Lenguia | A1 Norwegian Grammar: 73 Topics & Examples

Norwegian present tense is amazingly simple: you take the infinitive (the dictionary form ending in -e, like snakke 'to speak') and add an -r at the end. That's it. The same form is used for all persons: jeg snakker, du snakker, han snakker, vi snakker, dere snakker, de snakker. Whether you're talking about yourself, your friend, or a whole crowd, the verb stays exactly the same. This means once you know the present-tense form, you can use it with every subject without changing anything. Norwegian present tense covers what English does with both 'I speak' and 'I am speaking' — there is no separate -ing form.

Key rule

Take the infinitive and add -r. The same form is used for every subject (jeg, du, han, hun, vi, dere, de).

Examples

Jeg snakker norsk.
Jeg snakke norsk.
The present tense requires -r at the end: snakker, not the infinitive snakke.
Hun spiser frokost.
Hun spiserer frokost.
You add only -r to the infinitive (spise + r = spiser), not -er or -erer.
Vi leser en bok.
Vi leses en bok.
Active present is leser. The -s ending forms a passive (leses = is read).

Common mistakes

Using the bare infinitive as the finite verb
Jeg snakke norsk
Jeg snakker norsk
Unlike English 'I speak', Norwegian needs the -r ending in the present: jeg snakker.
Trying to conjugate for person/number
Vi snakkem / De snakken
Vi snakker / De snakker
Norwegian uses the same present form for every subject. There are no -m, -n, -t endings.

A1Verb tenses

Present Tense - Class 1 (kaste/kastet) Verbs in Present

Presens - Kaste-klassen

Norwegian verbs are sorted into 'classes' that tell you how to make their past tense. Class 1 verbs (sometimes called the 'kaste-class') are the largest group of weak verbs and are recognised by their past tense ending in -et (kaste → kastet, snakke → snakket). For now you only need their present tense, which is fully regular: just add -r to the infinitive. The reason we identify Class 1 already at A1 is so that you start associating each new verb with its class — that way, when we introduce the past tense at A2, you'll already know which ending to add.

Key rule

Class 1 verbs form the present like every other regular verb: infinitive + r (kaste → kaster, snakke → snakker). Their hallmark — visible only in the past — is the -et ending.

Examples

Jeg kaster ballen.
Jeg kast ballen.
Present tense needs -r: kaster, not the bare stem 'kast'.
Hun snakker fort.
Hun snakk fort.
Snakke + r = snakker. The infinitive ends in -e and we just add -r.
Vi vasker bilen.
Vi vasket bilen.
Vasket is past tense; for the present we need vasker.

Common mistakes

Using the bare stem instead of stem + r
Jeg snakk norsk
Jeg snakker norsk
Norwegian present tense always ends in -r for regular verbs; the bare stem is never a finite form.
Mixing present and past forms
Jeg snakket norsk nå (when meaning right now)
Jeg snakker norsk nå
Snakket is past tense (Class 1's diagnostic feature). Use snakker for present-time action.

A1Verb tenses

Present Tense - Class 2 (spise/spiste) Verbs in Present

Presens - Spise-klassen

Class 2 verbs (the 'spise-class') are the second main group of weak verbs. In the present tense they look exactly like every other regular verb (infinitive + r: spiser, leser, kjøper) — but in the past tense (which you'll learn at A2) they end in -te or -de instead of -et. Knowing now that 'spise', 'lese', 'kjøpe', 'leie', 'reise' all belong to Class 2 will help you with the past tense later. For now, focus only on building the present.

Key rule

In the present, Class 2 looks identical to Class 1: infinitive + r (spise → spiser). The classes only diverge in the past, where Class 2 takes -te (spiste).

Examples

Jeg spiser frokost.
Jeg spis frokost.
spise + r = spiser. Bare stem isn't a finite form.
Hun leser en bok.
Hun lese en bok.
Need -r in present: leser.
Vi kjøper brød.
Vi kjøpe brød.
kjøpe + r = kjøper.

Common mistakes

Treating Class 2 differently in the present
Jeg spiste frokost (when meaning 'I am eating now')
Jeg spiser frokost
Spiste is past tense. The present is spiser, exactly like Class 1's pattern of -r.
Forgetting -r because the infinitive ends in -e
Jeg lese en bok
Jeg leser en bok
All regular verbs need -r in the present, no matter how the infinitive ends.

A1Verb tenses

Present Tense - være (er)

Presens - være

The verb 'å være' (to be) is the most important irregular verb in Norwegian. Its present form is 'er' for every subject: jeg er, du er, han/hun/det er, vi er, dere er, de er. There is only one form to learn. You'll use 'er' in countless sentences: introducing yourself (Jeg er Anna), saying where someone is (Han er hjemme), describing things (Bilen er rød), and stating ages and professions (Jeg er 25 år / Hun er lærer).

Key rule

Present of være is 'er' for every subject. Memorise: jeg er, du er, han/hun/det er, vi er, dere er, de er.

Examples

Jeg er norsk.
Jeg være norsk.
Present is 'er', not the infinitive 'være'.
Han er lærer.
Han ers lærer.
Don't add -r to 'er' — it's already the finite form.
Vi er hjemme.
Vi erre hjemme.
Same form 'er' for plural too — no extra ending.

Common mistakes

Using the infinitive instead of er
Jeg være glad
Jeg er glad
Være is the dictionary form; the present-tense finite form is er.
Trying to add -r to er
Vi err / Hun erer
Vi er / Hun er
Er is already irregular and complete; never add -r.

A1Verb tenses

Present Tense - ha (har)

Presens - ha

The verb 'å ha' (to have) becomes 'har' in the present tense — for every subject. There is just one form: jeg har, du har, han har, hun har, vi har, dere har, de har. You'll use 'har' to talk about possessions (Jeg har en bil), family members (Hun har en bror), and as an auxiliary in the perfect tense (Jeg har spist = I have eaten), which you'll meet at A2.

Key rule

Present of ha is 'har' for every subject. Used for possession AND as the perfect-tense auxiliary (har spist).

Examples

Jeg har en bror.
Jeg ha en bror.
Present needs -r: har, not the infinitive ha.
Hun har lyst på kaffe.
Hun haver lyst på kaffe.
Just har — no extra -er or -ver.
Vi har en hund.
Vi haver en hund.
Same form har for all subjects.

Common mistakes

Using infinitive ha instead of har
Jeg ha en bil
Jeg har en bil
Present is har; ha is only the infinitive (used after modals or å-marker).
Using har for age
Jeg har 30 år
Jeg er 30 år
Norwegian uses være for age, not ha (unlike French, German, Spanish).

A1Verb tenses

Present Tense - gjøre, si, gå, se, få (irregular)

Presens - Vanlige uregelmessige verb

A small group of very common Norwegian verbs are slightly irregular in the present and need to be memorised. The most important are: gjøre → gjør (do), si → sier (say), gå → går (walk/go), se → ser (see), få → får (get/be allowed). These verbs end the present in -r like normal verbs, but their stems are short or shortened and you can't predict the exact form. Because you'll use them every day, learn the present forms by heart now.

Key rule

Memorise these forms: gjøre → gjør, si → sier, gå → går, se → ser, få → får, ta → tar, vite → vet, spørre → spør. Same form for every subject.

Examples

Hva gjør du?
Hva gjører du?
Gjøre drops the -e in the present: gjør, not 'gjører'.
Hun sier ja.
Hun sir ja.
Si expands to 'sier' in the present, not the truncated 'sir'.
Vi går hjem nå.
Vi gåer hjem nå.
Short vowel-final infinitive 'gå' just adds -r: går (no 'e' is inserted).

Common mistakes

Forming 'gjører'
Jeg gjører lekser
Jeg gjør lekser
Gjøre drops the -e: gjør.
Forming 'viter' for 'know'
Jeg viter det
Jeg vet det
Vite is highly irregular; present is 'vet'.

A1Verb tenses

Present Tense for Future Meaning (with time adverb: I morgen drar jeg)

Presens med framtidsbetydning

Norwegian very often uses the simple present tense to talk about the future, especially when the time is clear from a time word like 'i morgen' (tomorrow), 'neste uke' (next week), or 'i sommer' (this summer). 'I morgen drar jeg til Oslo' literally is 'Tomorrow travel I to Oslo' but means 'Tomorrow I'm going to Oslo'. You don't always need 'skal' or 'vil' to talk about the future — for planned and scheduled events, the simple present is enough.

Key rule

With a future time expression (i morgen, neste uke, om to dager...), the simple present means future. Fronted time adverb forces inversion: 'I morgen drar jeg', not 'I morgen jeg drar'.

Examples

I morgen drar jeg til Oslo.
I morgen jeg drar til Oslo.
Fronted time adverb requires V2 inversion: time + verb + subject.
Toget går klokka åtte i morgen tidlig.
Toget vil gå klokka åtte i morgen tidlig.
Scheduled events use the present, not 'vil + infinitive'.
Neste uke begynner kurset.
Neste uke kurset begynner.
After 'neste uke', the verb must come immediately (V2).

Common mistakes

Forgetting V2 inversion after a fronted time adverb
I morgen jeg jobber
I morgen jobber jeg
Norwegian is V2: when something other than the subject begins the sentence, the verb still has to be in second position.
Over-using vil for the future
Jeg vil reise til Oslo i morgen (when it's a plan, not a wish)
Jeg drar til Oslo i morgen / Jeg skal reise til Oslo i morgen
Vil emphasises desire; for plans/schedules, prefer present or skal.

A1Verb tenses

Imperative - Basic Form (Stem-only: Kom! Spis!)

Imperativ - Grunnform

To give a command in Norwegian, you use the verb's stem — the part that's left after you remove the -e from the infinitive: snakke → Snakk!, spise → Spis!, komme → Kom!, gå → Gå!, hjelpe → Hjelp!. There is only one form (no separate 'you-singular' and 'you-plural' like German has). To soften a command into a polite request, just add 'vær så snill' or 'kan du...?'. To make a negative command, put 'ikke' first: Ikke gjør det! (= Don't do it!).

Key rule

Imperative = infinitive minus -e (snakke → Snakk!). For vowel-final infinitives, imperative = infinitive (Gå! Se! Ta!). One form for everyone.

Examples

Kom hit!
Komme hit!
Imperative drops the final -e of the infinitive: kom, not komme.
Spis maten din!
Spise maten din!
Spise → Spis (drop the -e).
Gå hjem!
Gåer hjem!
Vowel-final 'gå' is already the imperative form.

Common mistakes

Using the infinitive as imperative
Komme hit! Spise maten!
Kom hit! Spis maten!
Imperative removes the -e from the infinitive — the bare stem is the form.
Using the present-tense form as imperative
Snakker høyere! / Hører på meg!
Snakk høyere! / Hør på meg!
Present-tense (-r) is not imperative. Remove the -er to reach the stem.

A1Verb tenses

Infinitive with å (å spise, å gå)

Infinitiv med å

The Norwegian infinitive (the dictionary form of a verb) is preceded by the marker 'å' — the equivalent of English 'to'. So 'å spise' = 'to eat', 'å snakke' = 'to speak', 'å gå' = 'to walk'. You use 'å + infinitive' after most verbs (Jeg liker å spise pizza), after adjectives (Det er gøy å lære norsk), and as the subject of a sentence (Å lese er fint). Important exception: after modal verbs (kan, vil, skal, må, bør, får) you do NOT use 'å'. Just say 'Jeg kan snakke norsk' — never 'Jeg kan å snakke'.

Key rule

Infinitive in Norwegian = 'å' + verb (å snakke, å gå). Use 'å' after most verbs, adjectives, prepositions, and as subject. Drop 'å' after modals (kan, vil, skal, må, bør, får).

Examples

Jeg liker å lese.
Jeg liker lese.
Like requires å before the infinitive complement.
Det er gøy å lære norsk.
Det er gøy lære norsk.
After predicative adjectives like 'gøy' the infinitive needs å.
Jeg kan snakke norsk.
Jeg kan å snakke norsk.
After modals, NEVER use å — bare infinitive only.

Common mistakes

Inserting å after modals
Jeg vil å spise pizza
Jeg vil spise pizza
Modals (kan, vil, skal, må, bør, får) take the bare infinitive without å.
Dropping å after lexical verbs
Jeg liker spise pizza / Hun prøver lære norsk
Jeg liker å spise pizza / Hun prøver å lære norsk
Most non-modal verbs require å + infinitive: like, prøve, glemme, begynne, slutte, håpe, ønske...

A1Verb usage

være vs ha - Basic Distinction

være vs ha

Norwegian uses two basic verbs that English speakers must keep apart: 'være' (to be) and 'ha' (to have). 'Være' (present: er) describes WHO or WHAT something is, where it is, and what it's like (Jeg er sulten / Han er lærer / Bilen er rød). 'Ha' (present: har) describes WHAT someone HAS or POSSESSES (Jeg har en bil / Vi har tid). Be careful: Norwegian uses 'være' for many states English uses 'have' for — especially age and physical states. Say 'Jeg er 25 år' (I am 25 years old) and 'Jeg er sulten' (I am hungry), NOT 'Jeg har 25 år' or 'Jeg har sulten'.

Key rule

være + adjective/noun-identification (Jeg er sulten / lærer). ha + noun-object (Jeg har en bil). Age and hunger use være, not ha.

Examples

Jeg er sulten.
Jeg har sulten.
Hunger is expressed with være + adjective, not ha.
Jeg er 30 år gammel.
Jeg har 30 år.
Age uses være in Norwegian (unlike French/Spanish/German).
Jeg har en bror.
Jeg er en bror.
Possession of a family member: ha. (Jeg er en bror would mean 'I am a brother to someone'.)

Common mistakes

Using ha for age
Jeg har 25 år
Jeg er 25 år
Age in Norwegian is expressed with være, not ha.
Using ha for hunger/thirst
Jeg har sulten / Jeg har tørst
Jeg er sulten / Jeg er tørst
Physical states with adjectives use være.

A1Verb usage

det er - Existence / There is/are

det er

To say 'there is' or 'there are' in Norwegian, use 'det er': 'Det er en katt på senga' (There is a cat on the bed), 'Det er mange mennesker her' (There are many people here). Note that 'det er' stays the same whether what follows is singular or plural — it does NOT change to 'de er'. The 'det' is a dummy subject (a placeholder), and the real subject comes after the verb.

Key rule

Det er = 'there is' AND 'there are'. Do not change to 'de er' for plural. The real subject comes after er and is normally indefinite.

Examples

Det er en katt på senga.
Der er en katt på senga.
Norwegian uses 'det' (it), not 'der' (there) — der is location, det is the dummy subject.
Det er to hunder i hagen.
De er to hunder i hagen.
'Det er' stays singular even with a plural complement; 'de er' would mean 'they are'.
Det er mange mennesker her.
Det har mange mennesker her.
Existence uses være, not ha.

Common mistakes

Using 'de er' for plural existence
De er mange biler her
Det er mange biler her
'Det er' is invariant; never switch to 'de er' for plural.
Using 'der' (there) instead of 'det'
Der er en katt
Det er en katt
Norwegian existential uses 'det' (it). 'Der' means 'there (in that place)'.

A1Verb usage

det finnes - Alternative for Existence

det finnes

Besides 'det er', Norwegian also uses 'det finnes' to say 'there is / there are', especially when you mean 'such a thing exists' or talk about general availability: 'Det finnes mange måter å lære norsk på' (There are many ways to learn Norwegian). 'Finnes' has a slightly stronger sense of actual existence than 'er'. Both forms are common, and 'det finnes' is invariant for singular and plural — just like 'det er'.

Key rule

Det finnes = 'there exists / there are'. Prefer it over 'det er' for general availability, abstract nouns, and with mange/noen/ingen. Invariant for number.

Examples

Det finnes mange måter å lære språk på.
De finnes mange måter å lære språk på.
'Det finnes' is invariant; do not change to 'de finnes'.
Det finnes ingen lett løsning.
Det finnes ikke en lett løsning. (grammatical but less idiomatic)
With negative existence, 'ingen' is the natural choice.
Finnes det noe vann?
Finner det noe vann?
Active 'finner' means 'finds'; the existential is the s-passive 'finnes'.

Common mistakes

Switching to 'de finnes' for plural
De finnes mange muligheter
Det finnes mange muligheter
'Det finnes' is invariant — same form for singular and plural.
Using 'finner' instead of 'finnes' for existence
Det finner mange løsninger
Det finnes mange løsninger
Active 'finner' means 'finds'; existential is the s-passive 'finnes'.

A1Verb usage

kan vs få (ability vs permission)

kan vs få

Both 'kan' and 'får' can translate to English 'can/may', but they cover different ground. 'Kan' is mostly about ABILITY — what you are able to do (Jeg kan svømme = I can swim). 'Får' is mostly about PERMISSION — whether you are ALLOWED to do it (Får jeg gå nå? = May I go now?). When asking for permission politely, Norwegian prefers 'Får jeg...?' over 'Kan jeg...?'. For polite requests TO another person, 'Kan du...?' is the normal choice (Kan du hjelpe meg? = Can you help me?).

Key rule

Kan = ability (Jeg kan svømme). Får = permission (Får jeg gå?). For asking permission, prefer 'Får jeg...?'; for requesting help, use 'Kan du...?'.

Examples

Jeg kan snakke norsk.
Jeg får snakke norsk.
Ability — kan, not får. (Får snakke would imply 'am allowed to speak', which is rare to say about a language.)
Får jeg lov til å gå hjem nå?
Kan jeg lov til å gå hjem nå?
'Lov' (permission) collocates with få: få lov til å...
Kan du hjelpe meg?
Får du hjelpe meg?
Asking for help from another → kan du.

Common mistakes

Using kan for permission requests
Kan jeg gå på toalettet?
Får jeg gå på toalettet?
Norwegian prefers 'får jeg...?' for asking permission; 'kan jeg' is acceptable but less idiomatic.
Using får for ability
Jeg får svømme godt
Jeg kan svømme godt
Ability → kan.

A1Verb usage

må vs skal (necessity vs intention/future)

må vs skal

Both 'må' and 'skal' translate roughly to 'must/shall/will' in English, but they mean different things. 'Må' = necessity, obligation, must (Jeg må jobbe i kveld = I must work tonight). 'Skal' = intention, plan, will (Jeg skal jobbe i kveld = I'm going to work tonight / I will work tonight). 'Må' implies you have no choice; 'skal' is what you've decided or planned. Norwegian uses 'skal' very frequently for the future, more than English uses 'shall'.

Key rule

Må = obligation/necessity (no choice). Skal = intention/plan/future (a decision). 'Jeg må jobbe' = I have to work. 'Jeg skal jobbe' = I'm going to work.

Examples

Jeg må gå nå.
Jeg skal gå nå (when meaning obligation).
If you have no choice → må. Skal would imply intention.
Vi skal til Bergen i morgen.
Vi må til Bergen i morgen.
Travel plans → skal. Må would suggest reluctant obligation.
Du må vaske hendene før maten.
Du skal vaske hendene før maten.
Hygiene rule = obligation → må. Skal could work as instruction but må is stronger.

Common mistakes

Using må for plans
Jeg må til Oslo i helga (when meaning 'I'm going')
Jeg skal til Oslo i helga
Plans/intentions → skal. Må implies obligation.
Using skal for obligations
Jeg skal jobbe i kveld (when meaning 'I have to')
Jeg må jobbe i kveld
If you have no choice → må.

A1Verb usage

vil vs vil gjerne / skulle ville (want vs would like)

vil vs vil gjerne

'Vil' alone means 'want' — sometimes too strong in polite contexts. To soften it to 'would like', add 'gjerne': 'Jeg vil gjerne ha en kaffe' (I would like a coffee). For even more polite/conditional 'would', use 'skulle ville' or just 'skulle': 'Jeg skulle gjerne ha hjelp' (I would like some help). Beware: 'vil' does NOT mean 'will' (future). For future intention use 'skal'.

Key rule

Vil alone = 'want' (can be blunt). Vil gjerne = 'would like' (polite). Skulle gjerne = 'would really like' (very polite). Vil does NOT mean 'will' for the future — use skal for that.

Examples

Jeg vil gjerne ha en kaffe.
Jeg vil ha en kaffe (in a polite service context, sounds blunt).
Add gjerne to soften the request.
Jeg skal jobbe i kveld.
Jeg vil jobbe i kveld (when meaning 'I will').
Future intention → skal, not vil.
Hva vil du?
Hva skal du? (means 'What are you up to?')
Asking about desires/wants → vil. Skal asks about plans.

Common mistakes

Translating 'will' (future) as 'vil'
Jeg vil reise i morgen (when meaning 'I will travel')
Jeg skal reise i morgen
Vil = want; for future intention use skal.
Forgetting gjerne in polite requests
Jeg vil ha en øl, takk (sounds rude in some contexts)
Jeg vil gjerne ha en øl, takk
Adding gjerne softens the request to 'would like'.

A1Verb usage

bør vs burde (should / ought)

bør vs burde

'Bør' and 'burde' both translate to 'should' or 'ought to', but with slightly different feel. 'Bør' is the present form: a current recommendation (Du bør sove mer = You should sleep more). 'Burde' is the past/conditional form and is often softer or more hypothetical (Du burde sove mer = You ought to sleep more — slightly gentler). In modern Norwegian, many speakers use them almost interchangeably, but written Norwegian keeps the distinction. Both are followed by a bare infinitive (no å).

Key rule

Bør = should (current advice). Burde = ought to (softer/conditional). Both take bare infinitive without å. Bør is stronger than 'kan' but weaker than 'må'.

Examples

Du bør sove mer.
Du bør å sove mer.
Bør takes bare infinitive — no å.
Han burde gå til legen.
Han burder gå til legen.
Burde is the past/conditional form and never adds an extra ending; it's already its full form.
Vi bør spise sunt.
Vi bører spise sunt.
Bør is invariant; never inflected for person.

Common mistakes

Adding å after bør/burde
Du bør å hvile / Du burde å spise
Du bør hvile / Du burde spise
Modals never take å.
Conjugating bør/burde for person
Vi børe / De burder
Vi bør / De burde
Both forms are invariant across all subjects.

A1Verb usage

Liking with å like / liker godt / liker best

Å like - grunnleggende

To say you like something in Norwegian, use 'å like' — present 'liker': Jeg liker pizza (I like pizza), Jeg liker å lese (I like to read). To say you like something more or really, use 'liker godt' (like very much) or 'liker veldig godt' (love). To pick a favourite, use 'liker best': Jeg liker rød vin best (I like red wine best). The structure is: subject + liker + (godt/best/veldig godt) + object/infinitive.

Key rule

Like + noun (Jeg liker pizza). Like + å + infinitive (Jeg liker å lese). Add godt/veldig godt for emphasis. Use 'best' for favourites and 'glad i' for fondness toward people.

Examples

Jeg liker pizza.
Jeg er like pizza.
Like is a verb, not an adjective — Jeg liker, not Jeg er like.
Jeg liker å lese.
Jeg liker lese.
After liker, the infinitive must take å.
Hun liker godt sjokolade.
Hun likes sjokolade veldig.
Norwegian places intensifier 'godt' / 'veldig godt' after liker.

Common mistakes

Treating 'like' as English 'be like' (similar)
Jeg er like deg
Jeg liker deg / Jeg er som deg (similar)
Norwegian å like = to like (verb); 'be similar to' = være lik / være som.
Dropping å in 'like + infinitive'
Jeg liker svømme
Jeg liker å svømme
Like is not a modal; the infinitive needs å.

A1Verb usage

å være + age (Jeg er 25 år) — not "to have"

Alder med være

To say how old someone is in Norwegian, you use 'å være' (to be), NOT 'å ha' (to have). 'Jeg er 25 år (gammel)' = I am 25 years old. The same applies to physical states like hunger, thirst, fear, cold, and warmth: Jeg er sulten / tørst / redd / kald / varm — always 'er', never 'har'. This is straightforward for English speakers (English also uses 'be' for age), but Norwegian goes further than English in using 'være' for many states English uses 'have' or 'feel' for.

Key rule

Age, hunger, thirst, fear, cold, warmth, tiredness → være (er). Pain, fever, craving, need → ha (har). Adjective → være; noun → ha.

Examples

Jeg er 30 år gammel.
Jeg har 30 år.
Norwegian uses være for age, not ha.
Hvor gammel er du?
Hvor mange år har du?
Asking age: Hvor gammel er + subject.
Jeg er sulten.
Jeg har sult.
Adjective sulten → være. (Sult exists as a noun but 'ha sult' isn't normal.)

Common mistakes

Using ha for age
Jeg har 25 år
Jeg er 25 år (gammel)
Age in Norwegian uses være, like English.
Using ha for hunger/thirst
Jeg har sulten / Jeg har tørst
Jeg er sulten / Jeg er tørst
These are adjectives — they go with være.

A1Agreement

Three Grammatical Genders - Introduction (en/ei/et)

De tre kjønnene

Norwegian nouns belong to one of three grammatical genders: masculine (en), feminine (ei) and neuter (et). The gender of a noun shows up in the indefinite article you put in front of it: 'en bil' (a car — masculine), 'ei bok' (a book — feminine), 'et hus' (a house — neuter). Gender doesn't follow English logic: it's a grammatical category that you have to learn together with each new noun. The good news: many feminine nouns (like 'ei bok') can ALSO be treated as masculine (en bok) — that's the two-gender system, covered in the next tag.

Key rule

Norwegian nouns are en (masculine), ei (feminine) or et (neuter). Learn the article with the noun: en bil, ei bok, et hus. Feminine nouns can also be treated as masculine (en bok).

Examples

en bil
et bil
Bil is masculine: en bil.
ei bok
en bok (acceptable in two-gender system, but learners often use the wrong one)
In three-gender Bokmål: ei bok. The form 'en bok' is also acceptable in two-gender style.
et hus
en hus
Hus is neuter: et hus, never en hus.

Common mistakes

Guessing gender from English meaning
et mann (because man is conceptually 'one person')
en mann
Norwegian gender is purely grammatical and lexical; English meanings don't predict it.
Treating all feminine-by-meaning nouns as feminine
ei kone (wife — actually used) but ei bil for a car?
Cars are en bil regardless of association.
Most concrete objects are masculine in Norwegian. Feminine is a small lexical class, not a semantic one.

A1Agreement

Common Gender Option (using en for both en/ei)

To-kjønnssystem (en/et)

In modern Bokmål, you can choose between two systems: a three-gender system (en/ei/et) or a two-gender system (en/et) where you treat all feminine nouns as if they were masculine — saying 'en bok' instead of 'ei bok', 'en jente' instead of 'ei jente'. Both styles are correct. The two-gender system is more conservative and common in formal/written Bokmål; the three-gender system is more colloquial and common in Eastern Norwegian and 'radical' Bokmål. Pick one style and stick with it within a single text.

Key rule

Choose ONE system and stick to it. Two-gender (en/et with -en/-et) is simpler and always safe. Three-gender (en/ei/et with -en/-a/-et) is more colloquial. Don't mix.

Examples

en bok (two-gender) / ei bok (three-gender)
Both within one text
Both forms exist; pick one style and stay consistent.
en jente / ei jente
et jente
Jente is never neuter — only en or ei.
boken (two-gender) / boka (three-gender)
boket / bokene as singular
Definite singular: -en (two-gender) or -a (three-gender, feminine). The plural 'bøkene' is different.

Common mistakes

Mixing two-gender and three-gender within one text
Jeg har ei bok. Den ligger på bordet. Boken er rød.
Either: ei bok ... boka er rød. Or: en bok ... boken er rød.
Stylistic consistency matters; mixing sounds unedited.
Treating two-gender as 'wrong'
Avoiding 'en bok' because a textbook said feminines are 'ei'
'en bok' is fully correct in two-gender Bokmål.
Both systems are legitimate; the choice is stylistic, not right-vs-wrong.

A1Determiners

Indefinite Article en/ei/et

Ubestemt artikkel en/ei/et

The indefinite article ('a/an' in English) in Norwegian comes in three forms: 'en' for masculine nouns, 'ei' for feminine nouns, and 'et' for neuter nouns. en bil (a car), ei bok (a book), et hus (a house). The article goes BEFORE the noun, just like in English. Don't worry about which words are which gender at first — just learn the article together with each new noun. In two-gender Bokmål, you can use 'en' for both masculine and feminine.

Key rule

Indefinite article: en (masc.) / ei (fem.) / et (neut.). Drop the article in plural and with profession or nationality predicates: Jeg er lærer (not 'en lærer').

Examples

en bil
et bil
Bil is masculine.
ei bok
et bok
Bok is feminine in three-gender style.
et hus
en hus
Hus is neuter.

Common mistakes

Inserting the article before profession
Jeg er en lærer.
Jeg er lærer.
Norwegian drops 'a' before profession predicates.
Using 'et' as default
et bil, et stol
en bil, en stol
Most concrete nouns are masculine — default to 'en'.

A1Determiners

Suffixed Definite Article - Singular (-en, -a, -et)

Bestemt form entall

Norwegian's most distinctive feature: 'the' is attached to the END of the noun, not in front. en bil → bilen (the car), ei bok → boka (the book — three-gender) or boken (two-gender), et hus → huset (the house). The ending depends on gender: -en for masculine, -a for feminine (or -en in two-gender style), -et for neuter. This suffix replaces English 'the' in most contexts. For nouns ending in -e, the article merges: ei jente → jenta, et eple → eplet (you don't double the e).

Key rule

Definite singular: en + noun → noun + -en; ei + noun → noun + -a (three-gender) or noun + -en (two-gender); et + noun → noun + -et. If the noun ends in -e, just add -n / -t (NOT -en / -et).

Examples

bilen
biler / bil-en (with hyphen)
en bil + en = bilen, written as one word.
boka (three-gender) / boken (two-gender)
boket / bok-a
Choose a system; both single-word forms are valid.
huset
husen
Hus is neuter — definite is huset (with -et).

Common mistakes

Treating the suffix as a separate word
Jeg leser bok en (with space)
Jeg leser boken / boka
The definite article is a SUFFIX, written as one word with the noun.
Doubling the e in nouns ending in -e
epleet, kaffeen, bordeet
eplet, kaffen, bordet (wait — bord ends in d, so it's bordet, but 'eple' ends in e, so eplet)
When the noun ends in vowel -e, just add -n (masculine/feminine) or -t (neuter), not -en/-et.

A1Agreement

Plural - Indefinite (-er, -e, zero)

Flertall ubestemt

To make a noun plural in Norwegian (without 'the'), you usually add -er to the singular: en bil → biler (cars), ei bok → bøker (books — with vowel change), en stol → stoler (chairs). For some neuter nouns of one syllable, the plural is the same as the singular (zero ending): et hus → hus (houses), et barn → barn (children). For nouns ending in -er already (like en lærer), you just add -e: lærer → lærere. There is no 's' for plurals in Norwegian.

Key rule

Default plural: add -er. Monosyllabic neuter: zero plural (et hus → hus). Nouns ending in -er: add -e (lærer → lærere). NEVER add -s.

Examples

biler
bils
Norwegian doesn't use -s for plural. en bil → biler.
bøker
boker
Bok has irregular vowel change in plural: bok → bøker (o → ø).
hus (singular and plural)
huser
Et hus is monosyllabic neuter — zero plural.

Common mistakes

Adding -s under English influence
to bils, mange hus's
to biler, mange hus
Norwegian uses -er or zero, never -s.
Adding -er to monosyllabic neuter
huser, barner, glasser, landar
hus, barn, glass, land
Monosyllabic neuter nouns are typically invariant in plural.

A1Determiners

Plural - Definite (-ene, -a)

Flertall bestemt

To make a plural noun definite ('the books', 'the cars'), you add -ene to the indefinite plural: biler → bilene (the cars), bøker → bøkene (the books), hus → husene (the houses). Some monosyllabic neuter nouns instead take -a in radical Bokmål: barn → barna (the children), bein → beina (the legs). The most common form is -ene; -a is a stylistic alternative for some neuter nouns.

Key rule

Plural definite: add -ene to the bare plural. Some neuter nouns take -a as an alternative (barn → barna, hus → husene/husa).

Examples

bilene
biler-ene / bilen
Definite plural is one word: bilene (= the cars). 'Bilen' is singular definite (= the car).
bøkene
bøker-ne / bøker
bøker + ene → bøkene (one final -e gets absorbed).
husene (or husa)
huser / huset
Plural definite of et hus is husene (or husa in radical style); huset is singular definite.

Common mistakes

Confusing singular definite with plural definite
bilen (singular) used for plural 'the cars'
bilene (plural)
bilen = the car (1); bilene = the cars (2+).
Writing the suffix as a separate word
bil ene
bilene
Definite suffix is part of the noun, written as one word.

A1Agreement

Common Irregular Plurals (mann/menn, bok/bøker, far/fedre, bror/brødre)

Vanlige uregelmessige flertall

A small group of common Norwegian nouns has irregular plurals, often with a vowel change inside the word: en mann → menn (men), ei bok → bøker (books), en far → fedre (fathers), en bror → brødre (brothers), en mor → mødre (mothers), en datter → døtre (daughters), en søster → søstre (sisters), en fot → føtter (feet), en hånd → hender (hands), et øye → øyne (eyes). These are the same kinds of irregularities you find in English (man → men, foot → feet) and need to be memorised.

Key rule

Memorise: mann/menn, far/fedre, mor/mødre, bror/brødre, søster/søstre, datter/døtre, fot/føtter, hånd/hender, øye/øyne, bok/bøker, tann/tenner.

Examples

to menn
to manner / to manns
Mann pluralises with vowel change: menn.
mine fedre (uncommon — usually only 'min far')
mine farer
Plural fedre is rare in real life (people have one father), but the form is fedre, not 'farer'.
mødre og fedre
morer og farer
Both are irregular.

Common mistakes

Regularising vowel-mutating nouns
boker, manner, foter, tanner
bøker, menn, føtter, tenner
These are lexically irregular and must be memorised.
Adding -s under English influence
mans, foots, books
menn, føtter, bøker
No -s plural in Norwegian, regardless of irregularity.

A1Agreement

Predicative Adjective Agreement (Bilen er stor / Huset er stort / Bilene er store)

Predikativ samsvar

When an adjective comes AFTER a verb like 'er' (is) and describes the subject, it must agree with the subject's gender and number. The pattern is: masculine/feminine singular = base form (Bilen er stor / Boka er stor); neuter singular = +t (Huset er stort); plural = +e (Bilene er store / Husene er store). So 'big' has three forms: stor, stort, store. Memorise: subject gender determines the form.

Key rule

Predicative adjective: base form for masc/fem singular (er stor); add -t for neuter singular (er stort); add -e for plural (er store).

Examples

Bilen er stor.
Bilen er stort.
Bil is masculine singular → base form 'stor'.
Huset er stort.
Huset er stor.
Hus is neuter singular → +t: stort.
Bilene er store.
Bilene er stort.
Plural → +e: store.

Common mistakes

Forgetting -t for neuter
Huset er stor / Eplet er rød
Huset er stort / Eplet er rødt
Neuter singular requires -t on most adjectives.
Forgetting -e for plural
Bilene er stor
Bilene er store
Plural subject takes plural adjective form -e.

A1Agreement

Attributive Adjective - Indefinite (en stor bil, et stort hus, store biler)

Attributiv ubestemt

When an adjective comes BEFORE a noun in the indefinite (a/an + adjective + noun), it agrees the same way as predicative: en stor bil (a big car), et stort hus (a big house — neuter +t), store biler (big cars — plural +e). The pattern is: en/ei + base adjective; et + adjective + t; plural noun + adjective + e (no article in plural). Same -t and -e endings as predicative, just placed before the noun.

Key rule

Indefinite attributive: en/ei + base adjective + noun (en stor bil); et + adjective + t + noun (et stort hus); plural: zero article + adjective + e + noun (store biler). NO definite suffix in this pattern.

Examples

en stor bil
en stort bil
Masculine singular: base form stor (no -t).
et stort hus
et stor hus
Neuter singular: +t.
store biler
stor biler / en store bil
Plural: +e on adjective, no article (or 'mange'/'noen' as quantifier).

Common mistakes

Forgetting -t in neuter attributive
et stor hus, et ny eple
et stort hus, et nytt eple
Neuter singular requires -t on the adjective.
Adding -t in feminine
ei stort bok
ei stor bok
Feminine singular = base form. Only neuter takes -t.

A1Agreement

The Irregular Adjective liten / lita / lite / små / lille

Det uregelrette adjektivet liten

The adjective for 'small/little' is the most irregular adjective in Norwegian. It has FIVE different forms depending on context: liten (masculine indefinite: en liten bil), lita (feminine indefinite: ei lita jente — three-gender style), lite (neuter indefinite: et lite hus), små (any plural: små biler / små hus), and lille (any singular DEFINITE: den lille bilen / det lille huset). Memorise this whole set together — there's no shortcut.

Key rule

Liten / lita / lite / små / lille — five forms. Indefinite singular: liten (M), lita/liten (F), lite (N). Plural: små. Definite singular (any gender): lille.

Examples

en liten bil
en lite bil
Masculine indefinite singular: liten.
ei lita bok / en liten bok
ei liten bok (unusual mix)
Feminine three-gender: lita; two-gender: liten.
et lite hus
et liten hus
Neuter indefinite singular: lite.

Common mistakes

Using 'liten' for plural
to liten biler
to små biler
Plural is 'små' — never 'liten' or 'litene'.
Using 'lite' as a generic plural
lite biler
små biler
Lite is neuter singular only.

A1Determiners

Possessives - Postposed (bilen min, huset mitt, bøkene mine)

Eiendomsord etterstilt

In Norwegian, possessives like 'my', 'your', 'his', 'her' usually come AFTER the noun, and the noun is in its definite form: 'bilen min' (my car — literally 'the-car my'), 'huset mitt' (my house), 'bøkene mine' (my books). The possessive agrees with the noun's gender and number: min (masculine), mi (feminine), mitt (neuter), mine (plural). The postposed form (bilen min) is the colloquial, friendly, default position; preposed (min bil) is more formal/written.

Key rule

Postposed possessive: definite noun + possessive (bilen min, huset mitt, bøkene mine). Possessive agrees with noun gender and number. Don't mix with preposed pattern (min bil — indefinite noun).

Examples

bilen min
min bilen / bil min
Postposed: definite noun bilen + possessive min. Don't double the definite or use indefinite noun.
huset mitt
huset min
Hus is neuter — possessive must agree: mitt (not min).
bøkene mine
bøkene min / bøker min
Plural noun → mine; postposed needs definite plural bøkene.

Common mistakes

Using indefinite noun with postposed possessive
bil min / hus mitt
bilen min / huset mitt
Postposed pattern requires definite noun.
Using definite noun with preposed possessive
min bilen
min bil
Preposed pattern requires indefinite noun.

A1Determiners

Demonstratives denne / dette / disse + Definite Form

Demonstrativ denne/dette/disse

To say 'this' or 'these' in Norwegian, use 'denne' (masculine/feminine singular: this), 'dette' (neuter singular: this), or 'disse' (plural: these). After the demonstrative, the noun appears in its DEFINITE form: 'denne bilen' (this car), 'dette huset' (this house), 'disse bøkene' (these books). For 'that/those', Norwegian uses 'den/det/de' with the same definite-noun pattern: den bilen, det huset, de bøkene.

Key rule

Demonstratives + definite noun: denne bilen (this car), dette huset (this house), disse bøkene (these books); den bilen (that car), det huset (that house), de bøkene (those books).

Examples

denne bilen
denne bil
Demonstrative requires the noun in definite form: bilen, not bil.
dette huset
dette hus / denne huset
Neuter noun → dette (not denne).
disse bøkene
disse bøker / denne bøkene
Plural → disse + plural definite bøkene.

Common mistakes

Forgetting definite suffix after demonstrative
denne bil / dette hus / disse bøker
denne bilen / dette huset / disse bøkene
Demonstrative + noun requires definite form on the noun.
Wrong gender on demonstrative
denne huset / dette bilen
dette huset / denne bilen
Denne for masc/fem; dette for neuter; disse for plural.

A1Pronouns

Subject Pronouns (jeg, du, han, hun, den, det, vi, dere, de)

Subjektsformer

Norwegian subject pronouns are: jeg (I), du (you-singular), han (he), hun (she), den (it — for masculine/feminine nouns), det (it — for neuter nouns), vi (we), dere (you-plural), de (they). 'Du' is used for everyone — there is no formal/informal distinction in modern Norwegian. 'Den' and 'det' both translate as 'it', but you choose between them based on the gender of the noun you're referring to: en bil → den, et hus → det.

Key rule

Subject pronouns: jeg, du, han, hun, den (M/F it), det (N it / dummy), vi, dere, de. Pronouns are obligatory — never drop them. 'du' is used for everyone.

Examples

Jeg snakker norsk.
Snakker norsk.
Subject pronoun is required; can't be dropped.
Du heter Anna.
De heter Anna (when meaning 'you' formally).
Modern Norwegian uses 'du' for everyone; 'De' is archaic.
Han er fra Oslo.
Den er fra Oslo (when referring to a man).
Han for human male; den only for non-human masculine/feminine nouns.

Common mistakes

Dropping the subject pronoun
Snakker norsk hjemme.
Jeg snakker norsk hjemme.
Norwegian requires an explicit subject; pro-drop is not allowed.
Confusing dere (you-pl) with de (they)
De er flinke (when addressing a group)
Dere er flinke
Dere = 'you all'; de = 'they'.

A1Pronouns

Object Pronouns (meg, deg, ham/han, henne, den, det, oss, dere, dem)

Objektsformer

When pronouns are objects (the receiver of an action), they change form: jeg → meg (me), du → deg (you), han → ham/han (him), hun → henne (her), vi → oss (us), dere → dere (you-pl, no change), de → dem (them). 'Den' and 'det' don't change between subject and object form. Object pronouns come AFTER the verb or after a preposition: Han ser meg / Boka er for henne.

Key rule

Object pronouns: meg, deg, ham/han, henne, den, det, oss, dere, dem. Used after verbs and prepositions. Den/det/dere don't change.

Examples

Han ser meg.
Han ser jeg.
Direct object → meg, not subject jeg.
Boka er for deg.
Boka er for du.
After preposition → object form deg.
Jeg hjelper henne.
Jeg hjelper hun.
Object form: henne.

Common mistakes

Using subject form as object
Han ser jeg / Vi hjelper du
Han ser meg / Vi hjelper deg
Object position requires object form.
Forgetting that den/det are invariant
Jeg ser denn / Jeg liker dent
Jeg ser den / Jeg liker det
Den and det never change form.

A1Pronouns

han vs ham in Modern Bokmål (object form usage)

han vs ham

In modern Bokmål, the masculine object pronoun has TWO acceptable forms: 'ham' (more traditional/written) and 'han' (more colloquial/spoken). Both are correct and widely used: 'Jeg ser ham' / 'Jeg ser han' both mean 'I see him'. Younger speakers and dialects from Eastern Norway tend to use 'han' as object too; older texts and formal writing tend to keep 'ham'. Pick one and stay consistent within a text — don't switch back and forth.

Key rule

Object form of han: HAM (traditional, formal) or HAN (colloquial, modern). Both correct. Pick one and be consistent.

Examples

Jeg ser ham. / Jeg ser han.
Switching mid-text
Both forms are correct; pick one and stick to it.
Boka er til ham.
Boka er til han hans.
Don't combine ham/han with possessive 'hans' — they're different things.
Hun snakker med ham/han hver dag.
Hun snakker med hans hver dag.
Hans is possessive ('his'); ham/han is object pronoun.

Common mistakes

Switching ham and han randomly within a text
Jeg ser ham. Han er hyggelig. Boka er til han.
Either: Jeg ser ham ... Boka er til ham. OR: Jeg ser han ... Boka er til han.
Stylistic consistency matters.
Using 'hans' (possessive) as object
Jeg ser hans (when meaning 'I see him')
Jeg ser ham / han.
Hans = his (possessive); ham/han = him (object).

A1Pronouns

den vs det (referring back: en bil → den / et hus → det)

den vs det

When you refer back to a noun you already mentioned, use 'den' for masculine/feminine nouns and 'det' for neuter nouns. en bil → 'Den er rød' (It is red); et hus → 'Det er stort' (It is big). The pronoun matches the gender of the noun. 'Den' and 'det' both translate as English 'it', and the only way to choose is to know the gender of the noun being referred to.

Key rule

Refer back: masculine/feminine noun → den; neuter noun → det. For HUMANS, use han/hun regardless. Det also covers abstract/general 'that'.

Examples

Bilen er ny. Den er rød.
Bilen er ny. Det er rød.
Bil is masculine → den.
Huset er gammelt. Det er stort.
Huset er gammelt. Den er stort.
Hus is neuter → det.
Boka er fin. Den er ny.
Boka er fin. Det er ny.
Bok is feminine (or masculine in two-gender) → den.

Common mistakes

Defaulting to det for everything
Bilen er ny. Det er rød.
Bilen er ny. Den er rød.
Den for masculine/feminine; det only for neuter.
Using den for humans
Anna er flink. Den er lærer.
Anna er flink. Hun er lærer.
Humans take han/hun, not den/det.

A1Pronouns

Possessive Pronouns as Determiners (min, din, hans, hennes, vår, deres, sin) - Introduction

Eiendomsord - innføring

Norwegian possessives are: MIN (my), DIN (your-sg), HANS (his), HENNES (her), VÅR (our), DERES (your-pl/their), SIN (his/her own — reflexive, A2 topic). Min/din/vår agree with the noun's gender and number: min bil / mi bok / mitt hus / mine bøker. The third-person possessives HANS, HENNES, DERES are INVARIANT (always the same form): hans bil, hans bok, hans hus, hans bøker. Position: postposed after definite noun (bilen min) or preposed before indefinite noun (min bil) — both correct.

Key rule

min/din/vår agree (M/F/N/PL); hans/hennes/deres are invariant. sin/si/sitt/sine is reflexive (A2). Postposed (bilen min) or preposed (min bil).

Examples

min bil / bilen min
min bilen / bil min
Preposed: indefinite noun. Postposed: definite noun.
mitt hus / huset mitt
min hus
Neuter requires mitt, not min.
mine bøker / bøkene mine
min bøker
Plural requires mine.

Common mistakes

Forgetting agreement on min/din/vår
min hus / din bok (in three-gender) / vår bøker
mitt hus / di bok (three-gender) / våre bøker
Agreeing possessives must match gender and number.
Trying to inflect hans/hennes/deres
hannes bil / hansere biler / deres-e biler
hennes bil / hans biler / deres biler
These are invariant; never add endings.

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A1Pronouns

Interrogative Pronouns hvem / hva / hvilken / hvilket / hvilke

Spørreord

Norwegian question words mostly start with 'hv-' (similar to English 'wh-'): hvem (who), hva (what), hvor (where), når (when — exception, no hv-), hvorfor (why), hvordan (how), hvilken/hvilket/hvilke (which — agrees with noun gender and number). Use 'hvem' for people (Hvem er det?), 'hva' for things and ideas (Hva er det?). 'Hvilken' has three forms: hvilken (M/F), hvilket (N), hvilke (PL). All hv-questions trigger V2 word order.

Key rule

Question words: hvem (who), hva (what), hvor (where), når (when), hvorfor (why), hvordan (how), hvilken/hvilket/hvilke (which — agrees). All trigger V2.

Examples

Hvem er du?
Hva er du? (when meaning 'who are you')
Hvem for people; hva for things/professions in 'what are you?' (Hva er du? = what's your profession?).
Hva heter du?
Hvem heter du? (when asking name)
Asking for name: Hva heter du? — 'hva' here covers a name as a 'thing'.
Hvor bor du?
Hvor du bor? (in main clause)
V2: question word + verb + subject.

Common mistakes

Confusing hvem and hva
Hvem heter du? (when asking name)
Hva heter du? (asking what your name 'is')
'Hva heter du?' is the fixed Norwegian pattern for 'What's your name?'. 'Hvem er du?' = Who are you (identity).
Forgetting V2 in questions
Hvor du bor? / Hva du heter?
Hvor bor du? / Hva heter du?
Question words trigger inversion: question + verb + subject.

A1Pronouns

Pointing det (Det er en katt / Det er fint)

Pekepronomen det

The word 'det' has many uses in Norwegian. As a 'pointing' pronoun it means 'it/that/this' in identifying or describing sentences: 'Det er en katt' (It/That is a cat), 'Det er fint' (That is nice / It is nice). It works as a dummy subject in many constructions where English uses 'it' or 'this/that' loosely. Importantly: 'det' here doesn't change to match what follows — even with plural, you say 'Det er to katter' (There are two cats), not 'De er to katter'.

Key rule

'Det' as pointing pronoun: invariant for number ('Det er to katter'), used for identifying ('Det er Anna'), describing ('Det er fint'), and abstract reference ('Det er sant').

Examples

Det er Anna.
Den er Anna.
Identifying a person → det (or dette for proximal). Den is for non-human masculine/feminine reference back.
Det er fint.
Den er fint.
Generic description → det.
Det er to katter på senga.
De er to katter på senga.
Existential/pointing det stays singular in form, even with plural complement.

Common mistakes

Switching to 'de' for plural pointing
De er tre studenter.
Det er tre studenter.
Pointing det is invariant; doesn't change for plural.
Using 'den' instead of 'det' for general identification
Den er Anna.
Det er Anna.
Identifying / introducing uses det (or dette).

A1Pronouns

Indefinite Pronoun man / en (one, you-impersonal)

Indefinittpronomen man/en

To talk about people in general — 'one', 'you' (impersonal), 'people' — Norwegian uses 'man' or 'en'. 'Man må sove godt' (One must sleep well / You should sleep well — generally). 'Man' is more formal and written; 'en' is more spoken and can sound friendlier. Both behave like 3rd-person singular subjects (man/en + verb in -r form). Important: 'man' has NO object form in standard Bokmål; if you need an object, use 'en' (object: en) or restructure.

Key rule

Man and en = 'one / you (impersonal)'. Man is more formal; en more spoken. Man has no object form — use en or restructure. Both trigger V2.

Examples

Man må sove godt.
Man må å sove godt.
After modal må → bare infinitive (no å).
En kan aldri vite.
Man kan aldri vite en. (object form for man)
If you need a generic 'one' as object, use en or restructure: 'En kan aldri vite' (subject only).
Man tror det er sant.
Det tros av man.
Don't try to passivise man — it stays as a generic active subject.

Common mistakes

Translating impersonal 'you' as 'du' all the time in formal contexts
I Norge må du betale skatt. (in a formal report)
I Norge må man betale skatt.
Formal/written register prefers man.
Mixing man and en in one sentence
Man må passe på en selv.
Man må passe på seg selv. / En må passe på en selv.
Stick to one form — and use the matching reflexive (seg for man, en selv for en).

A1Prepositions

Place: i vs på (Basic)

Sted: i vs på

The two main place prepositions in Norwegian are 'i' (in) and 'på' (on / at). Use 'i' for being INSIDE something with walls or boundaries: i huset, i bilen, i Norge, i en by. Use 'på' for being ON a surface (på bordet, på gulvet) and AT many public/institutional places: på jobb, på skolen, på kafé, på toget. The choice between i and på is partly logical (in/on) but partly fixed by convention — you have to memorise some pairings.

Key rule

I = inside (i huset, i Norge, i Oslo). På = on a surface (på bordet) OR at certain institutional/public places (på skolen, på jobb, på toget). Some choices are fixed by convention.

Examples

Jeg bor i Oslo.
Jeg bor på Oslo.
Cities take 'i' as default.
Boka ligger på bordet.
Boka ligger i bordet.
Surface → på.
Hun jobber på skolen.
Hun jobber i skolen.
Schools (as institutions) take 'på' in Norwegian, even though English says 'in school'.

Common mistakes

Translating English 'in' as 'i' for institutions
i skolen, i jobb, i kafé
på skolen, på jobb, på kafé
Norwegian uses på for institutions and many public places where English uses 'in/at'.
Using 'på' for cities
på Oslo, på Paris
i Oslo, i Paris
Cities default to 'i'. (Mountain-name cities like Lillehammer can take på.)

A1Prepositions

Movement: til vs fra (to / from)

Retning: til vs fra

The basic movement prepositions are 'til' (to/towards a destination) and 'fra' (from/away from a source). Jeg går til skolen (I'm going to school). Jeg kommer fra Tyskland (I come from Germany). Use 'til' to express destination with most places, including most cities, countries, and people. Use 'fra' for origin and starting points: Brevet er fra Anna (The letter is from Anna).

Key rule

Til = to/towards a destination (til Oslo, til Anna). Fra = from/away from a source (fra Italia, fra Anna). Both work with people, places, and times.

Examples

Jeg drar til Bergen.
Jeg drar i Bergen.
Movement to a destination → til.
Hun kommer fra Spania.
Hun kommer av Spania.
Origin → fra (av is for cause/material, not origin).
Brevet er til deg.
Brevet er for deg (acceptable but different nuance).
Recipient with til; for is more about beneficiary/purpose.

Common mistakes

Using 'til' for origin
Jeg kommer til Italia (when meaning 'I come from')
Jeg kommer fra Italia.
Origin/source → fra; til is destination.
Using 'av' for origin
Jeg kommer av Norge
Jeg kommer fra Norge.
Origin → fra; av is for cause/material/passive agent.

A1Prepositions

Directional inn / ut / opp / ned (vs i / ute / oppe / nede)

Retningsadverb

Norwegian uses different forms for direction (movement) versus location (being there). For movement: inn (into), ut (out), opp (up), ned (down). For location: inne (inside), ute (outside), oppe (up there), nede (down there). 'Jeg går inn' (I go in/inside — direction) vs 'Jeg er inne' (I am inside — location). Same root, different ending: -e for the static location form.

Key rule

Direction (with motion verbs): inn, ut, opp, ned, hjem, hit, dit. Location (with static verbs): inne, ute, oppe, nede, hjemme, her, der. Add -e for static.

Examples

Jeg går inn nå.
Jeg går inne nå.
Movement → inn (without -e).
Vi er inne.
Vi er inn.
Static location → inne (with -e).
Hun løp ut i hagen.
Hun løp ute i hagen.
Movement → ut.

Common mistakes

Using directional form for location
Jeg er hjem / Jeg er ut
Jeg er hjemme / Jeg er ute
Static 'be' verbs require the -e form.
Using locational form for movement
Jeg går hjemme / Jeg går inne
Jeg går hjem / Jeg går inn
Motion verbs require the directional form (without -e).

A1Prepositions

Companionship: med vs uten (with / without)

med vs uten

'Med' means 'with' and 'uten' means 'without'. They cover companionship (jeg går med Anna = I'm walking with Anna), instruments (jeg skriver med en penn = I write with a pen), and means (jeg reiser med tog = I travel by train). Both take an object pronoun in object form: med meg, med deg, med ham/han, uten henne. Med has very wide use; uten is straightforwardly its opposite.

Key rule

Med = with (companion, instrument, means, content). Uten = without. Both take object pronouns. Uten + å + infinitive = without doing.

Examples

Jeg går med Anna.
Jeg går hos Anna.
With/companionship → med. Hos = at Anna's place.
Hun reiser med tog.
Hun reiser i tog.
Means of transport → med.
En kake med sjokolade.
En kake av sjokolade. (means 'made of').
'With' as content/topping → med.

Common mistakes

Using 'med' for location at a person's place
Jeg sover med Anna (could mean intimate, not 'at Anna's')
Jeg sover hos Anna.
Hos = at someone's home; med = with someone (companion or together).
Using 'i' or 'på' for transport
Jeg reiser i tog / på tog (in some dialects og)
Jeg reiser med tog.
Means of transport = med. På toget = ON the train (location); med toget = BY train (means).

A1Prepositions

Origin: fra vs av

Opphav: fra vs av

Both 'fra' and 'av' can translate as 'from', but they cover different things. Use 'fra' for ORIGIN (where you come from, where something starts): Jeg er fra Norge / Brevet er fra Anna. Use 'av' for MATERIAL (what something is made of), CAUSE (because of), AGENT (in the passive), and PART-OF: et hus av stein (a house of stone), Hun døde av kreft (She died of cancer), Boka er skrevet av Knausgård (The book is written by Knausgård). When in doubt about origin/source, use 'fra'.

Key rule

Fra = origin/source/starting point. Av = material (made of), cause (died of), passive agent (by), part of (one of).

Examples

Jeg er fra Norge.
Jeg er av Norge.
Origin → fra.
Brevet er fra Anna.
Brevet er av Anna.
Source/sender → fra.
Et hus av stein.
Et hus fra stein.
Material → av.

Common mistakes

Using 'av' for origin
Jeg er av Italia / Brevet er av Anna
Jeg er fra Italia / Brevet er fra Anna
Origin/source → fra; av is for material/cause/agent.
Using 'fra' for material
En jakke fra skinn
En jakke av skinn
Material → av.

A1Prepositions

Time: klokka X, om morgenen / kvelden / natta

Klokkeslett og tider på dagen

To say WHEN something happens at a clock time, use 'klokka X' (no preposition needed) or 'klokken X': Klokka åtte spiser jeg frokost (At eight o'clock I eat breakfast). For 'in the morning/evening/night' use 'om morgenen', 'om kvelden', 'om natta'. For 'in the afternoon' use 'om ettermiddagen'. Note: 'klokka' is feminine three-gender (or masculine in two-gender: klokken); the choice doesn't change the meaning.

Key rule

Clock time: klokka X (no preposition). Generic time of day: om + definite (om morgenen, om kvelden). Specific occasion: i (i morges, i kveld). Today/yesterday/tomorrow: i dag / i går / i morgen.

Examples

Klokka åtte spiser jeg frokost.
Ved klokka åtte spiser jeg frokost.
No preposition before klokka X.
Han kommer klokka tre.
Han kommer på klokka tre.
No 'på' for clock time.
Om morgenen drikker jeg kaffe.
I morgenen drikker jeg kaffe.
Generic morning routine → om morgenen. 'I morgen' = tomorrow.

Common mistakes

Adding 'på' or 'ved' before klokka
Han kommer på klokka tre / ved klokka tre
Han kommer klokka tre.
Clock time takes no preposition.
Using 'i morgen' for 'in the morning'
Jeg drikker kaffe i morgen (means 'tomorrow')
Jeg drikker kaffe om morgenen.
I morgen = tomorrow; om morgenen = in the morning (generic).

A1Prepositions

Time: på mandag, i januar, i 2024

Tidsuttrykk: på/i

For days of the week, use 'på': på mandag, på fredag (on Monday, on Friday). For months and years, use 'i': i januar, i 2024 (in January, in 2024). For seasons, use 'om' or 'i': om sommeren / i sommer (in summer / this summer). Watch out: 'på mandag' = next Monday or just 'on Monday'; 'på mandager' (plural) = on Mondays in general.

Key rule

Days: på (på mandag, på fredag). Months: i (i januar). Years: i (i 2024). Habitual seasons: om (om sommeren). Specific recent/upcoming season: i (i sommer).

Examples

Jeg jobber på mandag.
Jeg jobber i mandag.
Days of the week → på.
Vi reiser i juli.
Vi reiser på juli.
Months → i.
Han ble født i 1995.
Han ble født på 1995.
Years → i.

Common mistakes

Using 'i' for days
i mandag, i fredag
på mandag, på fredag
Days of the week → på.
Using 'på' for months/years
på januar, på 2024
i januar, i 2024
Months and years → i.

A1Prepositions

Basic for (purpose, beneficiary, duration: for to dager siden)

Grunnleggende bruk av for

The Norwegian preposition 'for' covers many uses similar to English 'for' and 'because of'. The main A1 ones are: BENEFICIARY (Boka er for deg = The book is for you); DURATION/TIME-AGO (for to dager siden = two days ago — fixed expression); PURPOSE (for å lære norsk = in order to learn Norwegian). 'For å + infinitive' is the standard way to express purpose: 'I do X in order to Y' = 'Jeg gjør X for å Y'.

Key rule

For = beneficiary (for deg), purpose (for å lære), time-ago (for X siden), exchange/price (takk for...). Don't use for for duration — that's 'i'.

Examples

Boka er for deg.
Boka er til deg (acceptable, slightly different nuance).
Beneficiary often takes for; til focuses on recipient. Both accepted.
For tre dager siden var jeg syk.
For tre dager var jeg syk.
'Siden' is required to express 'X ago': for X siden.
Jeg lærer norsk for å snakke med familien.
Jeg lærer norsk å snakke med familien.
Purpose: for + å + infinitive.

Common mistakes

Using 'for' for duration without further specification
Jeg har bodd her for to år
Jeg har bodd her i to år.
Duration uses 'i', not 'for' (without 'siden').
Forgetting 'siden' in time-ago expressions
for tre dager (when meaning 'three days ago')
for tre dager siden
The fixed pattern is for X siden.

A1Syntax

Verb-Second (V2) Word Order in Main Clauses

V2 - Verbet på plass nummer to

In Norwegian main clauses, the finite verb must be in SECOND POSITION — counting positions, not words. So 'Jeg snakker norsk' (Subject + verb) is fine; 'I morgen snakker jeg norsk' is also fine (Time + verb + subject). What is NOT fine is 'I morgen jeg snakker norsk' — the verb has been pushed to position 3, and that's wrong. This rule is the structural backbone of Norwegian grammar; you'll meet it in every sentence.

Key rule

Main clauses: finite verb in second position. Anything can be in position 1, but the verb must come immediately after. Subject moves to position 3 if something else is fronted.

Examples

Jeg snakker norsk.
Snakker jeg norsk (as a statement).
Subject + verb is V2 (subject in 1, verb in 2).
I morgen drar jeg til Oslo.
I morgen jeg drar til Oslo.
Time adverb in 1, verb in 2, subject in 3 — V2 inversion.
Den boka leste jeg i går.
Den boka jeg leste i går.
Object in 1 (topicalised), verb in 2, subject in 3.

Common mistakes

Putting subject before verb after a fronted element
I morgen jeg drar til Oslo. / Nå vi spiser.
I morgen drar jeg... / Nå spiser vi.
Norwegian V2 forces the verb into position 2, pushing the subject to 3.
Treating 'kanskje' as an adverb that doesn't trigger inversion
Kanskje han kommer.
Kanskje kommer han.
Sentence adverbs in position 1 trigger V2.

A1Syntax

Subject-Verb Inversion after Fronted Element (I morgen drar jeg / Nå spiser vi)

Inversjon etter framflytt ledd

When you put something other than the subject at the START of a sentence — like a time word, a place, or an object — Norwegian requires you to swap the order of subject and verb. 'Jeg drar' (I'm going) becomes 'I morgen DRAR JEG' (Tomorrow am-I-going), not 'I morgen jeg drar'. This 'inversion' is the visible result of the V2 rule. Drill it: whenever the subject isn't first, swap.

Key rule

If the sentence starts with anything other than the subject, the verb comes immediately after — and the subject follows the verb. 'I morgen drar jeg' (NOT 'I morgen jeg drar').

Examples

I morgen drar jeg.
I morgen jeg drar.
Time-adverb fronted → verb in 2 → subject in 3.
Nå spiser vi.
Nå vi spiser.
Adverb fronted → inversion.
Hjemme har jeg en katt.
Hjemme jeg har en katt.
Place fronted → inversion.

Common mistakes

Failing to invert after a time word
I dag jeg jobber.
I dag jobber jeg.
Fronted element + verb in 2.
Failing to invert after kanskje/sikkert/heldigvis
Kanskje hun kommer.
Kanskje kommer hun.
Comment/sentence adverbs trigger V2 too.

A1Syntax

Basic Subject-Verb-Object Order (declarative)

SVO i hovedsetning

When a Norwegian sentence starts with the subject, the order is the same as English: Subject + Verb + Object. 'Jeg leser boka' (I read the book), 'Hun spiser middag' (She eats dinner), 'Vi kjører bilen' (We drive the car). This is the simplest sentence pattern in Norwegian, and you'll use it constantly. Adverbs and other elements come in their own positions, but the basic skeleton is SVO when the subject is first.

Key rule

When the subject is in position 1, the order is Subject + Finite Verb + (Object) + (other phrases). This is the simplest pattern and the default for declarative sentences.

Examples

Jeg leser boka.
Boka leser jeg. (also valid but topicalised, not basic SVO).
Default: subject + verb + object.
Hun spiser middag klokka seks.
Hun klokka seks spiser middag.
Adverbs come AFTER the verb in main clauses; basic SVO + adverb.
Vi liker pizza.
Vi pizza liker.
SVO order required.

Common mistakes

Putting object before verb
Jeg pizza liker / Boka jeg leser.
Jeg liker pizza. / Jeg leser boka. (or topicalised: Boka leser jeg.)
Default SVO; only topicalisation moves object to position 1, and it triggers inversion.
Putting time adverb between subject and verb
Jeg i morgen drar.
Jeg drar i morgen. (or fronted: I morgen drar jeg.)
In main clauses, adverbs come after the finite verb.

A1Syntax

Yes/No Questions (Verb First)

Ja/nei-spørsmål

To make a yes/no question in Norwegian, you simply put the verb FIRST: 'Snakker du norsk?' (Do you speak Norwegian? / Are you speaking Norwegian?). There is no 'do' or 'does' helper word like in English. The verb just moves in front of the subject. Answers: 'Ja' (yes), 'Nei' (no), or to a negative question, 'Jo' (yes, contradicting the negation).

Key rule

Yes/no question = Verb in position 1 + Subject + rest. No 'do/does' auxiliary. Answers: ja, nei, or jo (contradicting a negative).

Examples

Snakker du norsk?
Du snakker norsk?
Yes/no questions need verb first.
Har du tid?
Du har tid?
Inversion required.
Er det kaldt ute?
Det er kaldt ute? (with question intonation, very colloquial)
Standard Norwegian inverts: Er det...

Common mistakes

Using 'do/does' auxiliary
Gjør du snakker norsk?
Snakker du norsk?
Norwegian has no 'do/does' for questions.
Keeping subject before verb
Du snakker norsk? (with question mark)
Snakker du norsk?
Standard Norwegian writes inverted yes/no questions.

A1Syntax

hv-Questions (hvem, hva, hvor, hvorfor, hvordan, når, hvilken)

Hv-spørsmål

Norwegian hv-questions (the equivalent of English wh-questions) start with a question word: hvem (who), hva (what), hvor (where), hvorfor (why), hvordan (how), når (when), hvilken/hvilket/hvilke (which). After the question word, the verb comes in position 2 and the subject in position 3 — this is the V2 rule applied to questions: 'Hvor bor du?' (Where do you live?), 'Hva heter du?' (What is your name?). No 'do/does' auxiliary needed.

Key rule

Hv-question = hv-word + verb + subject + rest. (V2 in questions.) No 'do/does'. Når is the exception that doesn't start with hv-.

Examples

Hva heter du?
Hva du heter?
Verb in 2: heter du.
Hvor bor du?
Hvor du bor?
Verb in 2.
Når kommer han?
Når han kommer?
Når triggers V2 like other question words.

Common mistakes

Using 'do/does' auxiliary
Hva gjør du heter? / Hvor gjør du bor?
Hva heter du? / Hvor bor du?
No 'do/does' in Norwegian questions.
Keeping subject before verb
Hva du heter? / Hvor du bor?
Hva heter du? / Hvor bor du?
V2 in questions too.

A1Syntax

Questions about Subject (Hvem kommer? - no inversion)

Spørsmål om subjektet

When the QUESTION WORD itself is the subject of the verb, you don't invert anything — the question word just stays in subject position and the verb follows normally: 'Hvem kommer?' (Who is coming?), 'Hva skjer?' (What's happening?). The pattern is exactly like a statement, just with a question word as subject. Compare: 'Hvem ser du?' (Who do you see? — verb + subject) vs 'Hvem ser deg?' (Who sees you? — question word IS the subject, no inversion).

Key rule

If the hv-word is the SUBJECT of the verb, no inversion: 'Hvem kommer?' / 'Hva skjer?'. If it's the OBJECT, invert: 'Hvem ser du?' / 'Hva gjør du?'.

Examples

Hvem kommer?
Hvem kommer du? (different meaning: Who do you come [as]?)
Hvem is the subject — no other subject needed.
Hva skjer?
Hva skjer det? (only correct if 'det' is part of the construction)
Hva is the subject; just verb follows.
Hvem ringte?
Hvem ringte du? (different meaning: 'Who did you call?')
Hvem ringte = Who called (subject question, no inversion).

Common mistakes

Adding an extra subject pronoun
Hvem kommer han? / Hva skjer det?
Hvem kommer? / Hva skjer?
If hv-word is the subject, no other subject is needed.
Inverting unnecessarily when hv-word is subject
Kommer hvem? / Skjer hva?
Hvem kommer? / Hva skjer?
Subject-questions follow normal SVO order with hv-word in subject slot.

A1Connectors

Coordinating Conjunctions (og, eller, men, for, så)

Sideordnende konjunksjoner

Coordinating conjunctions join two equal sentences or phrases. The five main ones are: OG (and), ELLER (or), MEN (but), FOR (because/for — formal), SÅ (so, then). Importantly, after these conjunctions, the WORD ORDER stays the same as a normal main clause — you don't switch to subordinate-clause order. 'Jeg er sulten, og jeg vil spise' (NOT 'jeg vil å spise' or any change).

Key rule

Og (and), eller (or), men (but), for (because — formal), så (so/then) connect equal clauses. Word order stays main-clause. Subject can be dropped if same as first clause.

Examples

Jeg leser og lytter til musikk.
Jeg leser og jeg lytter musikk på (without til).
Subject can drop when same as first; lytter takes på.
Vil du ha kaffe eller te?
Vil du ha kaffe eller du vil te?
Eller can connect two simple alternatives without repeating subject + verb.
Det regner, men jeg går ut.
Det regner, men ut jeg går.
After men, normal main-clause order: subject + verb.

Common mistakes

Treating 'for' as the subordinator 'fordi'
Jeg er trøtt, for jeg har ikke jobbet (mixing the two)
Jeg er trøtt, fordi jeg ikke har jobbet (subordinate) OR Jeg er trøtt, for jeg har ikke jobbet (coordinate).
Fordi changes word order; for keeps it.
Inverting after coordinating conjunctions
Jeg leser, og er jeg glad. / Jeg er trøtt, men har jeg energi.
Jeg leser, og jeg er glad. / Jeg er trøtt, men jeg har energi.
Coordinators don't trigger inversion.

A1Connectors

Time Sequence (først, så, deretter, etterpå, til slutt)

Tidsrekkefølge

To describe a sequence of events in order, use time connectors: FØRST (first), SÅ (then), DERETTER (then/after that), ETTERPÅ (afterwards), TIL SLUTT (finally/at the end). 'Først spiser jeg frokost. Så drikker jeg kaffe. Deretter går jeg på jobb. Etterpå spiser vi lunsj. Til slutt drar jeg hjem.' These connectors usually start the sentence and trigger V2 inversion.

Key rule

Først (first), så (then), deretter (then), etterpå (afterwards), til slutt (finally). When fronted, they trigger V2 inversion (Først spiser jeg).

Examples

Først spiser jeg frokost.
Først jeg spiser frokost.
Fronted adverb → V2 inversion.
Så drar jeg på jobb.
Så jeg drar på jobb.
Same: V2 inversion.
Deretter har vi møte.
Deretter vi har møte.
V2.

Common mistakes

Forgetting V2 inversion when sequencer is fronted
Først jeg spiser. Så jeg drikker.
Først spiser jeg. Så drikker jeg.
Fronted adverb → verb in 2.
Translating English 'then' as both 'da' and 'så' randomly
Da spiser jeg. (when narrating sequence)
Så spiser jeg. (Da is for past habitual or specific past time, not sequential 'then'.)
Sequential 'then' = så; 'da' is mostly temporal subordinator (when in past).

A1Connectors

Addition Markers (også, i tillegg, dessuten)

Tilleggsmarkører

To say 'also', 'in addition', 'besides', use OGSÅ (also/too — most common), I TILLEGG (in addition), or DESSUTEN (besides/moreover). 'Jeg liker kaffe. Jeg liker også te.' (I like coffee. I also like tea.) Position: 'også' usually comes AFTER the finite verb in a main clause: 'Jeg liker også te' (NOT 'Jeg også liker te'). 'I tillegg' and 'dessuten' often start a sentence and trigger V2 inversion: 'I tillegg liker jeg te', 'Dessuten er det varmt'.

Key rule

Også = also/too (mid-sentence: after finite verb). I tillegg / dessuten = in addition / besides (often start a sentence + V2 inversion). For 'neither', use 'heller ikke'.

Examples

Jeg liker også te.
Jeg også liker te.
Også after the finite verb.
Jeg liker te også.
Jeg liker også te (different emphasis but both correct).
Final også: emphasis on tea.
I tillegg liker jeg te.
I tillegg jeg liker te.
Fronted I tillegg → V2 inversion.

Common mistakes

Putting 'også' before the verb
Jeg også liker te.
Jeg liker også te.
Også sits AFTER the finite verb in a main clause.
Failing to invert after fronted i tillegg / dessuten
I tillegg jeg liker te. / Dessuten det er kaldt.
I tillegg liker jeg te. / Dessuten er det kaldt.
Fronted adverbial → V2 inversion.

A1Syntax

Negation with ikke - Main Clause Position (after finite verb)

Negasjon ikke - hovedsetning

To make a Norwegian sentence negative, add 'ikke' (not) AFTER the finite verb in a main clause: 'Jeg snakker norsk' → 'Jeg snakker ikke norsk' (I don't speak Norwegian). 'Hun har en bil' → 'Hun har ikke en bil'. There is no 'do/does' helper word — 'ikke' just slots in after the verb. Important: 'ikke' usually comes RIGHT AFTER the finite verb, not before it.

Key rule

Negation in main clauses: subject + finite verb + ikke + rest. No 'do/does'. With compound verbs, ikke comes after the finite (auxiliary) verb.

Examples

Jeg snakker ikke norsk.
Jeg ikke snakker norsk.
Ikke comes AFTER the finite verb.
Hun spiser ikke fisk.
Hun gjør ikke spise fisk.
No 'do/does' auxiliary in Norwegian.
Vi kommer ikke i kveld.
Vi ikke kommer i kveld.
Ikke after the verb.

Common mistakes

Putting 'ikke' before the verb
Jeg ikke snakker norsk.
Jeg snakker ikke norsk.
Ikke comes after the finite verb in main clauses.
Using 'do/does' auxiliary
Jeg gjør ikke spise / Han gjør ikke vite.
Jeg spiser ikke / Han vet ikke.
No 'do' auxiliary in Norwegian.

A1Syntax

ingen / intet / ingenting (no one / nothing)

ingen / intet / ingenting

To say 'no one', 'no/none', or 'nothing' in Norwegian, use INGEN (no one / no [count noun]), INTET (no [neuter — formal/old]), or INGENTING (nothing). 'Ingen er hjemme' (No one is home), 'Jeg har ingen bil' (I have no car), 'Jeg ser ingenting' (I see nothing). These are alternatives to using 'ikke noen' / 'ikke noe' (not anyone / not anything), with slightly different positions.

Key rule

Ingen = no one / no (count noun). Ingenting = nothing. Intet = no (neuter; formal). Equivalent periphrastic: ikke noen / ikke noe. No double negation.

Examples

Ingen kom på festen.
Ikke ingen kom på festen.
Use ingen alone — no double negation.
Jeg har ingen bil.
Jeg har ikke ingen bil.
Either ingen alone or 'Jeg har ikke noen bil'.
Jeg ser ingenting.
Jeg ser ikke ingenting.
No double negation; ingenting alone.

Common mistakes

Double negation
Jeg ikke vet ingenting.
Jeg vet ingenting. (or: Jeg vet ikke noe.)
Norwegian uses single negation only.
Combining ikke and ingen
Jeg har ikke ingen bil.
Jeg har ingen bil. (or: Jeg har ikke noen bil.)
Choose one negation strategy.

A1Syntax

aldri vs ikke lenger / ikke mer (never / no longer / no more)

aldri vs ikke lenger

ALDRI = never (Jeg har aldri vært i Norge = I have never been to Norway). IKKE LENGER = no longer / not anymore (Jeg jobber ikke lenger der = I don't work there anymore). IKKE MER = no more (Jeg vil ikke ha mer kaffe = I don't want any more coffee). Position: 'aldri' goes after the finite verb (or after subject in subordinate clauses); 'ikke lenger' / 'ikke mer' work like 'ikke + adverb'.

Key rule

Aldri = never (replaces ikke; same position as ikke). Ikke lenger = no longer (temporal). Ikke mer = no more (quantitative). Aldri fronted → V2 inversion.

Examples

Jeg har aldri vært i Norge.
Jeg har ikke aldri vært i Norge.
Aldri replaces ikke; never combine them.
Aldri har jeg sett noe slikt!
Aldri jeg har sett noe slikt!
Fronted aldri → V2 inversion.
Jeg jobber ikke lenger der.
Jeg jobber aldri lenger der.
'Ikke lenger' = no longer; 'aldri' is for never.

Common mistakes

Combining aldri with ikke
Jeg har ikke aldri vært i Norge.
Jeg har aldri vært i Norge.
Aldri replaces ikke.
Confusing 'aldri' with 'ennå/enda'
Jeg har aldri kommet (when meaning 'haven't arrived yet')
Jeg har ikke kommet ennå.
Aldri = never; ennå = yet (still expecting it).

A1Syntax

heller ikke (neither / not either)

heller ikke

When you want to add a NEGATIVE statement to another negative — 'I don't like coffee, and I don't like tea EITHER' — Norwegian uses 'heller ikke' (not either / neither): 'Jeg liker ikke kaffe. Jeg liker heller ikke te.' Position: 'heller' usually comes right after the subject and 'ikke' follows: 'Jeg ___ heller ikke ___'. When fronted, 'heller ikke' triggers V2 inversion: 'Heller ikke vil jeg drikke kaffe' (Nor do I want coffee).

Key rule

Heller ikke = neither / not either. Replaces 'også' in negative addition. Position: middle field (subject + verb + heller ikke) or fronted (Heller ikke + V2 inversion).

Examples

Jeg liker ikke kaffe, og jeg liker heller ikke te.
Jeg liker ikke kaffe, og jeg liker også ikke te.
Use heller ikke for negative addition; ikke også is wrong.
Han kommer ikke, og hun kommer heller ikke.
Han kommer ikke, og hun også kommer ikke.
Negative addition: heller ikke.
Heller ikke vil jeg gå.
Heller ikke jeg vil gå.
Fronted heller ikke → V2 inversion (vil before jeg).

Common mistakes

Using 'også ikke' for 'not either'
Jeg liker også ikke te.
Jeg liker heller ikke te.
Norwegian uses heller ikke, never også ikke.
Reversing the order to 'ikke heller'
Jeg har ikke heller vært der.
Jeg har heller ikke vært der.
Fixed order: heller + ikke.

A1Syntax

Tag Questions (..., ikke sant?)

Halefraser med ikke sant

To turn a statement into a tag question — 'right?', 'isn't it?', 'don't you?' — Norwegian usually appends 'ikke sant?' at the end: 'Du snakker norsk, ikke sant?' (You speak Norwegian, right?). 'Ikke sant' literally means 'not true' but functions as a universal tag. It works for any statement, regardless of tense, number, or whether the statement itself is positive or negative.

Key rule

Tag question = statement + comma + ikke sant + question mark. Universal tag — works with any tense, person, or polarity. Always sentence-final.

Examples

Du snakker norsk, ikke sant?
Snakker du norsk ikke sant?
Statement first, then 'ikke sant?' as tag. No inversion in the main statement.
Hun har en bil, ikke sant?
Hun har en bil, ikke det?
Use 'ikke sant', not 'ikke det'.
De kommer i kveld, ikke sant?
De kommer i kveld, gjør de ikke?
Norwegian uses fixed 'ikke sant', not English-style verb-repetition tags.

Common mistakes

Using English-style verb-repetition tags
Du har en bil, har du ikke? / Hun snakker norsk, gjør hun ikke?
Du har en bil, ikke sant? / Hun snakker norsk, ikke sant?
Norwegian uses fixed 'ikke sant', not auxiliary inversion.
Translating 'right' as 'høyre' (right-hand)
Du kommer, høyre?
Du kommer, ikke sant?
Høyre = right side; 'right?' as confirmation = ikke sant.

A1Syntax

jo as Answer to a Negative Question (yes-contradiction)

jo som svar

When someone asks a NEGATIVE question and you want to say 'YES (you're wrong, the positive IS true)', Norwegian has a special word: JO. 'Spiser du ikke fisk?' 'Jo, det gjør jeg!' (Don't you eat fish? Yes, I do!). 'Jo' contradicts a negative question. After a positive question, use plain 'ja'. So: positive question + ja, negative question + jo (when you want to say 'yes'). For 'no' (agreeing with the negative), use 'nei'.

Key rule

Negative question + 'yes' → JO (not ja). Positive question + yes → ja. Negative question + no (confirming) → nei. Memorise: ja/nei/jo.

Examples

'Spiser du ikke fisk?' 'Jo, det gjør jeg!'
'Spiser du ikke fisk?' 'Ja, det gjør jeg!'
Negative question + yes (contradicting) → jo.
'Spiser du fisk?' 'Ja, det gjør jeg.'
'Spiser du fisk?' 'Jo, det gjør jeg.'
Positive question + yes → ja.
'Liker du ikke meg?' 'Jo!'
'Liker du ikke meg?' 'Ja!'
Use jo to contradict the negative implication.

Common mistakes

Using 'ja' to contradict a negative question
'Spiser du ikke kjøtt?' 'Ja, det gjør jeg.'
'Spiser du ikke kjøtt?' 'Jo, det gjør jeg.'
Negative question requires jo for the contradicting yes.
Using 'jo' for positive questions
'Liker du musikk?' 'Jo!'
'Liker du musikk?' 'Ja!'
Jo is reserved for contradicting a negative; positive questions take ja.

A1Orthography

The Three Extra Letters æ, ø, å

Bokstavene æ, ø, å

The Norwegian alphabet has 29 letters — the same 26 as English plus three extra at the end: Æ, Ø, Å. They are real letters with their own sounds, NOT decorations on top of A or O. Æ sounds like English 'a' in 'cat' (more open). Ø sounds like the German ö or French eu (rounded e). Å sounds like the 'aw' in 'saw' or 'oh'. You'll meet all three in the very first words: æ in 'tre' is the e sound, ø in 'øl' (beer), å in 'år' (year), and in 'å' itself (the infinitive marker).

Key rule

Norwegian has 29 letters: A-Z + Æ + Ø + Å (in that order). Æ ≈ 'a' in cat. Ø ≈ rounded 'e' (German ö). Å ≈ 'aw' or 'oh'. ALL distinct from a/o.

Examples

tre
tre
Norwegian 'tre' is pronounced /træː/ with the 'æ' sound — but spelled with 'e' (because of historical reasons). Don't confuse the SOUND with the LETTER.
være
vaere (in formal text)
Use the letter æ; 'ae' is only an emergency substitute.
øl
ol (different word — 'oil' is olje, but ol means almost nothing)
Ø is required: øl = beer.

Common mistakes

Treating æ/ø/å as decorated a/o
Writing 'a' instead of 'å', 'o' instead of 'ø'
These are distinct letters with different sounds and meanings.
Mar/mår, lar/lår, sak/såk are different words. The diacritic-looking marks ARE the letter.
Substituting ae/oe/aa in formal writing
vaere, oel, aar in essays or emails
være, øl, år
Use the proper letters; ae/oe/aa are only acceptable in URLs, programming, or strict ASCII contexts.

A1Orthography

Double Consonants Mark Short Vowels (mat vs matt, hete vs hette)

Dobbeltkonsonant og vokallengde

In Norwegian, you can tell if a vowel is LONG or SHORT by looking at the consonant after it. ONE consonant after the vowel = LONG vowel: mat (food, long a), hete (be called, long e). TWO consonants after the vowel = SHORT vowel: matt (matte, dull, short a), hette (hood, short e). This rule is consistent and important — it changes the meaning of words.

Key rule

1 consonant after vowel = LONG vowel (mat, hete). 2 consonants after vowel = SHORT vowel (matt, hette). The spelling tells you the vowel length.

Examples

mat (food, long a)
matt (different word: matte/dull, short a)
Single t = long vowel; double t = short.
hete (be called, long e)
hette (a different word: hood)
Single t = long; double t = short.
venn (friend, short e)
ven (means 'lovely' — different word)
Doubled n marks short vowel even at word-end.

Common mistakes

Forgetting to double when vowel is short
kat for 'cat'
katt
Short a needs the double t.
Doubling unnecessarily when vowel is long
matt for 'food'
mat
Long a needs single t.

A1Orthography

Basic Capitalisation (sentence start, names; days/months are lowercase)

Stor og liten forbokstav

Norwegian capitalises the FIRST letter of a sentence and PROPER NAMES (people, places, organisations): Anna, Norge, Oslo, NRK. UNLIKE English, Norwegian DOES NOT capitalise: days of the week (mandag, tirsdag), months (januar, februar), seasons (vår, sommer), languages (norsk, engelsk), nationalities as adjectives (norsk, tysk), or pronouns 'I' (jeg). Personal pronouns and titles after names are also lowercase: jeg, du, hr. Hansen, dr. Olsen.

Key rule

Capitalise: sentence starts, proper names, organisations. DO NOT capitalise: days, months, seasons, languages, nationalities (as adjective), 'jeg' (I).

Examples

Jeg heter Anna.
Jeg Heter Anna.
Only the first word + the proper name.
Jeg snakker norsk.
Jeg snakker Norsk.
Languages are lowercase: norsk, engelsk.
På mandag drar jeg.
På Mandag drar jeg.
Days of the week are lowercase.

Common mistakes

Capitalising days of the week (English habit)
På Mandag
På mandag
Norwegian uses lowercase for days.
Capitalising months
I Januar / I Mai
I januar / I mai
Norwegian uses lowercase for months.

A1Orthography

Basic Punctuation (period, question mark, comma in lists)

Grunnleggende tegnsetting

Norwegian uses the same basic punctuation marks as English: PERIOD (.) at the end of statements, QUESTION MARK (?) at the end of questions, EXCLAMATION MARK (!) for strong feelings or commands, and COMMA (,) in lists and between certain clauses. The big differences from English: Norwegian decimals use COMMA (3,14 = three point fourteen), thousands use SPACE or PERIOD (1 000 or 1.000), and there are no quotation marks of choice — Norwegian prefers «...» (guillemets) or "..." depending on style.

Key rule

Standard punctuation: . ? ! , in same positions as English. Differences: decimal comma (3,14), space/period in thousands, «...» for quotation, no Oxford comma typically.

Examples

Jeg heter Anna.
Jeg heter Anna
Period at end of statement.
Hva heter du?
Hva heter du.
Question → question mark.
Jeg liker kaffe, te, melk og vann.
Jeg liker kaffe, te, melk, og vann.
No Oxford comma before 'og' typically.

Common mistakes

Using period as decimal separator
3.14
3,14
Norwegian uses comma for decimals.
Using comma as thousands separator
1,000,000
1 000 000 (or 1.000.000)
Norwegian uses space or period for thousands.

A1Register

Universal du - Why Norwegians Don't Use De Anymore

Universelt du

In modern Norwegian, you address EVERYONE as 'du' — your friends, your boss, the prime minister, the cashier, strangers on the street. The polite/formal pronoun 'De' (capital D) is virtually extinct, used only for the royal family in highly ceremonial contexts. So unlike German Sie or French vous, you don't have to remember which form to use — just 'du' for everyone. This is one of the easiest things about Norwegian.

Key rule

Use du for everyone — friends, strangers, bosses, royalty (in modern speech). De is essentially extinct. Politeness comes from word choice, not pronouns.

Examples

Hva heter du?
Hva heter De?
Always du, even with strangers or older people.
Kan du hjelpe meg?
Kan De hjelpe meg?
Polite request to a stranger uses 'du'; politeness comes from 'kan du'.
Vil du ha mer kaffe?
Vil De ha mer kaffe?
Service contexts also use du.

Common mistakes

Using De for politeness with strangers
Kan De hjelpe meg?
Kan du hjelpe meg?
De is archaic; du is universal in modern Norwegian.
Capitalising 'du' or 'dere' for politeness
Hva heter Du?
Hva heter du?
Du is always lowercase except at sentence start.

A1Register

Greetings (Hei, Hallo, God morgen, God dag, Ha det, Vi sees)

Hilsninger

Norwegian greetings are simple. To say HELLO: 'Hei' (most common, all situations) or 'Hallo' (a bit more emphatic, often when answering the phone). Time-of-day: 'God morgen' (good morning), 'God dag' (good day, slightly formal), 'God kveld' (good evening), 'God natt' (good night, when going to bed). To say GOODBYE: 'Ha det' (literally 'have it', short for 'ha det bra' = have it good), 'Ha det bra' (have it well), or 'Vi sees' (we'll see each other / see you). The polite ones (Adjø, Farvel) sound old-fashioned.

Key rule

Hei = universal hello. Ha det = universal goodbye. Time-of-day: God morgen / God kveld / God natt. Don't use 'Hvordan har du det?' as a greeting — it's a real question.

Examples

Hei! Hvordan går det?
Hello, how are you? (English-only)
Use Hei or Hallo as a hello.
God morgen!
Morgen god!
Word order: God + morgen, not the other way.
Ha det!
Bye!
Norwegian goodbye is 'Ha det' (or 'Ha det bra').

Common mistakes

Using 'Hvordan har du det?' as a greeting
Hei! Hvordan har du det? (expecting no real answer)
Just 'Hei!' as a greeting; 'hvordan har du det?' = real question.
Norwegians answer the question genuinely. Don't ask if you don't want a real reply.
Translating 'good night' as a greeting
Saying 'God natt' as a hello at night
God kveld for evening greeting; god natt only at bedtime.
God natt = goodnight (sleep); god kveld = good evening (hello at night).

A1Register

takk-Phrases (takk, tusen takk, ja takk, nei takk, vær så god, vær så snill)

Takke- og høflighetsfraser

TAKK = thanks. TUSEN TAKK = thanks a lot (literally 'a thousand thanks'). JA TAKK = yes please. NEI TAKK = no thanks. VÆR SÅ GOD = (1) here you are / you're welcome / (2) please do (when offering); VÆR SÅ SNILL = please (literally 'be so kind'). These are the most useful polite expressions in Norwegian and you'll use them daily.

Key rule

Takk = thanks. Tusen takk = thanks a lot. Ja/nei takk = yes/no please. Vær så god = here you are / please do. Vær så snill = please.

Examples

Takk!
Takker (sounds like 'thanker').
Just 'takk', a noun-like interjection.
Tusen takk for hjelpen!
Tusen takker for hjelpen!
Tusen takk is fixed; not 'takker'.
Ja takk, gjerne!
Ja, please.
Use Norwegian 'ja takk'.

Common mistakes

Using 'takker' as a verb form for 'thanks'
Takker for hjelpen.
Takk for hjelpen.
Standard interjection is 'takk', not 'takker'.
Translating 'please' as 'plis' or omitting it
Kan du hjelpe meg, plis?
Kan du hjelpe meg, vær så snill?
Norwegian 'please' = vær så snill (or use 'kan du / kunne du' for built-in politeness).

A1Phonology prosody

Silent Letters (det = /de/, hva = /va/, godt = /gott/, hjem = /jem/, de = /di/) - Recognition for Listening

Stumme bokstaver

Several common Norwegian words have SILENT LETTERS — letters you write but DON'T pronounce. The most important: DET ('that/it') is pronounced /de/, with SILENT T. HVA ('what') is pronounced /va/, with SILENT H. GODT ('good — neuter') is pronounced /gott/, but with SILENT D. HJEM ('home') is pronounced /jem/ — silent H. DE ('they') is pronounced /di/, NOT /de/. Knowing these helps you UNDERSTAND spoken Norwegian; you don't need to do anything special when writing.

Key rule

Silent letters in common words: t in det (/de/), h in hv- words (hva /va/, hvem /vem/), h in hj- words (hjem /jem/), g in gj- words (gjøre /jøre/), d in -dt clusters (godt /gott/). Recognition for listening only.

Examples

Det er kaldt. → spoken: /de er kalt/
Pronouncing /det/ with audible t in casual speech.
T is silent in 'det'.
Hva heter du? → spoken: /va heter du/
Pronouncing /hva/ with audible h.
H is silent in hv- words.
Jeg er hjemme. → spoken: /jæi er jemme/
Pronouncing the h in hjemme.
H is silent in hj- words.

Common mistakes

Pronouncing every written letter
Saying /h-v-a/ for 'hva'
/va/ — silent h.
Norwegian has many silent letters in common words. Learn them as fixed pronunciations.
Confusing 'det' (/de/) and 'de' (/di/) when listening
Hearing /di/ and writing 'det'
Det = /de/ (sg.); de = /di/ (pl., they).
Both written with d, e but different pronunciations.

A1Numbers dates time

Cardinal Numbers 1-100 (modern: tjueén, tjuetre)

Tallene 1-100

The numbers 1–10 in Norwegian are: en/ett, to, tre, fire, fem, seks, sju (or syv), åtte, ni, ti. 11–20: elleve, tolv, tretten, fjorten, femten, seksten, sytten, atten, nitten, tjue. The tens 20–90: tjue, tretti, førti, femti, seksti, sytti, åtti, nitti. Hundred: hundre. Modern compound numbers: tjueén (21), tjueto (22), trettién (31). The OLDER form (énogtyve, toogtyve = 'one-and-twenty', 'two-and-twenty') is heard from elderly speakers but the MODERN order (tjueén, tjueto) is the standard taught now.

Key rule

Numbers 1-100: en/ett, to, tre, fire, fem, seks, sju, åtte, ni, ti. Tens: ti, tjue, tretti, førti, femti, seksti, sytti, åtti, nitti, hundre. Compound: tens + units (tjueén = 21).

Examples

tjueén kroner
énogtyve kroner (older form, recognised but not standard)
Modern order: tjue + én.
trettifem år
femogtretti år (older)
Modern: tens + units.
én bil / ei bok / ett hus
ett bil / ett bok
1 agrees with gender: én (M) / ei (F three-gender) / ett (N).

Common mistakes

Using English numbers in Norwegian sentences
Det er '20' biler her.
Det er tjue biler her.
Spell numbers in words for low values, especially in basic A1 writing.
Mixing modern and old order
tjueén but also femogtjue in same text
Stick to modern: tjueén, femogtjue → tjuefem.
Consistency; modern is standard.

A1Numbers dates time

Days, Months and Seasons (mandag, januar, vinter)

Dager, måneder, årstider

DAYS OF THE WEEK: mandag, tirsdag, onsdag, torsdag, fredag, lørdag, søndag (Mon-Sun). MONTHS: januar, februar, mars, april, mai, juni, juli, august, september, oktober, november, desember. SEASONS: vår (spring), sommer (summer), høst (autumn/fall), vinter (winter). Important: ALL of these are LOWERCASE in Norwegian, unlike English. With days, use 'på': på mandag. With months: 'i januar'. With seasons habitually: 'om sommeren'.

Key rule

Days/months/seasons all LOWERCASE. Days take 'på' (på mandag). Months and years take 'i' (i januar, i 2024). Habitual seasons take 'om' (om sommeren).

Examples

Jeg jobber på mandag.
Jeg jobber på Mandag.
Lowercase day.
Bursdagen min er i mars.
Bursdagen min er i Mars.
Lowercase month.
Om vinteren er det kaldt.
Om Vinteren er det kaldt.
Lowercase season.

Common mistakes

Capitalising days/months/seasons (English habit)
På Mandag i Januar
På mandag i januar
All lowercase in Norwegian.
Wrong preposition with days/months/seasons
i mandag, på januar, på sommeren
på mandag, i januar, om sommeren (habitual) / i sommer (specific)
Each takes its own preposition.

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A1 Norwegian Grammar — 73 Topics & Common Mistakes

Present Tense - Regular Verbs (-r ending)

Present Tense - Class 1 (kaste/kastet) Verbs in Present

Present Tense - Class 2 (spise/spiste) Verbs in Present

Present Tense - være (er)

Present Tense - ha (har)

Present Tense - gjøre, si, gå, se, få (irregular)

Present Tense - Modal Verbs (kan, vil, skal, må, bør, får)

Present Tense for Future Meaning (with time adverb: I morgen drar jeg)

Imperative - Basic Form (Stem-only: Kom! Spis!)

Infinitive with å (å spise, å gå)

være vs ha - Basic Distinction

det er - Existence / There is/are

det finnes - Alternative for Existence

kan vs få (ability vs permission)

må vs skal (necessity vs intention/future)

vil vs vil gjerne / skulle ville (want vs would like)

bør vs burde (should / ought)

Modal Verbs Take Bare Infinitive (no å)

Liking with å like / liker godt / liker best

å være + age (Jeg er 25 år) — not "to have"

Three Grammatical Genders - Introduction (en/ei/et)

Common Gender Option (using en for both en/ei)

Indefinite Article en/ei/et

Suffixed Definite Article - Singular (-en, -a, -et)

Plural - Indefinite (-er, -e, zero)

Plural - Definite (-ene, -a)

Common Irregular Plurals (mann/menn, bok/bøker, far/fedre, bror/brødre)

Predicative Adjective Agreement (Bilen er stor / Huset er stort / Bilene er store)

Attributive Adjective - Indefinite (en stor bil, et stort hus, store biler)

The Irregular Adjective liten / lita / lite / små / lille

Possessives - Postposed (bilen min, huset mitt, bøkene mine)

Demonstratives denne / dette / disse + Definite Form

Subject Pronouns (jeg, du, han, hun, den, det, vi, dere, de)

Object Pronouns (meg, deg, ham/han, henne, den, det, oss, dere, dem)

han vs ham in Modern Bokmål (object form usage)

den vs det (referring back: en bil → den / et hus → det)

Possessive Pronouns as Determiners (min, din, hans, hennes, vår, deres, sin) - Introduction

Interrogative Pronouns hvem / hva / hvilken / hvilket / hvilke

Pointing det (Det er en katt / Det er fint)

Indefinite Pronoun man / en (one, you-impersonal)

Place: i vs på (Basic)

Movement: til vs fra (to / from)

Directional inn / ut / opp / ned (vs i / ute / oppe / nede)

Companionship: med vs uten (with / without)

Origin: fra vs av

Time: klokka X, om morgenen / kvelden / natta

Time: på mandag, i januar, i 2024

Basic for (purpose, beneficiary, duration: for to dager siden)

Verb-Second (V2) Word Order in Main Clauses

Subject-Verb Inversion after Fronted Element (I morgen drar jeg / Nå spiser vi)

Basic Subject-Verb-Object Order (declarative)

Yes/No Questions (Verb First)

hv-Questions (hvem, hva, hvor, hvorfor, hvordan, når, hvilken)

Questions about Subject (Hvem kommer? - no inversion)

Coordinating Conjunctions (og, eller, men, for, så)

Time Sequence (først, så, deretter, etterpå, til slutt)

Addition Markers (også, i tillegg, dessuten)

Negation with ikke - Main Clause Position (after finite verb)

ingen / intet / ingenting (no one / nothing)

aldri vs ikke lenger / ikke mer (never / no longer / no more)

heller ikke (neither / not either)

Tag Questions (..., ikke sant?)

jo as Answer to a Negative Question (yes-contradiction)

The Three Extra Letters æ, ø, å

Double Consonants Mark Short Vowels (mat vs matt, hete vs hette)

Basic Capitalisation (sentence start, names; days/months are lowercase)

Basic Punctuation (period, question mark, comma in lists)

Universal du - Why Norwegians Don't Use De Anymore

Greetings (Hei, Hallo, God morgen, God dag, Ha det, Vi sees)

takk-Phrases (takk, tusen takk, ja takk, nei takk, vær så god, vær så snill)

Silent Letters (det = /de/, hva = /va/, godt = /gott/, hjem = /jem/, de = /di/) - Recognition for Listening

Cardinal Numbers 1-100 (modern: tjueén, tjuetre)

Days, Months and Seasons (mandag, januar, vinter)