How to Speak Norwegian
Learn basic Norwegian pronunciation., Learn Norwegian greetings., Learn important words in Norwegian., Learn a few simple questions., Purchase a Norwegian grammar book for beginners., Use online resources to assist your learning., Create a set of...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn basic Norwegian pronunciation.
In addition to having three letters not used by the English alphabet, Norwegian has several vowel, consonant, and dipthong sounds not used in English.Norwegian pronunciation is largely phonetic—words are pronounced like they are spelled—but there are exceptions and words that will be unfamiliar to English speakers.
If you’re planning to travel to Norway, look into the regional dialect spoken in the area you’re visiting.
Regional dialect and pronunciation vary slightly, and you should practice the pronunciation used in the dialect region you’ll be visiting. -
Step 2: Learn Norwegian greetings.
One of the first things you’ll need to do when learning Norwegian is to pick up a few common phrases related to greeting individuals you meet.
These are listed below.
The English word is on the left, followed by the Norsk word (and its pronunciation) on the right.
Hello – Hallo.
It’s pronounced like: “Hollow” Hi – Hei.
It’s pronounced like: “Hi” My name is – Heg heter.
It’s pronounced like: “Yay hitter” How are you – Hvordan har du det.
It’s pronounced like: “Hvorden har doo day” Goodbye – Ha det bra.
It’s pronounced like: “Haad bra” (Or you can say “Ha det.” That means “bye.” It sounds like: “Hade” ). , Especially if you are traveling in Norway, you will likely not have time to master the language before you need to speak it.
In order to effectively communicate about basic daily needs, focus on first grasping and pronouncing words and phrases such as:
I come from ... – Jeg kommer fra.
It’s pronounced like: “Yag komer fra” I’m sorry – Beklager.
It’s pronounced like: “Bak-log-et” Excuse me – Unnskyld meg.
It’s pronounced like: “Un-shiel my” I love you – Jeg elsker deg.
It’s pronounced like: “iej elsker deij.” , Once you can greet individuals in Norwegian and are able to begin a basic conversation, it’s time to learn some beginning questions.
You’ll likely need to develop a specific list of common questions relevant to your pursuits in Norway (whether they’re related to business, tourism, or academic studies).
Where are you from? – Hvor kommer du fra? It’s pronounced like: “Vor komer do frah?” Do you speak English? – Snakker du engelsk? It’s pronounced like: “Snacker do Ing-isk?” I speak English. – Jeg snakker Engelsk.
It’s pronounced like: “Yag snacker Ing-isk” What did you say? – Hva sa du? It’s pronounced like: “Va saw do?” Can you speak more slowly? – Kan du snakke saktere? It’s pronounced like: “Kon do snak-ke sock-tera?” Where is the bathroom – Hvor er toalettet? It’s pronounced like: “Hvor er toalette?” , Study as much as you can: learn pronunciation, sentence structure, verb conjugations, and as much vocabulary as you can.
If you are serious about learning Norsk, buy a dictionary and a phrase book as well.
A store that specializes in languages should be able to help you to choose a suitable book.
If you are more interested in learning to speak Norwegian, you should focus on expanding your vocabulary and learning word pronunciation.
If you are more interested in learning to read, write, and translate Norwegian, you will need a understanding of regular and irregular verbs, noun cases, and other complex grammar rules.
Fortunately, Norwegian has relatively simple grammar rules, especially compared with other Germanic languages.One of the books series made specifically for foreigners learning Norwegian is “Ta Ordet” by the publishers CappelenDamm. , Look for sites that teach Norwegian, along with pronunciation and tests.Online resources are especially valuable because they will contain audio clips to help you pronounce words correctly.
Look for websites like:
Learn Norwegian Naturally, My Little Norway, or Babbel. , This is a simple and effective way to learn parts of a language.
If you’re struggling to learn a part of Norwegian—for example, if irregular verbs are tripping you up—write the verb on a note card, and all of its conjugations on the back.
Then quiz yourself by reciting as many of the conjugations as you can remember, before you flip the card over.
You can put a variety of information in Norwegian on various sets of flashcards.
Consider creating distinct sets to quiz yourself on:
Vocabulary.
Verb conjugation.
Articles and pronouns. , This approach is similar to the flash cards; you will remember more Norwegian vocabulary and grammar rules if you see it regularly throughout your day.Coordinate the specific sticky notes with locations in your house.
For example, put food vocabulary in your kitchen, and verb conjugations on your writing desk. , You might look for a tutor in your local area, or find online Norwegian friends who are willing to “chat” with you in beginner’s Norwegian.This should be a safe space for you to make mistakes and ask questions about pronunciation and grammar.
If you know any Norwegians who are trying to learn English, you can help them with English after they help you with Norwegian. , To really test how well you speak Norwegian, consider going on a trip to Norway.
This is the most in-depth way to immerse yourself in the language.
You will be surrounded by Norwegian language and culture.
You’ll also experience Norwegian language in the context of daily life, rather than through online learning exercises.
If you have some friends who also speak Norwegian, it’s a good idea to bring them along as “translators” of sorts.
You will need to be intentional about speaking and learning the Norwegian language, as English is commonly spoken in Norway. , Practice your Norwegian by subscribing to a magazine written in Norwegian.
It doesn’t matter what kind of magazine it is: fashion, political, news, celebrity gossip, etc., as long as it’s written in Norwegian.
Although a magazine will not help you with word pronunciation, it will help you to recognize and read written Norwegian.
Look for widely distributed Norwegian magazines, including Vi Menn (a men’s lifestyle magazine), Allers (a women’s lifestyle magazine), or Hytteliv (a magazine on cabin living). , This is an easy and entertaining way to immerse yourself in Norwegian, and to pick up elements of Norwegian pronunciation and culture.
Watching films allows you to hear the language as it is naturally spoken, in real-life contexts.
At first, it will be helpful to keep the English subtitles on, so you can follow along.Over time, you should come to rely on the subtitles less and less, until they’re finally off altogether.
Well known Norwegian films include:
Trollhunter (2010), King of Devil’s Island (2010), The Man Who Could Not Laugh (1968), and Kon-Tiki (1950). -
Step 3: Learn important words in Norwegian.
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Step 4: Learn a few simple questions.
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Step 5: Purchase a Norwegian grammar book for beginners.
-
Step 6: Use online resources to assist your learning.
-
Step 7: Create a set of flashcards.
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Step 8: Put Norwegian phrases on sticky notes around your house.
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Step 9: Find Norwegian speakers to converse with.
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Step 10: Consider going to Norway.
-
Step 11: Subscribe to a Norwegian magazine.
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Step 12: Watch Norwegian films.
Detailed Guide
In addition to having three letters not used by the English alphabet, Norwegian has several vowel, consonant, and dipthong sounds not used in English.Norwegian pronunciation is largely phonetic—words are pronounced like they are spelled—but there are exceptions and words that will be unfamiliar to English speakers.
If you’re planning to travel to Norway, look into the regional dialect spoken in the area you’re visiting.
Regional dialect and pronunciation vary slightly, and you should practice the pronunciation used in the dialect region you’ll be visiting.
One of the first things you’ll need to do when learning Norwegian is to pick up a few common phrases related to greeting individuals you meet.
These are listed below.
The English word is on the left, followed by the Norsk word (and its pronunciation) on the right.
Hello – Hallo.
It’s pronounced like: “Hollow” Hi – Hei.
It’s pronounced like: “Hi” My name is – Heg heter.
It’s pronounced like: “Yay hitter” How are you – Hvordan har du det.
It’s pronounced like: “Hvorden har doo day” Goodbye – Ha det bra.
It’s pronounced like: “Haad bra” (Or you can say “Ha det.” That means “bye.” It sounds like: “Hade” ). , Especially if you are traveling in Norway, you will likely not have time to master the language before you need to speak it.
In order to effectively communicate about basic daily needs, focus on first grasping and pronouncing words and phrases such as:
I come from ... – Jeg kommer fra.
It’s pronounced like: “Yag komer fra” I’m sorry – Beklager.
It’s pronounced like: “Bak-log-et” Excuse me – Unnskyld meg.
It’s pronounced like: “Un-shiel my” I love you – Jeg elsker deg.
It’s pronounced like: “iej elsker deij.” , Once you can greet individuals in Norwegian and are able to begin a basic conversation, it’s time to learn some beginning questions.
You’ll likely need to develop a specific list of common questions relevant to your pursuits in Norway (whether they’re related to business, tourism, or academic studies).
Where are you from? – Hvor kommer du fra? It’s pronounced like: “Vor komer do frah?” Do you speak English? – Snakker du engelsk? It’s pronounced like: “Snacker do Ing-isk?” I speak English. – Jeg snakker Engelsk.
It’s pronounced like: “Yag snacker Ing-isk” What did you say? – Hva sa du? It’s pronounced like: “Va saw do?” Can you speak more slowly? – Kan du snakke saktere? It’s pronounced like: “Kon do snak-ke sock-tera?” Where is the bathroom – Hvor er toalettet? It’s pronounced like: “Hvor er toalette?” , Study as much as you can: learn pronunciation, sentence structure, verb conjugations, and as much vocabulary as you can.
If you are serious about learning Norsk, buy a dictionary and a phrase book as well.
A store that specializes in languages should be able to help you to choose a suitable book.
If you are more interested in learning to speak Norwegian, you should focus on expanding your vocabulary and learning word pronunciation.
If you are more interested in learning to read, write, and translate Norwegian, you will need a understanding of regular and irregular verbs, noun cases, and other complex grammar rules.
Fortunately, Norwegian has relatively simple grammar rules, especially compared with other Germanic languages.One of the books series made specifically for foreigners learning Norwegian is “Ta Ordet” by the publishers CappelenDamm. , Look for sites that teach Norwegian, along with pronunciation and tests.Online resources are especially valuable because they will contain audio clips to help you pronounce words correctly.
Look for websites like:
Learn Norwegian Naturally, My Little Norway, or Babbel. , This is a simple and effective way to learn parts of a language.
If you’re struggling to learn a part of Norwegian—for example, if irregular verbs are tripping you up—write the verb on a note card, and all of its conjugations on the back.
Then quiz yourself by reciting as many of the conjugations as you can remember, before you flip the card over.
You can put a variety of information in Norwegian on various sets of flashcards.
Consider creating distinct sets to quiz yourself on:
Vocabulary.
Verb conjugation.
Articles and pronouns. , This approach is similar to the flash cards; you will remember more Norwegian vocabulary and grammar rules if you see it regularly throughout your day.Coordinate the specific sticky notes with locations in your house.
For example, put food vocabulary in your kitchen, and verb conjugations on your writing desk. , You might look for a tutor in your local area, or find online Norwegian friends who are willing to “chat” with you in beginner’s Norwegian.This should be a safe space for you to make mistakes and ask questions about pronunciation and grammar.
If you know any Norwegians who are trying to learn English, you can help them with English after they help you with Norwegian. , To really test how well you speak Norwegian, consider going on a trip to Norway.
This is the most in-depth way to immerse yourself in the language.
You will be surrounded by Norwegian language and culture.
You’ll also experience Norwegian language in the context of daily life, rather than through online learning exercises.
If you have some friends who also speak Norwegian, it’s a good idea to bring them along as “translators” of sorts.
You will need to be intentional about speaking and learning the Norwegian language, as English is commonly spoken in Norway. , Practice your Norwegian by subscribing to a magazine written in Norwegian.
It doesn’t matter what kind of magazine it is: fashion, political, news, celebrity gossip, etc., as long as it’s written in Norwegian.
Although a magazine will not help you with word pronunciation, it will help you to recognize and read written Norwegian.
Look for widely distributed Norwegian magazines, including Vi Menn (a men’s lifestyle magazine), Allers (a women’s lifestyle magazine), or Hytteliv (a magazine on cabin living). , This is an easy and entertaining way to immerse yourself in Norwegian, and to pick up elements of Norwegian pronunciation and culture.
Watching films allows you to hear the language as it is naturally spoken, in real-life contexts.
At first, it will be helpful to keep the English subtitles on, so you can follow along.Over time, you should come to rely on the subtitles less and less, until they’re finally off altogether.
Well known Norwegian films include:
Trollhunter (2010), King of Devil’s Island (2010), The Man Who Could Not Laugh (1968), and Kon-Tiki (1950).
About the Author
Jonathan Gomez
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in DIY projects and beyond.
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