How many kids with a minority language background learn their parents’ language in Denmark?

If you're raising children in Denmark with a language other than Danish at home, you've probably wondered: will my child actually be able to speak my language? Will they be able to talk to their grandparents, connect with our culture, feel at home in both worlds?

This is exactly the question I explored in a recent pilot study, and the answer is: not as well as we might hope — and both parents and professionals alike need to pay closer attention.

What the Study Found

The pilot study published in Kognition & Pædagogik (2025) examined 33 young adults in Denmark who had grown up with a heritage language — meaning a language other than Danish spoken by one or both of their parents. Using questionnaires and follow-up interviews, I looked at how well these young adults had actually acquired their parents' language.

The results were revealing. While the majority — 76% — could at least manage everyday conversations in their heritage language, nearly a quarter (24%) reported having no meaningful ability to speak it at all. When it came to reading and writing, the picture was even more mixed. And strikingly, 76% of respondents said they wished they were better at their parents' language.

That's not a small number. Three out of four people who grew up in multilingual families in Denmark carry a quiet wish that things had been different.

Understanding Is Not the Same as Speaking

One of the clearest patterns in the data was a gap between what participants could understand and what they could say. Most could follow along when parents spoke the heritage language to them. Far fewer could respond fluently, hold a full conversation, or express themselves naturally in that language.

This is actually a common pattern in heritage language development — children absorb the language passively but don't always get enough opportunity or encouragement to use it actively. And if the window for active use closes early in childhood, it can be very hard to reopen later (but it’s not at all impossible! – I learned Danish at 21 years of age, although through tremendous effort).

The Single Most Important Factor: Early Exposure

Among those who grew up speaking their heritage language fluently, one thing was consistent — their parents kept using the language with them throughout childhood, even after the children started Danish nursery or school. Among those who struggled, there was typically a point where the heritage language was quietly dropped at home, often because one parent spoke only Danish, or because the family gradually shifted to Danish as it became the dominant language in daily life.

This finding aligns with what international research already tells us: the heritage language is fragile. When children enter Danish institutions and Danish becomes the primary language of their world, the home language can fade quickly — unless parents actively and consistently maintain it.

A Note on Birth Order

An interesting pattern also emerged around siblings: younger siblings tended to have weaker heritage language skills than their older brothers and sisters. Parents often spoke the heritage language more consistently in the early years of parenting, but as more children arrived and life got busier, the effort sometimes waned. If you have younger children at home, this is worth keeping in mind.

The Myths That Get in the Way

Several of the participants reported that their parents had received advice — sometimes from daycare staff or teachers — suggesting that speaking multiple languages at home would confuse the child, or that focusing on Danish was most important for the child's future.

This advice is not supported by research. In fact, the opposite is true. Studies show that strong skills in a first language actually support the development of the majority language and literacy skills — not hinder them. Bilingualism does not cause language delays, and the brain is not too small to handle two languages. These are persistent myths, and they have real consequences for families who act on them.

More Than Language: Identity and Wellbeing

Perhaps the most moving part of the research came from the interviews, where participants spoke about what it felt like to grow up without full access to their parents' language.

Many described a sense of not fully belonging — not quite Danish, but also not quite part of their parents' cultural world either. Several spoke of shame: shame when relatives pointed out their limitations, shame when their parents spoke the heritage language in public and others reacted negatively. Some described how this affected their relationships with family members abroad, or how communication with a parent had broken down because they simply didn't share a common language with enough depth.

17% of respondents said they felt their wellbeing as children had been affected by not being better at their heritage language. And 36% had witnessed other adults reacting negatively when their parents spoke the heritage language to them — an experience that can teach a child, very early on, that their home language is something to be ashamed of rather than proud of.

What This Means for You as a Parent

The good news is that the most powerful tool available to you is something you already have: your language.

Research — including this new Danish study — consistently shows that the single most effective thing parents can do is to keep talking to their children in their heritage language, even when it feels easier to switch to Danish, even when the child starts responding in Danish, and even when no one else around you seems to be doing the same.

A few practical takeaways:

• Don't drop the language when your child starts nursery or school. This is precisely when the heritage language becomes most vulnerable.

• You don't have to choose between your language and Danish. Children can develop both. Strong heritage language skills support, rather than hinder, Danish development.

• If you have more than one child, be mindful that younger siblings may not be getting sufficient practice with the heritage language.

• If a professional ever tells you to stop speaking your language at home, ask them for the research behind that advice. Evidence-based guidance says the opposite.

Your language is not a problem to be solved. It is a gift — for your child's identity, their family bonds, and their future.