Deaf Students

The Deaf community in Copenhagen is fairly small and close knit. This does however not mean that they are not willing to welcome you.

About 5000 Danes identify as deaf. These people are spread evenly in all age groups. The majority young people who identify as deaf or hearing impaired live in the bigger Danish cities such as Copenhagen.

As you are most likely aware, Danish Sign Language is quite different from the American variety. The Danish sign language alphabet is similar to the one used in ASL but there are variations (F,P,T, S, and X). Yes is said in the same way, but ‘no’ is said differently. Danish sign language was developed by the Danish philologist Peter Acthe Katberg in the 19th century. He was interested in developing a language where deaf children could draw their words and thus communicate.

To the right, you will find the contact information to a number of associations that can make your transition into the deaf community in Copenhagen easier.

Resources & Links

Despite our differences in language, we could easily communicate with each other. Sure we struggle with a word here and there, but that didn't bother me at all. What we all had in common that we communicated with our hands, something you don't see every day in Copenhagen or even in America.
Finding people that communicate and sign with their hands is like finding a pearl in an oyster. You have to keep searching, dig deeper, and once you find it, it will all pay off.

Kyle Kalski DIS Alumnus, Pratt Institute
Denmark: DIS - Danish Institute for Study Abroad. Vestergade 5-7, 1456 Copenhagen. Phone: (+45) 3311 0144, Fax: (+45) 3393 2624
USA: DIS - North American Office, University of Minnesota. 1313 Fifth Street SE, Suite 113, Minneapolis MN 55414. Phone: (800) 247-3477, Non-US: (612) 627-0140 Fax: (612) 627-0141
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