Norwegian Phrases
Norwegian is one of the North Germanic languages and shares many similarities with Swedish and Danish. Considering English is a West Germanic language, it is somewhat related to Norwegian. Spoken Norwegian is dialect-driven and has strong influences of Bokmal, one of the two forms of written Norwegian, in the East and North while dialects in the West are heavily influenced by Nynorsk.
English speakers wanting to learn Norwegian phrases to help them during their holidays in Norway might find Norwegian simpler compared to other North Germanic languages. What can be confusing is the usage of nouns, which are categorised as per gender, unlike English. In Norwegian, there are three genders – masculine, feminine and neuter. The good news is that the word order for phrases in Norwegian is similar to English, for the most part. The fact that word order is a bit similar means that you will get it right most of the time without having to think too hard when speaking Norwegian.
Common Phrases in Norwegian
Here are some common phrases in Norwegian that visitors to the country can use:
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Where is ...? = Hvor er ...?
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How much is the fare? = Hvor mye koster billetten?
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One ticket to ..., please. = En billett til ..., takk.
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Do you have a map of ..? = Har du et kart over ..?
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Is this seat taken? = Er dette setet opptatt?
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Do I need to change? = Må jeg bytte?
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A return ticket = En returbillett
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I'd like to go to the centre = Jeg vil reise inn til sentrum
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Do you have a timetable? = Har du en rute?
Learning Norwegian Phrases with Babbel
Knowing a few norwegian phrases can be a blessing for travellers, especially those who intend to go to the rural parts of the country. There are many ways to learn these phrases. You can enroll for online Norwegian course and there are many websites offering such courses. The key, however, is to find a website that can help with the right pronunciation. Alternatively, you can find native speakers and ask them to speak to you in simple, beginner Norwegian. You can also buy a phrasebook or Norwegian books to help you learn a few important phrases. However, this mode of learning will not be able to help you get the right pronunciation and intonation.
One of the best sources to learn Norwegian phrases is the Babbel website. The site offers thematic courses in Norwegian, which allow people to learn idioms and everyday sentences and phrases. A beginner’s course on Babbel allows learners to learn how to greet others, introduce themselves and order food and drinks in a café. In addition, there is a voice recognition function to learn the right pronunciation of words. Babbel allows people to enjoy learning at their own pace without feeling stressed and the guidance provided is exceptional making language learning fun and enjoyable.