Danish people are independent. They enjoy personal space and privacy11. The whole culture respects personal life too. In Denmark， a good neighbor is a neighbor that keeps to himself. Its rude to invite oneself to others houses or visit. No one should ask about other peoples salary or property12.

The Danish home is a very private place. Most families are small， with husband and wife， and their children. Extended13 families usually dont live together. Children are raised to be independent from an early age， and most are put in day care at about one year old. They move out of their parents houses in their late teens. In Denmark， families are open-minded， and children are encouraged to express their opinions from a young age. When they are old enough， parents talk to them with adult topics.

For Danes， new friends are never as good as old ones， and their old friends， are usually found already during their school life or before they start working. Once true friendship is discovered， it means a lifetime of precious treasure to Danes. Danes are good friends， but they are the most comfortable with old friends， deep and long-term friendships. Once Danes are in their thirties， they no longer seek new friendships， they do not want to waste time on someone who is going to be in the country for 2 or 3 years.

Therefore， family is the top priority14 to the Danish， then best friends. Danes spend the most important holidays with family and close friends.

New friendships？ Very difficult.

丹麥人非常独立。他们享受个人空间和隐私。整个国家的文化也非常尊重个人生活。不打扰他人的邻居才是好邻居。不请自来是非常粗鲁的方式，你更不应该询问他人的工资或者房产等。

丹麦人的家是极其隐私的空间。在丹麦，大多数都是核心小家庭，也就是一对夫妻和他们的孩子。亲戚们很少住在一起。孩子们很早就学会独立，很多1岁左右就被送去托儿所。大多数人十几岁就从父母家搬出去了。丹麦的家庭思想很开放。孩子们从小就被鼓励表达自我，再长大一点，父母会在谈论大人的话题时，让孩子们也参与其中。

在很多丹麦人心中，新朋友远不如老朋友来得珍贵，而他们的“老朋友”通常是在上学时、工作前就已经认识的。这种一经认定就带有“持续一辈子”可能性的友情，在丹麦人心中是一生宝贵的财富。 丹麦人会是好朋友，但只有和老朋友在一起，他们才最放松。一旦到30多岁，他们就不再想找新朋友了。所以，如果有人只是在丹麦待两三年的话，丹麦人是不会浪费自己的时间跟你交朋友的。

因此，家人是丹麦人心中最重要的圈子，其次才是好朋友。最重要的节日他们总是和家人、亲密朋友一起分享。

新友情？不是一般地难。

Tips

●open-minded：该短语为一个合成形容词，意思是“开明的”“心胸宽广的”。如：Generally speaking， I am an open-minded person.总的来说，我是个思想开明的人。

类似的形容词：absent-minded 漫不经心的；warm-hearted 热心的；慈爱的；cold-hearted 冷淡的；无情的；grey-haired头发灰白的；年老的；middle-aged中年的。

●in their thirties： 在“in ones + 年龄”结构中，年龄只能是20—90整十的复数形式，表示范围。如：in ones twenties/ thirties / forties/ fifties /…/nineties 。如：He elected painting as a career when he was in his thirties. 他在30几岁选择了绘画作为他的事业。