tilsammen

Tilsammen is a Danish phrase meaning together or in total. It is used to indicate that several parts or items are combined to form a single group or an overall amount. In everyday language it often introduces a sum or a joint action, such as when counting items or describing collaborative effort.

Grammatically, til sammen functions as an adverbial phrase. It can follow a numeral to express a total, for example: Der er 15 til sammen. It can also describe a joint action, as in De arbejdede til sammen hele dagen, meaning they worked together all day. In many contexts the standard form is two words: til sammen. In some older texts or headlines you might encounter the phrase written differently, but the two-word form remains the norm in contemporary Danish.

Usage notes and related terms: til sammen is closely related to the Danish and Norwegian usage of “in total” or “altogether.” It is sometimes preferred over more formal equivalents like i alt or samlet set, depending on register and clarity. In other Scandinavian languages, similar meanings exist with different spellings: Swedish uses tillsammans as one word, while Norwegian typically follows the two-word form til sammen.

Examples:

- Der er 15 til sammen.

- De arbejdede til sammen hele dagen.

- Udgifterne til sammen blev 1.200 kroner.

See also: i alt, samlet set, sammenlagt. In Norwegian and Swedish, similar constructions exist with slight spelling and usage variations, reflecting the shared Scandinavian linguistic heritage.