Are you looking to boost your knowledge of Norwegian words? Discover a selection of Norweigian words, including basic terms used in everyday communication along with other interesting and beautiful examples of this lovely language.
Basic Norwegian Words With English Meaning
When you first start trying to master the language of Norway, it's probably a good idea to begin with some basic Norwegian words. These commonly used words provide a great starting point.
- ærlig (ɛrli) - honest, truthful
- år (ɑːr) - year, 12-month period of time
- bil (biːl) - car, automobile
- borte (b̥ɒːd̥ə) - away
- bruk (brʊk) - to use
- dårlig (d̥ɒːli) - bad
- er (ɛr) - is
- farvel (farvɛl) - goodbye, farewell
- gå (ɡɒː) - to go
- gjøre (yūːɛr) - to make
- hallo (həˈləʊ) - hello as a greeting
- ja (yah) - yes
- kunne (kʰunə) - can, able to
- kveld (kʰvɛlt) - evening
- langt (laŋt) - far in terms of distance
- le (leː) - to laugh
- liten (liːtn̩) - small, little
- morgen (mɔːrˌən) - morning
- natt (nɑtː) - night
- nei (næɪ) - no
- takke (tɑːk) - thank you
- vann (ʋɑnː) - water
- venn (ʋeːn) - friend
Norwegian Words for Nature
In Norwegian, the word for nature is natur (nah-toor). Norway is known for its incredible outdoor beauty, so it's not surprising that there are a number of interesting words related to nature in the Norwegian language.
- beitemark (bɛitə) - pasture
- blomster (ˈb̥lʌmˀsd̥:ər) - flowers
- dyreliv (dyːr:ə:liːʋ) - wildlife
- elv (ɛlʋ) - river
- fjell (fjɛlː) - mountain
- miljø (milˈjø) - environment
- skog (skuːɡ) - forest
- utendørs (út:án'døːrs) - outdoors
- vær (væːɾ) - weather
Beautiful Norwegian Words
The Norwegian word for beautiful is vakker (ʋɑkːɛr). With so many unique intonations, many of the words spoken in this language have an earthy beauty. Discover a few of the most lovely words in this fascinating language.
- fornøyd (fɔrˈnœɡd) - satisfied, pleased, happy
- evig (eːʋɪ) - eternal, everlasting, never-ending
- godhjertet (ɡuː:jɛrtət) - kind
- guddommelig (ɡʉːd:dɔm:liɡ) - divine
- jammen (jɑːmɛn) - indeed, certainly, to be sure
- kjærlighet (çæːɭɪheːt) - love
- kunst (kʉnst) - art
- kvinne (kʋɪnə) - woman
- velkommen (vɛl.ko.mən) - welcome; greeting upon arrival
Random Norweigian Words
Not every Norweiginn term worth knowing fits neatly into one of the above categories. Discover interesting, funny and practical words that can help boost your knowledge of terminology used in Norway.
- flott (flɔt) - great
- ildløs (illøːs) - fire in a structure
- klokke (klɔkə) - clock
- kropp (krɔpː) - body
- middag (mɪd.dɑɡ) - noon, midday
- Norge (noɾɡə) - Norway
- øl (øl) - beer
- språk (sproːk) - speak, use language
- skole (skuːlə) - school
Norwegian Word Pronunciation
Norwegian pronunciation can be challenging. The brief video below provides an overview of how letters are pronounced in the Norwegian language, along with the proper way to say a few basic words. The video is just over five minutes long.
Names Based on Norwegian Words
Norweigian words can make for unique names, as can terms from a variety of other languages. Some of the top names in Norway, such as Emma, Nora, Oliver, and Noah, are also popular in English-speaking countries. There are, however, some distinctly-Norweigian names, such as, Leif, Ivar and Sweyn, which are associated with Viking leaders. With so many interesting and beautiful words in the language, it's not surprising that Norweigian baby names are popular in many places. Some people even choose Norweigian names for their pets.
Learn More Norwegian Language Terms
Learning some Norweigian words is a really cool way to build your vocabulary. You're sure to impress your friends and family when you're able to incorporate Norwegian terminology into your writing or conversations. Don't stop with this brief list of just 50 words. For even more cool terms of Norwegian origin, explore this list of Norse gods and goddesses from famous myths. Then, check out some Norse words. There is a lot of similarity between Norweigian and Swedish, so you may also want to review some common Swedish vocabulary words and phrases. The more you learn about different languages, the more diverse your language skills will be.