Have you also noticed the slightly odd pronunciation of metro station names when announcements are made in English on the Metro? You're not the only one – and that's why the pronunciation is now being changed to Danish.

"Originally, the station names were pronounced as they would be in English, as this was intended to make it easier for non-Danish speakers to recognize the names. However, our survey has shown that the majority prefer the Danish pronunciation, so we are now changing it," explains Eva Lind, Commercial Director at Metroselskabet.

Metroselskabet conducted the survey among tourists and international
residents in Copenhagen, who were asked to listen to an English and a Danish version and choose the one they liked best. Most people chose the Danish pronunciation, arguing that since they are in Denmark, they would like to learn the names of the stations in Danish – this also makes it easier if they need to ask for directions, for example.

Changed on M3 and M4

The two actors Katrine Falkenberg and Thomas Magnussen have been the voices behind the Danish and English announcements in the Metro since 2019, and Thomas Magnussen has therefore been back in the studio to record a total of 99 English announcements with a new pronunciation.

"I had to get used to it when we recorded the new versions. Although people have chuckled at how funny the English pronunciation sounded, many have also said that it gave it a more international feel," says Thomas Magnussen, who, in addition to the Metro, has lent his voice to a host of cartoons and commercials.

The new announcements have been implemented on metro lines M3 and M4, while the replacement is underway on M1 and M2, so keep your ears open the next time you travel on the Metro and see what you think of the new announcements.