Norsk
Norwegian
Germanic
Also known as: Norwegian, Bokmål, Bokmal
Norwegian (norsk) is a North Germanic language spoken mainly in Norway and closely related to Danish and Swedish; mutual intelligibility is substantial but varies by language pair, medium, and speaker experience. It has two legally equal official written standards, Bokmål and Nynorsk, rather than two corresponding spoken languages. Bokmål developed through the Norwegianization of the Danish written language used during Danish rule, while Ivar Aasen constructed the basis of Nynorsk in the nineteenth century from comparative study of Norwegian dialects. Local dialects remain widely used in public and private life, and neither written standard prescribes a single pronunciation. Norwegian generally has verb-second order in main clauses, and many dialects distinguish two lexical pitch accents, though their realization varies and some dialects lack the contrast.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Norwegian
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Norwegian | Norwegian Nynorsk | Swedish | Danish | Old Norse | Low German | Faroese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | vann /vɑnː/ | vatn /vɑːtn/ | vatten /vatːɛn/ | vand /vanˀ/ | vatn /vɑtn/ | Water /vɑːtɐ/ | vatn /vahtn/ |
| Fire | ild /ilː/ | eld /ɛld/ | eld /ɛld/ | ild /ilˀ/ | eldr /eldr/ | Füer /fyːɐ/ | eldur /ɛltʊɹ/ |
| Sun | sol /suːl/ | sol /suːl/ | sol /suːl/ | sol /soːˀl/ | sól /soːl/ | Sünn /zʏn/ | sól /sɔuːl/ |
| Moon | måne /moːnə/ | måne /moːnə/ | måne /moːnɛ/ | måne /mɔːnə/ | máni /mɑːni/ | Maan /maːn/ | máni /mɔaːnɪ/ |
| Star | stjerne /ˈstjæːɳə/ | stjerne /ˈstjæːɳə/ | stjärna /ˈɧæːɳa/ | stjerne /ˈsdjɛɐ̯nə/ | stjarna /ˈstjarna/ | Steern /steːrn/ | stjørna /ˈtʃœdna/ |
| Night | natt /nɑtː/ | natt /nɑtː/ | natt /natː/ | nat /nad/ | nótt /noːtː/ | Nacht /naxt/ | nátt /nɔtː/ |
| Rain | regn /rɛjn/ | regn /rɛjn/ | regn /rɛŋn/ | regn /ʁɑjˀn/ | regn /rɛɣn/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | regn /rɛɡn/ |
| Snow | snø /snøː/ | snø /snøː/ | snö /snøː/ | sne /sneːˀ/ | snjór /snjoːr/ | Snee /sneː/ | kavi /ˈkɛaːvɪ/ |
| Wind | vind /vɪnː/ | vind /vɪnː/ | vind /vɪnd/ | vind /venˀ/ | vindr /vindr/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | vindur /ˈvɪndʊr/ |
| Earth | jord /juːr/ | jord /juːr/ | jord /juːrd/ | jord /joːɐ/ | jörð /jœrð/ | Eer /eːɐ/ | jørð /jœɹd/ |
| Stone | stein /stæɪn/ | stein /stæɪn/ | sten /steːn/ | sten /steˀn/ | steinn /stɛinː/ | Steen /steːn/ | steinur /staiːnʊɹ/ |
| Mountain | fjell /fjɛlː/ | fjell /fjɛlː/ | berg /bærj/ | bjerg /bjɛrˀ/ | fjall /fjɑlː/ | Barg /barx/ | fjall /fjatl/ |
| Sea | hav /hɑːv/ | hav /hɑːʋ/ | hav /hɑːv/ | hav /hæw/ | haf /hav/ | See /zeː/ | hav /hɛaːv/ |
| Mother | mor /muːr/ | mor /muːr/ | mamma /mamːa/ | mor /moɐ̯ˀ/ | móðir /moːðir/ | Moder /moːdɐ/ | móðir /mɔuːɪɹ/ |
| Father | far /fɑːr/ | far /fɑːr/ | pappa /papːa/ | far /fɑːˀ/ | faðir /fɑðir/ | Vader /fɑːdɐ/ | faðir /fɛaːjɪɹ/ |
| Daughter | datter /ˈdatːər/ | dotter /ˈdɔtːər/ | dotter /ˈdɔtːɛr/ | datter /ˈdadɐ/ | dóttir /doːttir/ | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | dóttir /ˈdœhtɪɹ/ |
| I | jeg /jæɪ/ | eg /eːɡ/ | jag /jɑːɡ/ | jeg /jɑ/ | ek /ek/ | ik /ɪk/ | eg /eː/ |
| You | du /dʉː/ | du /dʉː/ | du /dʉː/ | du /du/ | þú /θuː/ | du /duː/ | tú /tʉuː/ |
| We | vi /viː/ | me /meː/ | vi /viː/ | vi /vi/ | vér /veːr/ | wi /viː/ | vit /viːt/ |
| Name | navn /nɑʋn/ | namn /nɑmn/ | namn /namn/ | navn /nɑwˀn/ | nafn /nafn/ | Naam /naːm/ | navn /naun/ |
| Person | menneske /ˈmɛnːəskə/ | menneske /ˈmɛnːəskə/ | människa /ˈmɛnːɪɧa/ | menneske /ˈmenəsɡə/ | maðr /maðr/ | Minsch /mɪnʃ/ | menniskja /ˈmɛnːɪʃa/ |
| Head | hode /ˈhuːdə/ | hovud /ˈhuːvʉ/ | huvud /ˈhʉːvɵd/ | hoved /ˈhoːəð/ | hǫfuð /ˈhɔvuð/ | Kopp /kɔp/ | høvd /hœtː/ |
| Eye | øye /øjə/ | auga /æʉɡɑ/ | öga /øːɡa/ | øje /ʌjə/ | auga /ɑuɣɑ/ | Oog /oːx/ | eyga /ɛiːja/ |
| Ear | øre /øːrə/ | øyra /øːyra/ | öra /øːra/ | øre /øːɐ/ | eyra /øyra/ | Ohr /oːr/ | oyra /ɔiːra/ |
| Nose | nese /ˈneːsə/ | nase /ˈnɑːsə/ | näsa /ˈnɛːsa/ | næse /ˈnɛːsə/ | nef /nɛv/ | Nees /neːs/ | nøs /nøːs/ |
| Mouth | munn /mʉnː/ | munn /mʉnː/ | mun /mɵn/ | mund /mɔnˀ/ | munnr /munːr/ | Muul /muːl/ | munnur /ˈmʊnːʊɹ/ |
| Tooth | tann /tɑnː/ | tann /tanː/ | tand /tand/ | tand /tˢanˀ/ | tǫnn /tɔnː/ | Tähn /tɛːn/ | tonn /tɔnː/ |
| Tongue | tunge /ˈtʊŋə/ | tunge /ˈtʉŋə/ | tunga /ˈtɵŋa/ | tunge /ˈtɔŋə/ | tunga /ˈtuŋɡa/ | Tung /tʊŋ/ | tunga /ˈtʊŋɡa/ |
| Hand | hånd /hɔnː/ | hand /hɑnd/ | hand /hand/ | hånd /hɔnˀ/ | hǫnd /hɔnd/ | Hand /hant/ | hond /hɔnt/ |
| Foot | fot /fuːt/ | fot /fuːt/ | fot /fuːt/ | fod /foˀð/ | fótr /foːtr/ | Foot /fɔʊ̯t/ | fótur /ˈfɔuːtʊɹ/ |
| Heart | hjerte /ˈjæʈə/ | hjarte /jɑːrtə/ | hjärta /ˈjæʈːa/ | hjerte /jæɐ̯d̥ə/ | hjarta /hjɑrtɑ/ | Hart /haɐt/ | hjarta /jaɹta/ |
| Bone | bein /bæɪn/ | bein /bæɪn/ | ben /beːn/ | knogle /ˈkʰnɔwlə/ | bein /bɛin/ | Knaken /ˈknaːkən/ | bein /baiːn/ |
| Blood | blod /bluː/ | blod /bluː/ | blod /bluːd/ | blod /ploðˀ/ | blóð /bloːð/ | Bloot /bloːt/ | blóð /bloːʊ/ |
| Poop | bæsj /bæʃ/ | bæsj /bæʃ/ | bajs /bajs/ | lort /loɐt/ | drit /drit/ | Schiet /ʃiːt/ | kúkur /kʉːkʊr/ |
| Love | kjærlighet /ˈçæːɭɪˌheːt/ | kjærleik /çæːrlɛik/ | kärlek /ɕæːɭɛk/ | kærlighed /kʰæɐ̯liheð̠ˀ/ | ást /ɑːst/ | Leev /leːf/ | kærleiki /kɛaːɹlaiːtʃɪ/ |
| Tree | tre /treː/ | tre /treː/ | träd /trɛːd/ | træ /tʁɛːˀ/ | tré /treː/ | Boom /boːm/ | træ /tɹɛaː/ |
| Dog | hund /hʉnː/ | hund /hʉnd/ | hund /hɵnd/ | hund /hunˀ/ | hundr /hundr/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | hundur /hʊntʊɹ/ |
| Cat | katt /kɑtː/ | katt /kɑtː/ | katt /katː/ | kat /kʰæd̥/ | kǫttr /kɔtːr/ | Katt /kat/ | ketta /tʃɛhta/ |
| Fish | fisk /fɪsk/ | fisk /fɪsk/ | fisk /fɪsk/ | fisk /fesk/ | fiskr /fiskr/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | fiskur /ˈfɪskʊɹ/ |
| Bird | fugl /fʉːɡl/ | fugl /fʉːl/ | fågel /ˈfoːɡɛl/ | fugl /ˈfuˀl/ | fugl /fuɡl/ | Vagel /ˈfaːɣəl/ | fuglur /ˈfuːlʊɹ/ |
| Butterfly | sommerfugl /ˈsɔmərfʉːl/ | sommarfugl /ˈsɔmɑrfʉːl/ | fjäril /ˈfjæːrɪl/ | sommerfugl /ˈsɔmɐfuːˀl/ | fífrildi /fiːfrildi/ | Sommervagel /ˈzɔmɐfaːɣəl/ | firvaldur /ˈfɪɹvaldʊɹ/ |
| Egg | egg /æɡ/ | egg /æɡ/ | ägg /ɛɡː/ | æg /ɛːɡ/ | egg /ɛɡː/ | Ei /ai/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bjørn /bjœːɳ/ | bjørn /bjœːɳ/ | björn /bjœːɳ/ | bjørn /bjœɐ̯n/ | bjǫrn /bjɔrn/ | Boor /boːr/ | bjørn /bjœɹn/ |
| Horse | hest /hɛst/ | hest /hɛst/ | häst /hɛst/ | hest /hɛsd̥/ | hestr /hestr/ | Peerd /peːrt/ | hestur /ˈhɛstʊr/ |
| House | hus /hʉːs/ | hus /huːs/ | hus /hʉːs/ | hus /huːˀs/ | hús /huːs/ | Huus /huːs/ | hús /huːs/ |
| Milk | melk /mɛlk/ | mjølk /mjœlk/ | mjölk /mjœlk/ | mælk /mɛlˀɡ/ | mjólk /mjoːlk/ | Melk /mɛlk/ | mjólk /mjɔulk/ |
| Honey | honning /ˈhɔnːɪŋ/ | honning /ˈhɔnːɪŋ/ | honung /ˈhoːnɵŋ/ | honning /ˈhɔneŋ/ | hunang /ˈhunɑŋɡ/ | Honnig /ˈhɔnɪç/ | hunangur /ˈhuːnaŋɡʊɹ/ |
| Salt | salt /sɑlt/ | salt /sɑlt/ | salt /salt/ | salt /salˀd/ | salt /salt/ | Solt /zɔlt/ | salt /salt/ |
| Wine | vin /viːn/ | vin /viːn/ | vin /viːn/ | vin /viːˀn/ | vín /viːn/ | Wien /viːn/ | vín /vʊin/ |
| Rice | ris /riːs/ | ris /riːs/ | ris /riːs/ | ris /ʁiˀs/ | — | Ries /riːs/ | rís /rʊis/ |
| Chocolate | sjokolade /ʃukuˈlɑːdə/ | sjokolade /ʃukuˈlɑːdə/ | choklad /ɕʊˈklɑːd/ | chokolade /ɕoɡoˈlæːðə/ | — | Schokolaad /ʃokoˈlaːt/ | sjokuláta /ˈʃoːʰkʊlɔɑːʰta/ |
| Iron | jern /jæːɳ/ | jarn /jɑːɳ/ | järn /jæːɳ/ | jern /jɛɐ̯n/ | járn /jaːrn/ | Iesen /ˈiːzn̩/ | jarn /jaɳ/ |
| Wheel | hjul /juːl/ | hjul /jʉːl/ | hjul /juːl/ | hjul /juːl/ | hjól /hjoːl/ | Rad /raːt/ | hjól /tʃɔuːl/ |
| Silk | silke /ˈsɪlkə/ | silke /ˈsɪlkə/ | silke /ˈsɪlkɛ/ | silke /ˈsilɡə/ | silki /silki/ | Sied /ziː/ | silki /ˈsɪltʃɪ/ |
| Book | bok /buːk/ | bok /buːk/ | bok /buːk/ | bog /pɔˀw/ | bók /boːk/ | Book /boːk/ | bók /pɔuːk/ |
| Eat | spise /spiːsə/ | eta /eːtɑ/ | äta /ɛːta/ | spise /sb̥iːsə/ | eta /etɑ/ | eten /eːtn̩/ | eta /eːta/ |
| Drink | drikke /drɪkːə/ | drikka /drɪkːɑ/ | dricka /drɪkːa/ | drikke /dʁɛɡ̊ə/ | drekka /drekːɑ/ | drinken /drɪŋkn̩/ | drekka /tɹɛhka/ |
| Sleep | sove /ˈsuːvə/ | sova /ˈsuːva/ | sova /ˈsuːva/ | sove /ˈsɔːu/ | sofa /ˈsova/ | slapen /ˈslaːpn̩/ | sova /ˈsɔːva/ |
| One | en /eːn/ | ein /ɛɪn/ | en /eːn/ | en /eːˀn/ | einn /ɛinː/ | een /eːn/ | ein /ain/ |
| Two | to /tuː/ | to /tuː/ | två /tvoː/ | to /tˢoˀ/ | tveir /tveir/ | twee /tveː/ | tveir /tvaɪɹ/ |
| Three | tre /treː/ | tre /treː/ | tre /treː/ | tre /tʁ̥æːˀ/ | þrír /θriːr/ | dree /dreː/ | tríggir /ˈtɹʊdʒːɪɹ/ |
| Four | fire /ˈfiːrə/ | fire /ˈfiːrə/ | fyra /ˈfyːra/ | fire /ˈfiːɐ/ | fjórir /fjoːrir/ | veer /feːɐ̯/ | fýra /ˈfʊiɹa/ |
| Five | fem /fɛm/ | fem /fɛm/ | fem /fɛmː/ | fem /fɛmˀ/ | fimm /fimː/ | fief /fiːf/ | fimm /fɪmː/ |
| Hundred | hundre /ˈhʉndrə/ | hundre /ˈhʉndrə/ | hundra /ˈhɵndra/ | hundrede /ˈhunʁəðə/ | hundrað /hundrɑð/ | hunnert /ˈhʊnɐt/ | hundrað /ˈhʊndɹa/ |
| Hello | hei /hɛɪ/ | hei /hɛɪ/ | hej /hɛj/ | hej /haj/ | heill /hɛilː/ | Moin /mɔɪn/ | hey /hɛi/ |
| Thank you | takk /tɑkː/ | takk /tɑkː/ | tack /takː/ | tak /tʰaɡ̊/ | þǫkk /θɔkː/ | Dankschöön /daŋkʃøːn/ | takk /tʰahk/ |
| Good | bra /brɑː/ | god /ɡuːd/ | bra /brɑː/ | god /ɡoːˀ/ | góðr /ɡoːðr/ | goot /ɡoːt/ | góður /kɔuːʊɹ/ |
| New | ny /nyː/ | ny /nyː/ | ny /nyː/ | ny /nyːˀ/ | nýr /nyːr/ | nee /neː/ | nýggjur /ˈnʊdʒːʊɹ/ |
| Red | rød /røː/ | raud /rœʉd/ | röd /røːd/ | rød /ʁœðˀ/ | rauðr /rɔuðr/ | root /roːt/ | reyður /ˈɹɛiːjʊɹ/ |
| White | hvit /ʋiːt/ | kvit /kviːt/ | vit /viːt/ | hvid /viðˀ/ | hvítr /hwiːtr/ | witt /vɪt/ | hvítur /kvʊiːtʊɹ/ |
| Black | svart /svɑʈ/ | svart /svɑrt/ | svart /svart/ | sort /sɒːˀd/ | svartr /svartr/ | swart /svart/ | svartur /ˈsvaʂtʊɹ/ |
| Green | grønn /ɡrœnː/ | grøn /ɡrøːn/ | grön /ɡrøːn/ | grøn /ɡʁœˀn/ | grǿnn /ɡrøːnː/ | gröön /ɡrøːn/ | grønur /ˈɡrøːnʊr/ |
| Blue | blå /bloː/ | blå /bloː/ | blå /bloː/ | blå /blɔːˀ/ | blár /blaːr/ | blau /blaʊ/ | bláur /ˈblɔaːɹʊɹ/ |
| Cuckoo | gjøk /jøːk/ | gauk /ɡæʉk/ | gök /jøːk/ | gøg /ɡøˀj/ | gaukr /ˈɡɔukr̩/ | Kukuk /ˈkuːkuk/ | geykur /ˈtʃɛiːkʊr/ |
| Woof | voff voff /vɔf vɔf/ | — | voff voff /vɔf vɔf/ | vov vov /vɒu vɒu/ | — | — | voff voff /vɔfː vɔfː/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | kykeliky /kykəliˈkyː/ | — | kuckeliku /ˌkɵkːəliˈkʉː/ | kykkeliky /kykəliˈkyː/ | — | — | — |
| Computer | datamaskin /ˈdɑːtamaˌʃiːn/ | datamaskin /ˈdɑːtamaˌʃiːn/ | dator /ˈdɑːtɔr/ | computer /kʰʌmˈpʰj̊uːd̥ɐ/ | — | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | telda /ˈtʰɛlda/ |
| Wi-Fi | wifi /ˈviːfi/ | wifi /ˈviːfi/ | wifi /ˈwiːfi/ | Wi-Fi | — | — | — |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsʉːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsʉːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsʉːɧi/ | sushi /ˈsuɕi/ | skreið /ˈskreið/ | Sushi /ˈzuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ |
| Tea | te /tʰeː/ | te /teː/ | te /tʰeː/ | te /tˢeˀ/ | — | Tee /teː/ | te /tʰeː/ |
| Coffee | kaffe /ˈkɑfːə/ | kaffi /ˈkɑfːi/ | kaffe /ˈkafːɛ/ | kaffe /ˈkʰafə/ | — | Koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | kaffi /ˈkafːɪ/ |
| Sugar | sukker /ˈsʊkːər/ | sukker /ˈsʊkːər/ | socker /ˈsɔkːɛr/ | sukker /ˈsɔɡɐ/ | — | Sucker /ˈzʊkɐ/ | sukur /ˈsuːkʊɹ/ |
| Orange | appelsin /ɑpəlˈsiːn/ | appelsin /ɑpəlˈsiːn/ | apelsin /apɛlˈsiːn/ | appelsin /ˌæbəlˈsiːˀn/ | — | Apelsien /apəlˈziːn/ | appilsin /aʰpɪlˈsiːn/ |
| Ninety-nine | nittini /ˈnɪtːiˌniː/ | nittini /ˈnɪtːiˌniː/ | nittionio /ˈnɪtːiuˌniːu/ | nioghalvfems /ˈniɔhalˀfɛms/ | níu ok níu tigir /niːu ɔk niːu ˈtiɣir/ | negenunnegentig /ˈneːɡn̩ʊnˌneːɡn̩tɪç/ | níggju og níti /nʊdʒːʊ ɔ nʊitɪ/ |
| Dopamine | dopamin /dʉpaˈmiːn/ | dopamin /dʉpaˈmiːn/ | dopamin /dɔpaˈmiːn/ | dopamin /dopaˈmiːˀn/ | — | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /doːpaˈmiːn/ |
| At sign | krøllalfa /ˈkrœlːɑlfɑ/ | krøllalfa /ˈkrœlːɑlfɑ/ | snabel-a /ˈsnɑːbɛlɑː/ | snabel-a /ˈsneˀbl̩æˀ/ | — | — | kurla /ˈkʰʊɭa/ |
| Internet laughter | lol /lɔlː/ | — | haha /haha/ | lol /lʌlˀ/ | — | — | — |
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