in Danish, one might say: Altså, jeg forstår ikke. This translates roughly to “Therefore, I don’t understand” or “So, I don’t understand.” It is common to use altså to foreground a point, to show that what follows follows logically from what was said, or to underscore a judgment. When used as a filler or hesitation particle, it serves to buy time or to invite a listener to follow the speaker’s reasoning, similar to “well” in English.

Altså is versatile in tone. It can add emphasis in informal speech, as in Det var altså en stor bedrift, meaning “That was really a great achievement.” In question form, it can mark a request for clarification: Altså, hvad mener du? “Well, what do you mean?” In formal writing, ellers, uporablja mo not as common; in spoken language it remains a frequent feature of casual dialogue.

Etymology is not always stated explicitly in dictionaries, but altså is widely recognized as a core Danish discourse marker. There are cognates in neighboring languages, such as Swedish and Norwegian forms with related meaning, though spelling and usage can vary.