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Norwegian for free
Why learn Norwegian?
Norwegian is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
Norwegian is written in the Latin script. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Norwegian is a Category I language - about 700 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Norwegian belongs to the Indo-European (Germanic) family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Swedish or German.
The 50 most common Norwegian words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Norwegian sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | og | oh | and |
| 2 | i | ee | in |
| 3 | å | oh | to |
| 4 | det | deh | it |
| 5 | som | sohm | that / which (relative) |
| 6 | en | ehn | one |
| 7 | være | VAA-reh | be |
| 8 | på | poh | on |
| 9 | av | ahv | of |
| 10 | for | for | for |
| 11 | med | meh | with |
| 12 | til | til | to |
| 13 | den | den | that |
| 14 | ikke | IK-keh | not (negation) |
| 15 | ha | hah | have |
| 16 | om | ohm | about |
| 17 | han | hahn | he |
| 18 | hun | hoon | she |
| 19 | de | dee | they |
| 20 | jeg | yay | I |
| 21 | du | doo | you |
| 22 | vi | vee | we |
| 23 | man | mahn | people |
| 24 | så | soh | so |
| 25 | men | men | but |
| 26 | seg | say | self |
| 27 | fra | frah | from |
| 28 | eller | EL-ler | or |
| 29 | kunne | KUN-neh | can |
| 30 | si | see | say |
| 31 | komme | KOM-meh | come |
| 32 | gjøre | YUR-eh | do |
| 33 | se | seh | see |
| 34 | vite | VEE-teh | know |
| 35 | år | ohr | year |
| 36 | tid | teed | time |
| 37 | dag | dahg | day |
| 38 | mye | MEE-eh | much |
| 39 | bra | brah | good |
| 40 | når | nohr | when |
| 41 | nå | noh | now |
| 42 | også | OHK-soh | too |
| 43 | alle | AH-leh | all |
| 44 | hva | vah | what |
| 45 | få | foh | get |
| 46 | gå | goh | go |
| 47 | stor | stoor | large |
| 48 | ny | new | new |
| 49 | menneske | MEN-nes-keh | person |
| 50 | etter | ET-ter | after |
Useful phrases in Norwegian
- Hei · hay · Hello / Good day
- Hvordan har du det? · VOR-dan hahr doo deh · How are you?
- Takk · tahk · Thank you
- Vær så snill · vair soh snil · Please
- Jeg heter... · yai HEH-ter · My name is...
- Hvor er...? · voor air · Where is...?
- Ha det · hah DEH · Goodbye
- Unnskyld · OON-shil · Excuse me
- Jeg forstår ikke · yay for-STOHR IK-keh · I don't understand
- Kan du hjelpe meg? · kan doo YEL-peh may · Can you help me?
- Hvor mye koster det? · voor MEE-eh KOS-ter deh · How much is it?
- Vi ses i morgen! · vee sess ee MOR-en · See you tomorrow!
Learn Norwegian with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Norwegian, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Norwegian learning community
Collaborate with native Norwegian speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Norwegian online · Create an online Norwegian school · Build a Norwegian curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Norwegian
How difficult is it to learn Norwegian?
How difficult Norwegian is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Norwegian is a Category I language - about 700 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Norwegian?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Norwegian?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Norwegian within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 5 million people across 1 countries speak Norwegian, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Norwegian vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Norwegian pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Norwegian pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Norwegian speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Norwegian alphabet first?
If Norwegian uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.