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For those learning Norwegian, there is an interactive exercise below.

The superlative form is used when we compare three or more things — or when we want to describe something as the highest, biggest, best, etc.

In English: big → biggest
In Norwegian: stor → størst

1. Basic Rule: Add -est

Most Norwegian adjectives form the superlative by adding -est.

Examples

• Vinteren er kald.
  → The winter is cold.

• Januar er kaldest.
  → January is the coldest.

• Hun er høy.
  → She is tall.

• Hun er høyest i klassen.
  → She is the tallest in the class.

2. Definite Form in Superlative

When the noun is definite (“the biggest house”), Norwegian uses:

den / det / de + superlative + definite noun

Examples

• Dette er den dyreste restauranten.
  → This is the most expensive restaurant.

• Han bor i det største huset.
  → He lives in the biggest house.

3. Vowel Changes in Superlative

Some adjectives follow the regular pattern but change vowels.

Examples

• Veien er lang.
  → The road is long.

• Dette er den lengste veien.
  → This is the longest road.

4. Irregular Superlatives

Some common adjectives are irregular and must be memorized.

Examples

• Han er gammel.
  → He is old.

• Han er eldst av brødrene.
  → He is the oldest of the brothers.

• Dette er den beste boka.
  → This is the best book.

5. Superlative Without Noun

You can use the superlative alone when the noun is implied.

Examples

• Hvem er høyest?
  → Who is tallest?

• Dette hotellet er best.
  → This hotel is best.

• Hun løper raskest.
  → She runs fastest.

Exercise – Superlative Form

Translate into Norwegian using the superlative.

1. This is the biggest house.

2. He is the youngest in the group.

3. February is the coldest month.

4. She is the best student.

5. This is the most expensive car.

6. Who is the tallest?

7. This road is the longest.

8. That was the worst day.

Answer Key

1. Dette er det største huset.

2. Han er yngst i gruppa.

3. Februar er den kaldeste måneden.

4. Hun er den beste studenten.

5. Dette er den dyreste bilen.

6. Hvem er høyest?

7. Denne veien er den lengste.

8. Det var den verste dagen.

Interactive exercise here!

Thank you for reading all the way to the end.

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There is an interactive exercise further down, who’d like to practice what they learn.

When we compare two things in Norwegian, we use the comparative form of the adjective — just like in English (bigger, smaller, older).

In Norwegian, the comparative is usually formed by adding -ere to the adjective.

1. Basic Rule: Add -ere

Examples

• Sommeren er varm.
  → The summer is warm.

• Spania er varmere enn Norge.
  → Spain is warmer than Norway.

2. Using enn (than)

When comparing two things, Norwegian uses enn = than.

Examples

• Hun er høyere enn meg.
  → She is taller than me.

• Dette huset er dyrere enn det andre.
  → This house is more expensive than the other one.

• Vinteren er kaldere enn høsten.
  → The winter is colder than the autumn.

3. Adjectives with vowel changes

Some adjectives change vowels in the comparative.

Examples

• Veien er lang.
  → The road is long.

• Den nye veien er lengre.
  → The new road is longer.

4. Irregular Comparatives

Some common adjectives are irregular and must be memorized.

Examples

• Denne boka er god.
  → This book is good.

• Den andre boka er bedre.
  → The other book is better.

• Han har mange venner.
  → He has many friends.

• Hun har flere venner enn ham.
  → She has more friends than him.

5. Comparative without “than”

You can use comparative without directly comparing two things — when the comparison is implied.

Examples

• Jeg føler meg bedre i dag.
  → I feel better today.

• Været blir kaldere.
  → The weather is getting colder.

• Situasjonen er verre nå.
  → The situation is worse now.

Word Order Reminder

Comparative adjectives follow the same word order as other adjectives in predicate position.

Examples

• Huset er større.
  → The house is bigger.

• Barna er eldre nå.
  → The children are older now.

Exercise – Comparative Adjectives

Translate into Norwegian using the comparative form.

1. The car is bigger than the bike.

2. She is younger than her brother.

3. This book is better than the other one.

4. Winter is colder than spring.

5. He has more money than me.

6. The new job is more interesting.

7. This road is longer.

8. The second test was easier.

Answer Key

1. Bilen er større enn sykkelen.

2. Hun er yngre enn broren sin.

3. Denne boka er bedre enn den andre.

4. Vinteren er kaldere enn våren.

5. Han har mer penger enn meg.

6. Den nye jobben er mer interessant.

7. Denne veien er lengre.

8. Den andre testen var lettere.

Interactive exercise here!

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Thank you for reading all the way to the end.

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Norwegian Adjectives – Predicative Adjectives

Practice what you are about to learn. There is an interactive exercise and 4 other exercies below.

In earlier articles, we looked at adjectives used before nouns:

• en stor bil → a big car

• et gammelt hus → an old house

In these cases, adjectives appear inside the noun phrase and describe the noun directly.

But adjectives don’t only appear before nouns.

They also appear after verbs — and when they do, they are called predicative adjectives.

What is a predicative adjective?

A predicative adjective appears after a verb and describes the subject of the sentence.

It completes the meaning of the verb rather than modifying the noun directly.

The most common verbs used with predicative adjectives are:

• er (is / are)

• blir (becomes)

• virker (seems)

Basic examples

Let’s start with simple sentences.

Bilen er stor.
→ The car is big.

Huset er stort.
→ The house is big.

Bilene er store.
→ The cars are big.

Even though the adjective comes after the verb, it still agrees with the noun.

Agreement still applies

Predicative adjectives follow the same agreement rules as attributive adjectives — including feminine nouns.

Singular masculine

En bil → bilen er stor
→ A car → the car is big

Singular feminine

Ei bok → boka er stor
→ A book → the book is big

Ei jente → jenta er glad
→ A girl → the girl is happy

Notice that the adjective form is identical to masculine.

Norwegian does not distinguish between masculine and feminine in adjective agreement — only in the article and noun form.

Singular neuter

Et hus → huset er stort
→ A house → the house is big

Et barn → barnet er lite
→ A child → the child is small

Here the adjective takes the -t ending.

Plural — gender disappears

In plural, grammatical gender no longer matters.

All nouns — masculine, feminine, and neuter — use the same adjective form.

Examples

Biler → bilene er store
→ Cars → the cars are big

Bøker → bøkene er store
→ Books → the books are big

Hus → husene er store
→ Houses → the houses are big

Barn → barna er små
→ Children → the children are small

So regardless of gender in singular, plural adjectives follow the same pattern.

Other verbs with predicative adjectives

Adjectives are not limited to er.

Hun blir glad.
→ She becomes happy.

Maten virker god.
→ The food seems good.

Filmen var interessant.
→ The film was interesting.

In each sentence, the adjective describes the subject — not the action.

Attributive vs. predicative use

Let’s compare the two structures.

Attributive (before noun)
en stor bil
→ a big car

Predicative (after verb)
Bilen er stor.
→ The car is big.

Same adjective — different position — same agreement rules.

Neuter agreement in predicative position

Neuter nouns require the -t ending even after verbs.

Huset er gammelt.
→ The house is old.

Været er fint.
→ The weather is nice.

Barnet er lite.
→ The child is small.

Agreement always reflects the grammatical gender of the subject.

Plural predicative adjectives

Plural agreement is often easier to recognize.

Barna er glade.
→ The children are happy.

Bilene er dyre.
→ The cars are expensive.

Fjellene er vakre.
→ The mountains are beautiful.

Plural subjects → plural adjective form (-e).

Predicative adjectives describing states

Predicative adjectives frequently describe:

• Feelings

• Conditions

• States

• Evaluations

Examples:

Jeg er trøtt.
→ I am tired.

Hun er syk.
→ She is sick.

De er klare.
→ They are ready.

Here the adjective describes a state rather than an action.

🔑 Key takeaway

Predicative adjectives:

• Appear after verbs

• Describe the subject

• Follow agreement rules

• Include masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns

• Use the same form for all genders in plural

You can summarize the system like this:

• Masculine & feminine → same adjective form

• Neuter → adds -t

• Plural → uses -e for all genders

Understanding predicative adjectives helps learners move from simple noun phrases into real Norwegian sentence structure.

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📝 Practice – Predicative Adjectives

Her er en oppdatert versjon med tydelige retningslinjer og kun ett korrekt svar per setning.

Interactive exercise: Click here!

Other exercises:

Instructions

Translate the sentences into Norwegian.

Use the adjective provided in brackets.

Make sure the adjective agrees with the subject.

1️⃣ Singular agreement

1. The house is big. (stor)

2. The girl is happy. (glad)

3. The child is small. (liten)

4. The book is interesting. (interessant)

5. The weather is cold. (kald)

2️⃣ Plural agreement

1. The cars are expensive. (dyr)

2. The mountains are beautiful. (vakker)

3. The children are happy. (glad)

4. The houses are old. (gammel)

5. The books are interesting. (interessant)

3️⃣ Mixed gender

Translate using correct agreement.

1. The car is big.

2. The house is big.

3. The book is big.

4. The cars are big.

5. The houses are big.

Adjective: stor

4️⃣ Verb + predicative adjective

Use the verb + adjective correctly.

1. She becomes happy. (bli / glad)

2. The food seems good. (virke / god)

3. The children are tired. (være / trøtt)

4. The film is interesting. (være / interessant)

5. The boy becomes sad. (bli / lei seg)

🔑 Answer Key

1️⃣ Singular

1. Huset er stort.

2. Jenta er glad.

3. Barnet er lite.

4. Boka er interessant.

5. Været er kaldt.

2️⃣ Plural

1. Bilene er dyre.

2. Fjellene er vakre.

3. Barna er glade.

4. Husene er gamle.

5. Bøkene er interessante.

3️⃣ Mixed gender

1. Bilen er stor.

2. Huset er stort.

3. Boka er stor.

4. Bilene er store.

5. Husene er store.

4️⃣ Verb + adjective

1. Hun blir glad.

2. Maten virker god.

3. Barna er trøtte.

4. Filmen er interessant.

5. Gutten blir lei seg.

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In the first introduction, we looked at the basic agreement pattern:

• en stor bil

• et stort hus

• store biler

Now let’s go deeper and explore how adjectives behave in real sentences — especially in places where learners often get confused.

1️⃣ Adjectives after verbs (predicative adjectives)

Adjectives don’t only appear before nouns.

They also appear after verbs such as:

• er (is/are)

• blir (becomes)

• virker (seems)

When used this way, they still agree with the noun.

Examples

• Bilen er stor.
  → The car is big.

• Huset er stort.
  → The house is big.

• Bilene er store.
  → The cars are big.

Even though the adjective comes after the verb, it still changes form.

2️⃣ The “Det er …” structure

This is where many learners start asking:

“Is this still an adjective — or is it an adverb?”

Let’s look at examples first.

Examples

• Det er fint.
  → It is nice.

• Det er kaldt.
  → It is cold.

• Det er vanskelig.
  → It is difficult.

3️⃣ Adjective or adverb?

Grammatically, these are still adjectives.

They are called predicative adjectives because they describe a state or condition.

In these sentences:

• “Det” is a formal subject (dummy subject)

• The adjective describes the situation

So structurally, it works like this:

• Det er fint.
  → “It is nice” (the situation is nice)

Compare with a noun:

• Huset er fint.
  → The house is nice.

Same adjective — same function.

4️⃣ Why the neuter form?

Notice that the adjective takes -t:

• fint

• kaldt

• vanskelig (already neuter form)

This is because “det” is grammatically neuter.

So Norwegian defaults to the neuter adjective form when describing general situations.

5️⃣ When it really is adverbial

Now compare this with sentences where the word describes how something is done.

Examples

• Hun synger fint.
  → She sings nicely.

• Han jobber raskt.
  → He works quickly.

• De snakker tydelig.
  → They speak clearly.

Here the word modifies the verb — not the subject.

So functionally, this is adverbial use.

6️⃣ Same form — different function

This is where confusion happens.

Norwegian often uses the neuter adjective form as an adverb.

So:

• fint → nice / nicely

• raskt → fast / quickly

• tydelig → clear / clearly

The form looks identical — but the role changes.

7️⃣ Simple rule to remember

You can explain it like this:

If it follows er / blir / virker → adjective
If it describes how something happens → adverbial use

Compare

• Det er vanskelig.
  → It is difficult. (adjective)

• Hun jobber vanskelig.
  → She works with difficulty. (adverbial meaning)

8️⃣ Adjectives describing situations

This structure is extremely common in Norwegian.

Examples

• Det er morsomt å lære norsk.
  → It is fun to learn Norwegian.

• Det er lett å forstå.
  → It is easy to understand.

• Det er viktig å øve.
  → It is important to practice.

Again — neuter adjective form.

Key takeaway

Even when adjectives look like adverbs, they are often still adjectives grammatically.

They:

• agree with nouns

• appear after verbs

• describe states or situations

But when they describe how actions are performed, they function adverbially.

Understanding this distinction helps learners avoid one of the most common areas of confusion in Norwegian grammar.

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Adjectives in Norwegian describe nouns — just like in English:

• a big house

• a red car

• a happy child

However, unlike English, Norwegian adjectives change form depending on:

• gender

• number

• definiteness

The good news? The system is very regular once you see the pattern.

1️⃣ The Basic Rule

In Norwegian, adjectives usually have three main forms:

So the adjective changes slightly depending on the noun.

2️⃣ Masculine and Feminine (en / ei)

For masculine and feminine nouns, the adjective usually stays in its base form.

Examples:

• en stor bil
  → a big car

• ei fin jente
  → a pretty girl

• en gammel mann
  → an old man

• ei rød jakke
  → a red jacket

No ending is added here — this is the base form.

3️⃣ Neuter (et)

For neuter nouns, you usually add -t to the adjective.

Examples:

• et stort hus
  → a big house

• et fint barn
  → a nice child

• et gammelt tre
  → an old tree

• et rødt eple
  → a red apple

So:

stor → stort
fin → fint
gammel → gammelt
rød → rødt

4️⃣ Plural (and definite forms)

In plural, adjectives usually take -e.

Examples:

• store biler
  → big cars

• fine jenter
  → pretty girls

• gamle hus
  → old houses

• røde epler
  → red apples

The same -e form is also used when the noun is definite.

5️⃣ Definite nouns

When the noun is definite, the adjective takes -e, and you also use a determiner like den / det / de.

Examples:

• den store bilen
  → the big car

• det store huset
  → the big house

• de store bilene
  → the big cars

• den røde jakken
  → the red jacket

This is called double definiteness in Norwegian.

6️⃣ Common Irregular Adjectives

Some adjectives don’t follow the standard pattern.

Here are a few important ones:

Liten (small)

• en liten bil → a small car

• et lite hus → a small house

• små biler → small cars

• den lille bilen → the small car

Plural is små, not litene.

Gammel (old)

• en gammel mann → an old man

• et gammelt hus → an old house

• gamle hus → old houses

Drops the “-el” in plural pronunciation.

Vakker (beautiful)

• en vakker by → a beautiful city

• et vakkert sted → a beautiful place

• vakre byer → beautiful cities

Double consonant appears.

7️⃣ Adjectives ending in -e

Adjectives that already end in -e usually don’t change much.

Examples:

• en moderne bil
  → a modern car

• et moderne hus
  → a modern house

• moderne biler
  → modern cars

Same form across genders and numbers.

Final overview

Here’s the simplified pattern:

Once you learn this pattern, you can use hundreds of adjectives correctly.

Interactive exercises here!

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Many learners make the same mistake:

❌ Det ser til å fungere
❌ Det høres som en god idé

The issue is not til vs. som.
The real issue is that learners forget ut.

In Norwegian, se (to see) and høre (to hear) do not mean seem or sound like on their own.
To express impression, evaluation, or resemblance, Norwegian must use:

• se ut (appear / look like)

• høres ut (sound like)

Correct forms (always with “ut”)

1) “Å se ut til” = “to seem / appear to”

✔ Det ser ut til å fungere.
→ It seems to work.

✔ Hun ser ut til å forstå.
→ She seems to understand.

❌ Det ser til å fungere.

2) “Å se ut som” = “to look like / look as if”

✔ Det ser ut som en god idé.
→ It looks like a good idea.

✔ Hun ser ut som moren sin.
→ She looks like her mother.

❌ Det ser som en god idé.

3) “Å høres ut til” = “to seem (based on what you hear)”

✔ Det høres ut til å være sant.
→ It seems to be true (based on what we hear).

✔ Han høres ut til å være sliten.
→ He seems to be tired.

❌ Det høres til å være sant.

4) “Å høres ut som” = “to sound like”

✔ Det høres ut som en god plan.
→ That sounds like a good plan.

✔ Det høres ut som hun er syk.
→ It sounds like she is ill.

❌ Det høres som en god plan.

With “ikke” (not)

Negation does not change the rule: ut is still required.

✔ Det ser ikke ut til å fungere.
→ It doesn’t seem to work.

✔ Det høres ikke ut som en god idé.
→ That doesn’t sound like a good idea.

❌ Det ser ikke til å fungere.
❌ Det høres ikke som en god idé.

The one rule to remember

If you want to say seem, look like, or sound like in Norwegian,
you must use ut.

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Exercise: Which sentence is correct?

Choose the correct sentence in each pair.

1.
a) Det ser ut til å fungere.
b) Det ser til å fungere.

2.
a) Det høres som en god idé.
b) Det høres ut som en god idé.

3.
a) Hun ser ut som moren sin.
b) Hun ser som moren sin.

4.
a) Det høres til å være sant.
b) Det høres ut til å være sant.

5.
a) Det ser ikke ut til å regne i dag.
b) Det ser ikke til å regne i dag.

6.
a) Han høres som han er sliten.
b) Han høres ut som han er sliten.

7.
a) Det ser som en god løsning.
b) Det ser ut som en god løsning.

8.
a) Det høres ikke ut som noe jeg vil gjøre.
b) Det høres ikke som noe jeg vil gjøre.

Answers

1. a)

2. b)

3. a)

4. b)

5. a)

6. b)

7. b)

8. a)

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Norwegian uses the verb å ta (to take) in a wide range of expressions.
Just like in English, these combinations quickly move away from the literal meaning of the verb.

English learners already know this problem
to take off
to take on
to take in
to take over

Norwegian works in much the same way.
The key is not to translate word by word, but to learn these expressions as fixed units in real sentences.

Å ta ut

Meaning: to take out to withdraw to remove

Jeg tar ut penger
→ I withdraw money

Hun tok ut søpla
→ She took out the trash

Å ta fram

Meaning: to take out to bring forward

Han tok fram boka
→ He took out the book

Å ta over

Meaning: to take over to assume control

Hun tok over jobben
→ She took over the job

Å ta fra

Meaning: to take away from someone

De tok fra ham mobilen
→ They took his phone away

Å ta til

Meaning: to begin suddenly often emotionally

Hun tok til å gråte
→ She started to cry

Å ta på

Meaning: to put on clothing to touch

Han tok på jakka
→ He put on his jacket

Ikke ta på maleriet
→ Do not touch the painting

Å ta inn

Meaning: to take in to absorb to admit

Vi tar inn nye elever
→ We accept new students

Å ta inn over seg

Meaning: to fully understand to absorb emotionally

Han tok ikke inn over seg alvoret
→ He did not fully grasp the seriousness

Å ta på seg

Meaning: to put on to take responsibility

Hun tok på seg ansvaret
→ She took on the responsibility

Å ta av

Meaning: to take off to explode emotionally

Flyet tar av
→ The plane takes off

Han tok helt av
→ He completely lost his temper

Å ta av seg

Meaning: to take off clothing

Hun tok av seg skoene
→ She took off her shoes

Å ta for seg

Meaning: to deal with to go through thoroughly

Kurset tar for seg norsk grammatikk
→ The course covers Norwegian grammar

Å ta opp

Meaning: to bring up to record

Hun tok opp temaet
→ She brought up the topic

Å ta ned

Meaning: to take down to remove

Han tok ned bildet
→ He took down the picture

Å ta med

Meaning: to bring along to include

Ta med pass
→ Bring your passport

Du må ta med at du har jobberfaring
→ You must include that you have work experience

Å ta med seg

Meaning: to take along with oneself

Hun tok med seg barna
→ She took the children with her

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Norwegian uses the verb å gå (to go / to walk) in a wide range of expressions. On the surface, this looks straightforward. You learn the verb, you learn a few prepositions, and you assume you can combine them freely.

In reality, it rarely works that way.

At first glance, these expressions look simple. In practice, they often confuse learners — because the meaning is not always literal, and because the verb å gå frequently loses its physical meaning altogether.

This problem is not unique to Norwegian. English does exactly the same thing.
We say to go on, to go off, to go through, to go under, to go back on something — and none of these mean simply “to walk”.

Native speakers use these expressions automatically. Learners, however, try to translate word by word. That is usually where things go wrong.

The key is to treat these combinations as fixed expressions, not as logical constructions. Once you stop trying to picture someone literally walking, and start learning them in full sentences, they become much easier to understand — and to use correctly.

Below are some of the most common and useful å gå + expressions, with explanations and examples.

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Norwegian phrasal verbs with å gå

Å gå ut

Meaning: to go out to leave to expire

Jeg går ut nå
→ I’m going out now

Melka har gått ut
→ The milk has expired

Å gå inn

Meaning: to go in to enter

Du kan gå inn nå
→ You can go in now

Å gå hjem

Meaning: to go home

Jeg går hjem etter jobb
→ I go home after work

Å gå opp

Meaning: to go up to increase to understand

Jeg går opp i andre etasje
→ I go up to the second floor

Prisene går opp
→ Prices are increasing

Det gikk opp for meg
→ I suddenly understood / it dawned on me

Å gå ned

Meaning: to go down to decrease

Hun gikk ned i kjelleren
→ She went down to the basement

Temperaturen går ned
→ The temperature is going down

Har du gått ned i vekt
→ Have you lost weight

Å gå på

Meaning: to get on to believe

Jeg går på bussen
→ I get on the bus

Den går jeg ikke på
→ I don’t believe that

Å gå av

Meaning: to get off to resign

Jeg går av toget her
→ I get off the train here

Statsministeren har gått av
→ The Prime Minister has resigned

Å gå bak ryggen på noen

Meaning: to go behind someone’s back

Han gikk bak ryggen på meg
→ He went behind my back

Å gå tilbake

Meaning: to go back to decline

Vi må gå tilbake
→ We have to go back

Partiet har gått tilbake på meningsmålingene
→ The party has lost support in the opinion polls

Å gå foran

Meaning: to walk in front to lead by example

Lederen må gå foran
→ The leader must lead by example

Å gå fram

Meaning: to move forward to make progress

Prosjektet går fram
→ The project is moving forward

Partiet har gått fram på meningsmålingene
→ The party has gained support in the opinion polls

Å gå under

Meaning: to collapse to fail

Bedriften gikk under
→ The company collapsed

Å gå over

Meaning: to cross to review to pass

Vi går over veien
→ We cross the street

La oss gå over planen
→ Let’s go over the plan

Hodepinen har gått over
→ The headache has passed

Å gå for

Meaning: to choose to decide on

Jeg går for alternativ B
→ I choose option B

Å gå til

Meaning: to go to to resort to to be possible

Hun gikk til legen
→ She went to the doctor

Han gikk til angrep
→ He resorted to an attack

Hvordan skal det gå til?
→ How is that supposed to work?

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Suggested by Carlo Jose.

In Norwegian, some verbs end in –s. These are called –s verbs, and they can look confusing at first — but they are actually quite simple once you understand what they do.

The –s ending usually shows that:

1. The action is passive

2. The action happens “by itself”

3. Nobody is doing the action (impersonal use)

4. It is part of a fixed expression

5. The verb describes a mutual action (each other)

Let’s go through them step by step.

⭐ 1. Passive Meaning

Sometimes the –s form replaces the passive voice.

Examples:

• Døren åpnes klokka 09.
  The door is opened at 9.

• Boka selges i butikken.
  The book is sold in the store.

Here the verb tells you what happens, not who does it.

⭐ 2. Actions That “Happen by Themselves”

Some verbs in –s describe actions that don’t need a doer.

Examples:

• Han trives i Norge.
  He enjoys living in Norway / He thrives in Norway.

• Det finnes mange dialekter her.
  There are many dialects here.
  (Literally: “It is found…”)

These verbs always end in –s. They do NOT have a form without –s.

⭐ 3. Impersonal (Nobody Is the Actor)

The subject is not a person — or doesn’t matter.

Examples:

• Det sies at været blir bedre.
  It is said that the weather will improve.

• Det vises en film i kveld.
  A movie is being shown tonight.

⭐ 4. Fixed Expressions

Some –s verbs are simply set phrases, and you must learn them as they are.

Common examples:

• takkes – to be thanked

• minnes – to be remembered

• skiftes – to be changed (medicine, diapers, clothes, etc.)

• oppleves – to be experienced / “feels like”

Example:

• Julen oppleves best sammen med familie.
  Christmas is best experienced with family.

⭐ 5. Mutual Actions (Each Other)

Sometimes –s means “each other”.

Examples:

• De møtes hver helg.
  They meet each other every weekend.

• Vi ses!
  See you!

Here, the –s form replaces “each other.”

Typical Mistakes Students Make

❌ Jeg triver i Norge.

✔️ Jeg trives i Norge.

(trives ALWAYS has –s)

❌ Det finne mange butikker.

✔️ Det finnes mange butikker.

(finnes never changes)

❌ Vi se hverandre i morgen.

✔️ Vi ses i morgen.

(Natural, idiomatic Norwegian)

Mixed Practice: –s Verbs or Normal Verbs?

Fill in the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
Sometimes you need the –s form, sometimes you don’t.

1. Det ______ mange fine kafeer i byen.
   (finnes / finne)

2. Vi ______ hver fredag etter jobb.
   (møter / møtes)

3. Hun ______ veldig godt i Norge.
   (trives / triver)

4. Filmen ______ klokka 19 på kino.
   (vises / viser)

5. Han ______ ofte venner i helgene.
   (møter / møtes)

6. Døren ______ automatisk klokka 22.
   (lukkes / lukker)

7. Det ______ at bussene er forsinket i dag.
   (sies / sier)

8. De ______ om politikk hver gang de sees.
   (diskuterer / diskuteres)

9. Vi ______ i morgen klokka ti!
   (ses / ser)

10. Læreren ______ reglene for klassen.
    (forklarer / forklares)

Answers

1. finnes

2. møtes

3. trives

4. vises

5. møter

6. lukkes

7. sies

8. diskuterer

9. ses

10. forklarer

Want more?

This — and much more — is explained step by step in my Norwegian verb book.

And if you like this article, please, restack, share, like and comment. Thank you for reading.

Next up: Norwegian Genitive: –s Ending or til?

Both ingen and ikke noen can translate to no one or nobody in English.
They often mean the same thing — but the choice changes the tone of your sentence.

Let’s look at how they’re used 👇

🧩 1) The short version

Both are grammatically correct — the difference is about focus and feeling.

💬 2) “Ingen” – short, natural, neutral

Ingen is the normal everyday word for no one.
It’s short, smooth, and works in all situations.

Examples:

• Det er ingen her.
  → “There’s no one here.”

• Jeg kjenner ingen i byen.
  → “I know no one in this city.”

• Ingen kom på møtet.
  → “No one came to the meeting.”

• Har du venner? Nei, ingen.
  → “Do you have friends? No, none.”

💡 Think:

Ingen is the opposite of noen (“someone”).
Jeg kjenner noen → I know someone
Jeg kjenner ingen → I know no one

⚖️ 3) “Ikke noen” – emphasis or contrast

Ikke noen literally means not anyone and is often used when you want to emphasize the negation or contrast with something else.

It sounds stronger, more emotional, or more defensive than ingen.

Examples:

• Jeg så ikke noen i gangen.
  → “I didn’t see anyone in the hallway.”

• Det var ikke noen her da jeg kom.
  → “There wasn’t anyone here when I arrived.”

• Han har ikke noen venner.
  → “He doesn’t have any friends.”

• Jeg fikk ikke noen meldinger.
  → “I didn’t get any messages.”

💡 Tip:
If the sentence already has ikke, use ikke noen naturally after the verb — it’s the same structure as in English:

“I don’t know anyone.” → Jeg kjenner ikke noen.

🎭 4) The nuance — what you feel when you say it

Example nuance:

“Det er ingen her.” → just a fact.
“Det er ikke noen her!” → surprise, frustration, disbelief.

🗣️ 5) Common expressions

• Ingen av dem – “none of them”

• Ikke noen gang – “not ever”

• Ingen steder – “nowhere”

• Ikke noen steder – “not anywhere”

Compare:

Jeg har ingen steder å dra. → “I have nowhere to go.”
Jeg har ikke noen steder å dra. → “I don’t have anywhere to go.”
(Same meaning — second version sounds more dramatic or emotional.)

🧠 6) Quick summary

💡 Remember:

• Ingen = short, neutral, natural.

• Ikke noen = longer, emotional, contrastive.

✏️ Practice idea

Translate into Norwegian:

1. I don’t know anyone here.

2. No one came to the meeting.

3. I didn’t see anyone outside.

4. I know no one in this city.

✅ Answers:

1. Jeg kjenner ikke noen her.

2. Ingen kom på møtet.

3. Jeg så ikke noen ute.

4. Jeg kjenner ingen i denne byen.

💬 Coming next…

Our next topic will be -s verbs — those small verbs that make a big difference.

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These two words look almost the same, but they don’t mean the same thing.
Both are used for negatives, but they depend on what you are talking about:
➡️ people → ingen
➡️ things → ingenting

Let’s look at how they work — with clear examples and translations.

🧩 1) “Ingen” – for people (and sometimes countable things)

Use ingen when you mean no one, nobody, or none (of people or countable nouns).

Examples:

• Det er ingen her.
  → “There’s no one here.”

• Jeg kjenner ingen i byen.
  → “I know no one in the city.”

• Ingen kom på festen.
  → “No one came to the party.”

• Har du venner? Nei, ingen.
  → “Do you have friends? No, none.”

💡 Tip:
Ingen is the opposite of noen (“someone” / “some”).

Jeg kjenner noen → I know someone
Jeg kjenner ingen → I know no one

⚙️ 2) “Ingenting” – for things (not people)

Use ingenting when you mean nothing, or not anything — it refers to things, not people.

Examples:

• Jeg ser ingenting.
  → “I see nothing.” / “I can’t see anything.”

• Han sa ingenting.
  → “He said nothing.”

• Jeg har ingenting å gjøre.
  → “I have nothing to do.”

• Hun vet ingenting om det.
  → “She knows nothing about it.”

💡 Tip:
Ingenting is the opposite of noe (“something”).

Jeg har noe → I have something
Jeg har ingenting → I have nothing

🧠 3) Compare them

⚖️ 4) Small grammar notes

• Both ingen and ingenting act like pronouns (they can stand alone).

• Ingen can also change form when it describes a noun (like no + noun):

Jeg har ingen venner. → “I have no friends.”
Han har ingen penger. → “He has no money.”
Vi har ingen biler. → “We have no cars.”

💡 Ingenting never changes. It always stays ingenting.

🎯 5) Quick summary

✏️ Practice idea

Translate into Norwegian:

1. No one came to the meeting.

2. I saw nothing.

3. I know no one here.

4. He said nothing.

5. She has no money.

✅ Answers:

1. Ingen kom på møtet.

2. Jeg så ingenting.

3. Jeg kjenner ingen her.

4. Han sa ingenting.

5. Hun har ingen penger.

💬 Coming next…

Next time we’ll look at “ingen” vs. “ikke noen” —
how both mean “no one”, but with a small difference in tone and emphasis.

More learning material for Norwegian, can be found here.

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These two small words often confuse learners, because English uses some- and any- for both people and things.
Norwegian, however, makes a clear distinction between noe (for things) and noen (for people and countable nouns).
Let’s look at how they work — with natural examples and translations.

🧩 1) The basics

🪄 2) “Noe” – for things or abstract ideas

Use noe when you talk about things, stuff, or ideas — not people.

Examples:

• Jeg vil ha noe å spise.
  → “I want something to eat.”

• Har du noe melk igjen?
  → “Do you have any milk left?”

• Det er noe rart her.
  → “There is something strange here.”

• Jeg forstår noe, men ikke alt.
  → “I understand some (of it), but not everything.”

💡 Tip:
When the noun is uncountable or neuter, you use noe:

noe vann, noe mat, noe galt, noe nytt.

👥 3) “Noen” – for people and countable nouns (plural)

Use noen for people, or for things you can count – usually in plural form.

Examples (people):

• Jeg kjenner noen i Oslo.
  → “I know someone in Oslo.”

• Er det noen her?
  → “Is someone / anyone here?”

• Jeg ser noen på gata.
  → “I see someone in the street.”

Examples (countable nouns):

• Har du noen epler?
  → “Do you have any / some apples?”

• Jeg trenger noen minutter.
  → “I need a few minutes.”

• Ser du noen biler?
  → “Do you see any cars?”

• Jeg har noen spørsmål.
  → “I have some questions.”

💡 Tip:
If you could say many or a few in English, you’ll probably use noen in Norwegian.

⚖️ 4) Positive, negative, and question forms

In English, “any” often appears in questions and negatives.
In Norwegian, noe and noen can appear in both — depending on meaning.

💡 Later you’ll learn that sometimes ingen / ingenting sounds more natural in negative sentences — but we’ll get to that in the next post.

🔄 5) Short forms and everyday use

In spoken Norwegian, noen is often pronounced (and sometimes written) as nån, especially in eastern dialects.
It’s informal, but very common:

• Ser du nån? → “Do you see anyone?”

• Jeg har nån venner der. → “I have some friends there.”

Keep noen in writing, but it’s useful to recognize nån when you hear it.

🧠 Quick summary

✏️ Practice idea

Translate into Norwegian:

1. I want something to drink.

2. Do you see anyone?

3. I don’t have any apples.

4. I know someone who speaks Norwegian.

5. I have some books.

✅ Answers:

1. Jeg vil ha noe å drikke.

2. Ser du noen?

3. Jeg har ikke noen epler.

4. Jeg kjenner noen som snakker norsk.

5. Jeg har noen bøker.

💬 Coming next…

Next time we’ll look at ingen and ingenting — the opposites of noen and noe —
so you’ll know exactly how to say “no one” and “nothing” in Norwegian.

You will find books, flashcards and other learning material here.

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