Norwegian vocabulary by topic
Each list gathers the Norwegian words you meet first in one area of life: at the table, at the doctor, at work, on the bus. Every word comes with its English meaning, the forms that Norwegian textbooks expect you to know and a short sentence that shows it in use.
Nouns are given with their article (en, ei or et), verbs with their past and perfect forms. The forms are checked against Bokmålsordboka, the official Bokmål dictionary.
First steps
- Greetings & politeness21 words
hei, god morgen, god dag, god kveld, god natt
- Most frequent words22 words
og, i, på, ikke, å være
- Numbers & quantities22 words
null, en, to, tre, fire
- Time & calendar22 words
en dag, ei uke, en måned, et år, en time
- Colors & shapes21 words
rød, blå, grønn, gul, hvit
- Questions & connectors21 words
hva, hvem, hvor, når, hvorfor
People
- Family22 words
en familie, ei mor, en far, foreldre, et barn
- Body & health22 words
en kropp, et hode, et øye, et øre, en nese
- Feelings & character22 words
glad, trist, sint, redd, lei seg
- Clothes21 words
klær, ei jakke, ei bukse, en genser, ei skjorte
Everyday life
- Home22 words
et hus, en leilighet, et rom, ei stue, et soverom
- Food & drinks23 words
mat, et brød, en ost, smør, et egg
- Kitchen & cooking22 words
å lage mat, å koke, å steke, å bake, å skjære
- Shopping & money22 words
en butikk, å handle, å kjøpe, å betale, å koste
- City & transport22 words
en by, et sentrum, ei gate, en vei, et kryss
The world around
- Nature & weather22 words
en natur, et fjell, en fjord, en skog, et hav
- Animals22 words
et dyr, en hund, en katt, en hest, ei ku
- Travel22 words
ei reise, å reise, en ferie, et fly, en flyplass
- Sports & hobbies22 words
en hobby, fritid, en sport, en fotball, ei ski
- Culture & art22 words
en kultur, en kunst, musikk, en konsert, en film
Work & society
- Work & professions22 words
en jobb, et arbeid, å jobbe, et yrke, en sjef
- School & university22 words
en skole, et universitet, en elev, en student, en lærer
- Technology22 words
en mobil, en telefon, en datamaskin, et nettbrett, en app
- At the doctor22 words
en lege, en fastlege, en legevakt, en time, et sykehus
- Documents & public services22 words
en oppholdstillatelse, et personnummer, et skattekort, et skjema, en søknad
Grammar sets
- Essential verbs22 words
å være, å ha, å gå, å komme, å ta
- Essential adjectives22 words
god, dårlig, stor, liten, ny
- Prepositions & adverbs22 words
i, på, under, over, foran
- Phrases & idioms22 words
det går bra, ingen fare, ta det med ro, det spiller ingen rolle, det kommer an på