I am a linguist and translator from Norway. I speak Norwegian, Swedish, and English, as well as some Danish and German. I have also studied Old and Middle English. I love history, languages, literature, photography, chocolate cake, and the feline species.
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Word USED Frequently BY Everyone
(adjective) • A word used in Rogaland meaning something 'fun' or 'funny'.
"Me hadde det ganske løye i går."
"We had quite a lot of fun yesterday."
Submitted November 2020 by stinekristin
Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Older Generations
(noun) • An old fashioned, archaic word meaning 'money'. Used by older people or by younger people ironically.
"Et øyeblikk, så skal jeg se om jeg har noen grunker til deg."
"One moment, let me see if I got some money for you."
Submitted November 2020 by stinekristin
Name USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone
The national personification of Norwegians, used the refer to Norwegians collectively or as a whole. Often meaning the average Norwegian, or Norwegians in general.
"Ola Nordmann elsker fjell og fjord."
"Ola Nordmann loves the mountains and the fjords."
Submitted November 2020 by stinekristin
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(talking about the sun) • Used when what or whom one is talking about suddenly and unexpectedly appears while one is talking about it or them. The Norwegian equivalent of 'speak of the devil'. One can say either 'snakker om sola (speak of the sun)' or the full 'snakker om sola, så skinner den (speak of the sun and it'll shine)', although the latter is more rare.
"Snakker om sola, der er den jo!"
"Speak of the sun, there it is!"
Submitted November 2020 by stinekristin
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(n.) • (kind-ism / nice-ism) • Excessive, misplaced understanding, consideration or indulgence (especially practiced by authorities towards social clients). A misunderstood kindness that involves being overly understanding and accommodating, often for fear of making unpopular decisions or offending someone.
"Partilederen mener snillismen hos de andre partiene er skyld i tilstanden."
"The leader of the party believes that the nice-ism of the other parties are to blame for the situation."
Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone
Unpaid, voluntary, community work, often of a practical nature where several people (neighbours, friends, members of an association or union) go together to work. Examples can be spring cleaning in the neighbourhood, construction of a local playground, selling waffles at a sporting event, or helping friends to paint walls in their new apartment. Dugnads are important to Norwegian culture and not participating is heavily frowned upon.
"Blir du med på dugnaden i morgen?"
"Are you coming to the dugnad tomorrow?"
Word USED Very frequently BY Everyone
(noun) • Time period of 24 hours, or one whole day and one whole night.
"Katten min har ikke vært hjemme på snart fire døgn."
"My cat hasn't been home in almost four days."
Word USED On Occasion BY Some People
(n.) • (yellow bend) • A 'joke-Norwegian' (skämtnorska) word mimicking Norwegian language sounds that sounds silly or weird to Swedes.
“Men vad tusan, jag var säker på att banan faktiskt hette guleböj på norska.”
“My goodness, I was certain bananas were actually called yellow bends in Norwegian.“
Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People
(you great alpaca) • Used jokingly to express either surprise, shock, horror, or fright.
"Du store alpakka! Har lyset gått?"
"You great alpaca! Did the lights go out?"
hæla i taket og tenna i tapeten
Expression USED On Occasion BY Older Generations
(heels on the ceiling and teeth in the wallpaper) • Expressing that something takes place in a lively mood, a great atmosphere, or at full speed; for instance a lively party that can seem a bit wild.
"Kom og bli med på festen! Her er det hæla i taket og tenna i tapeten!"
"Come join the party! It's wild!"
Submitted August 2020 by stinekristin
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
((completely) Texas) • A wild, chaotic place, event, or situation.
"Var du på sluttsalget i går?" "Ja og der skal jeg si deg det var helt texas!"
"Were you at the final sale yesterday?" "Yes, and let me tell you it was completely Texas down there!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(n.) • (lucky pig) • A very lucky person.
"Fikk du ny PC til bursdagen din? Heldiggris!"
"Did you get a new computer for your birthday? You lucky pig !"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Older Generations
(n.) • (pig's luck) • Having great luck or being unrealistically lucky.
"Jammen bra du ikke skadet deg mer. Snakk om griseflaks!"
"A good thing you didn't hurt yourself more. Talk about pig's luck!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(tiger city) • A nickname for the city of Oslo. In his poem 'Sidste sang' (Last Song), poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson wrote about a fight between a horse and a tiger, where the horse represented the countryside, and the tiger represented Oslo. It was meant as a condescending metaphor for the city being dangerous, depleting, and hostile place, but today the name is often used positively.
"Ser ut som om det blir fint vær i Tigerstaden i dag."
"Looks like the weather will be nice in the capital today."
Interjection USED Very frequently BY Everyone
'Oi' or 'åj' is exclamation expressing surprise both negative and positive. Can be used as an equivalent to 'oops' or 'wow'.
"Oi, så fint det var her!" "Oi, jeg har mistet mobilen!"
"Wow, this is place is nice!" "Oops, I lost my phone!"
Interjection USED On Occasion BY Some People
Exclamation expressing dismay or surprise.
"Jøss! Er det virkelig deg?"
'Wow! Is it really you?'
Idiom USED On Occasion BY Most People
(To cut everyone with the same comb) • To judge, evalue or treat all people in a group the same way without taking any (individual) differences into account.
"Svensker er ubrukelige til å gå på ski." "Nå må du ikke skjære alle over én kam."
"Swedes are useless at skiing." "You shouldn't cut everyone with the same comb."
Idiom USED On Occasion BY Most People
(said the bride) • The Norwegian equivalent of "that's what she said".
"Jøss, den var større enn jeg trodde." "Sa brura!"
"Wow, it's bigger than I thought." "Said the bride!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(wet like a cat) • Being soaking wet.
"Han kom inn våt som ei katte."
"He came in wet like a cat."
Submitted August 2020 by stinekristin
Expression USED On Occasion BY Young People
(adj.) • ((completely) king) • Great, very good, the best of the best.
"Han er helt konge på gitar!"
"He's completely king at playing the guitar!"
Word USED On Occasion BY Young People
(adjective) • Something stupid, sad, boring, unpleasant, or petty. Can be used for objects, situations, or people.
"Jeg synes de var kjipe som ikke inviterte oss på festen." "Ja, det er kjipt å sitte her hjemme alene."
"I think it was petty of them not to invite us to the party." "Yes, it's boring sitting at home alone."
Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone
(adj.) • (outside-pilsner) • A beer (often pilsner) that one drinks outside; often in an establishment that serves beer, but could also be on someone's porch, on a boat, or another public place as long as it is outside. The 'first' utepils is sometimes a highlight for many Norwegians, as it represents the transition from winter into summer when one can finally sit outside in the sun and drink beer again after a long, cold winter.
"Det blir deilig å snart kunne ta den første utepilsen."
"It'll be great to get to have the first outside-pilsner."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Young People
(n.) • (morning bread) • Expression meaning waking up with an erection.
"Han våknet opp på sofaen med morrabrød."
"He woke up on the sofa with a morning bread."
Word USED Frequently BY Everyone
(verb) • Not wanting to bother with something, either because of laziness or because it's uninteresting or boring to do. If asked to 'gidde' to do something, the speaker often asks if the listener would care to do something, even if the activity might be boring.
"Gidder du å ta ut av oppvaskmaskinen?" "Nei, det gidder jeg ikke."
"Would you care to empty the dishwasher?" "No, I don't care to do that."
Slang USED Frequently BY Teens
(interj.) • Short for 'altså', meaning 'so', 'accordingly', 'that is', 'therefore', or 'thus'. Often used as an interjection at the end of sentences.
"Jeg elsker denne serien, ass!"
"'I love this series, really!"
Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone
(n.) • (fire soul) • Someone filled with a burning enthusiasm or passion for something. Usually connected to a charity or society where this person makes a great selfless effort.
"Hun har vært en ildsjel i mange år og har ingen planer om å gi seg."
"She has been a fire soul for many years, and has no plans to give up."
