.₊̣̇.ฅ/ᐠ. ̫ .ᐟ\ฅ.₊̣̇.

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[the-meow]

guide;

I will update this as my blog evolves

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Important posts

@salvadorbonaparte's language mega folder/google drive @chenopodiumlang's No Zero Days Challenge

[hypersfixation]

unstoppable force (my thirst for an education) vs immovable object (my excutive dysfunction preventing me from actually doing any work)

[the-meow]

J’ai commancé à regarder un vieux dessin animé français. Je ne sais pas le nom mais le personnage principaux s’appelles Docteur Globule et il possède une animalerie où il vend des animaux mutants.

J’ai appris deux nouvelles expressions idiomatiques:

Tomber sur un os et avoir d’autres chats a fouetter. La seconde expression est un peu folle, donc je ne l’utiliserai pas souvent.

J’ai aussi appris de l’honte noire???? Je ne m’y attendais pas à apprenre l’historie.

[sugaryewscythe]

just a reminder that this blog is run by someone who:

— is anti ICE & fascism — is pro-choice & feminist — supports trans & queer people — hates generative AI & capitalism — supports immigrants & people of color — is pro-environmentalism & social justice — supports palestine & all other territories unjustly suffering

[the-meow]

Je posterai en français plus souvent pour améliorer mon niveau de français.

Je suis une étudiante à nouveau - cette fois j'étudie la litterature universale et comparative et la langue et la litterature française. J'ai commancé étudier la langue norvégienne aussi. Mon objectif pour cette année est d'avoir un meilleur niveau de français et d'être capable de parler norvégienne au moins au niveau A2 ou B1. Je veux aussi étudier allemande mais on va voir. Je veux aussi écrire plus que l'année dernière.

Je posterai aussi mes plans d'étudier pour les semaines suivantes.

Bonne chance!

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 05/05/24

hodeplagg (n) - headwear

et hodeplagg | hodeplagget | hodeplagg | hodeplaga, hodeplagene

Vocab

hatt (m) - hat

lue (m/f) - beanie

skyggelue (m/f) - cap

hjelm (m) - helmet

hette (m/f) - hood

turban (m) - turban

hijab (m) - hijab [also spelt "hidsjab"]

sjal (m) - shawl

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 04/05/24

fottøy (n) - footwear

et fottøy | fottøyet | fottøy | fottøya, fottøyene

Vocab

sko (m) - shoe [pl: sko]

støvel (m) - boot

sandal (m) - sandal

høye hæler (pl) - high heels (en høy hæl)

joggesko (m) - trainer, sneaker

fjellsko (m) - hiking shoe

gummistøvel (m) - welly, rubber boot

snøresko (m) - lace-up shoe

ballerinasko (m) - ballet flat

tåsandal (m) - flip flop

Usage notes

Another useful word is "pensko" (pretty shoe), which is basically any kind of shoes you might wear with a suit

You can also say "høyhælte sko" (en høyhælt sko) when talking about high heels, but it's perfectly okay/more common to say høye hæler in my experience (probably from English influence)

A note on pronunciation: the æ in hæl is pronouned as e in a lot of dialects

Badesko are shoes such as flip flops and mules. Think shoes you might wear around a spa or on a particularly hot day, and they're badesko!

I see ballet flats just called "ballerina" on some websites rather than ballerinasko

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 03/05/24

uteklær (pl) - outerwear

uteklær | uteklærne

Vocab

frakk (m) - coat

jakke (m/f) - jacket

genser (m) - jumper, sweater

skjerf (n) - scarf

hanske (m) - glove

vott (m) - mitten

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 02/05/24

Basic clothes

Watch out for the false friends here!

skjorte (m/f) - shirt

T-skjorte (m/f) - t-shirt

bukse (m/f) - trousers, pants

jeans (m) - jeans (also: en/ei olabukse)

shorts (m) - shorts

singlet (m) - tank top, singlet, vest

sokk (m) - sock

skjørt (n) - skirt

kjole (m) - dress

dress (m) - suit

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 25/05/24

lær (n), skinn (n) - leather

et lær | læret | lær | læra, lærene et skinn | skinnet | skinn | skinna, skinnene

Er vegansk lær trolig mer miljøvennlig enn ekte lær? (Is vegan leather truly better for the environment that real leather?)

Denne butikken selger skinnklær som jakker, bukser og sko. (This shop sells leather clothes such as jackets, trousers and shoes)

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 26/05/24

bomull (m/f) - wool

en/ei bomull | bomulla, bomullen | bomuller | bomullene

Vi selger bare bærekraftige klær i materialer som bambus, resirkulert polyester, organisk bomull og ull. (We only sell sustainable clothes of materials such as bamboo, recylced polyester, organic cotton and wool).

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 27/05/24

fløyel (m) - velvet

en fløyel | fløyelen | fløyeler | fløyelene

Hva betyr det engang å ha en stemme som fløyel? (What does it even mean to have a voice like velvet?)

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 28/05/24

silke (m) - silk

en silke | silken | silker | silkene

Utnyttelsen av silke som tekstil stammer fra Kina. (The use of silk as a textile stems from China)

[corvid-language-library]

Norwegian Word of the Day 29/05/24

sateng (m) - satin

en sateng | satengen | satenger | satengene

Prinsessen sover bare på satenglaken. (The princess only sleeps on satin bedsheets)

[nordic-language-love]

Hello! I hope you’re doing well! I was wondering if you could give me some advice when it comes to furthering my language learning. I’ve been learning Norwegian on Duolingo for almost 5 years now but I feel like I’ve barely made any progress into actually learning the language. I’ve seen you mention that Duolingo isn’t the best way to learn a language, just on its own. What more can I be doing to actually learn Norwegian? I appreciate any insight you might be able to give. Thank you!

Hi there!

I actually think Norwegian Duo's not that bad, especially compared to other courses. It got me to A2 level without my really using any other resources! But of course, A2 is still only the top of beginner level, and from thereon out it's pretty ineffective on its own (although I still used it even at B2 level as a way to refresh vocab I'd forgotten or just do a little practice every day when I didn't have the time or energy to do anything else).

There are a lot of different ways you can study Norwegian. Here are some things I did (it's an essay lmao I'm so sorry):

1) Listen to Norwegian radio. You'll probably think I'm mad when you first try it because you'll probably understand very little other than the odd word here and there, but I promise it gets easier and you'll get used to the rhythm of the language in a way Duolingo doesn't prepare you for. Try to shadow the speakers (repeat what they say just after they say it. You don't have to know the words they're actually saying; just approximate the phonemes and the melody and the stress patterns. I promise you your pronunciation is gonna get SO good)

2) Take to Youtube. Check my resources list here for some links to channels that teach Norwegian.

3) Norwegian podcasts! I made a list of some beginner/intermediate-friendly ones (check the link in point 2). The plus with podcasts is you can slow the speed down to half-speed too. Again, don't be discouraged if it's difficult at first; just focus on the rhythm and stress of the language

4) Norwegian TV. You're gonna struggle at first but you need to struggle to improve, so don't be discouraged even if several months pass without you feeling like there's any improvement. Intermediate level sucks I'm afraid. Some shows I like that don't require a VPN (as of the time I'm posting this) are Fra bølle til bestevenn (it's got dogs in it), Hva feiler det deg (game show where normal people with internet compete against doctors to guess a patient's diagnosis), 113 (documentary following paramedics in Trondheim - try not to cry at the dialects), Klassequizen (quiz show with 10th graders, pretty A2/B1-friendly), Side Om Side (popular sitcom, sometimes the second-hand embarrassment kills me but mostly it's pretty funny) and Superkrim (did you know that crime stories around Easter time are a Thing in Norway? They make a new season of this one every year but it's accessible year-round, and the language is a lot simpler than a lot of shows, and it's pretty fun and a bit silly)

Note: subtitles are in Norwegian only, and half the time they match the nuance but not the actual words being said. I recommend trying to listen without them first, then listen with them, then listen without them again and see if you can catch a few more words.

5) Textbooks, if that's your jam. I recommend The Mystery Of Nils (you can jump straight to book 2: Mysteriet om Nils if you think you're ready. It's a bit of a jump but no point wasting money/time on something that you won't enjoy) and Norwegian Tutor (from the Teach Yourself series. The first few chapters will seem pretty basic but it's great at explaining nuances and prepositions in later chapters).

6) Read things in Norwegian. You can get short stories for beginner/intermediate level online, as well as read news articles (even if you can't read the whole article, just try the first paragraph). When I was about A2 level I would print things out and go through them just translating them, highlighting new words, words I'd encountered before but couldn't remember, words I could work out from context, particular grammar patterns and words I couldn't figure out and needed the help of a native speaker to work out.

7) Follow Norwegian accounts on social media. Here's a list I made earlier.

8) If you have some extra cash, investing in an italki tutor can be helpful. I've had lessons with a number of tutors so feel free to send me a message if you want help deciding which one to go with.

9) Keep a journal in Norwegian. Look up words you don't know and write them in a different colour. Maybe try to use words you learned that day and write them in a different colour too (even if by using them you're literally just writing "jeg lærte ordet «______» i dag. Det betyr ______")

10) You can also try creative writing. I started out by writing fiction largely in English but with Norwegian dialogue. I then moved on to writing short articles and then essays, then short stories and fan fiction.

11) You can try apps like HiNative and HelloTalk to find native speakers for language exchange. If you only know English though it might be difficult to find people because Norwegians typically speak really good English and aren't looking to learn/practice.

12) Listen to Norwegian music. Get on spotify and search "norsk (music genre of your choice)" and find some songs you like. Listen to them and pay attention to the lyrics. Then find the lyrics online and listen with the lyrics. Then try to translate the lyrics on your own. Finally, look up someone else's translation and see how close they are. Then try to learn the song and visualise meaning it with your whole heart as you sing along.

13) Practise speaking to yourself. It feels super awkward when you first start, but I always manage to get into the flow pretty quickly. You can have GT in front of you so you can look up things if you need to, or you can just write down words you don't know/couldn't think of as you go along, then look them up once you're done (I prefer this method; having GT in front of you encourages your brain to be lazy and not try to actively recall the information you need). Not sure what to write? Try my Speaking In 20 Challenge prompts.

14) Flashcards. I put this one last because really flashcards are only useful as a supplement to learning through other methods. They help to keep vocab fresh in your mind until you see it in context again (and it's the seeing words in context that's gonna cement the meaning in your brain. I've never heard anyone say "oh, I know that word because it was in my flashcard deck that I reviewed every night before bed", but I hear people say things like "oh, I know that obscure word because I watched cooking shows in my TL and the host said it aaaall the time" or "it's in a line from one of my favourite songs" a LOT).

Okay, that's it, essay over 😅 Hope I gave you some ideas! Best of luck with your Norwegian-learning journey!

[radioaktiv]

The Solar System in Norwegian

Solsystem (n) -- solar system

Sol (f, m) -- sun

Måne (m) -- moon

Merkur -- Mercury

Venus -- Venus

Jorda/Jorden (f, m) -- Earth

Mars -- Mars

Jupiter -- Jupiter

Saturn -- Saturn

Uranus -- Uranus

Neptun -- Neptune

Pluto -- Pluto

[nordic-language-love]

i was curious if you could recommend any books/resources for learning Norwegian? (or just your favorite language resources in general) thank you!

Hi there!

In terms of books like textbooks:

The Mystery of Nils (A1/A2) and Mysteriet om Nils (B1/B2) are pretty great imo.

Norwegian Tutor from Teach Yourself has been an absolute life-saver for grammar

Also from Teach Yourself is Norwegian Short Stories, which has vocab lists for each story

Enjoy Norwegian is good for higher intermediate (although I've never really clicked with it)

Another one I never clicked with but is used in a lot of language schools is På Vei (A1/A2 level)

Some other resources:

Lesnorsk norskkurs - texts from A1-B2 level

I do actually think the Duolingo course is okay tbh (the audio's sometimes a bit strange, but as far as free resources go it's really good imo!)

Memrise is also a popular resource: here's a link to the first of their Norwegian courses (never clicked with it myself, but a lot of people like it)

Lingohut is also pretty good!

CALST is awesome for helping you learn to speak specific dialects

I’ve not tried using it, but Bnorsk seems to be a website where you can learn Norwegian for free

I also take classes on italki (if you're interested in giving it a go then lmk so I can give you a referral code and get you a few dollars off your first lesson. I've also taken lessons from a number of tutors and can maybe help you find the best one for you)

Here's a bunch of Norwegian instagram accounts you can follow

This is a website with set expressions and idioms in Norwegian

Bildetema is good for vocabulary - you see pictures with the Norwegian words next to them, and you can click on them to see how they’re pronounced. There are lots of different topics too!

ung.forskning.no is quite good if you're like B1 level and interested in science because the articles are quite short and basically made for younger readers so the language isn't so difficult (a number of them also have corresponding podcast episodes, so you can read the article to learn a bit about the topic and then listen to the podcast)

Drops and uTalk (both apps) also have Norwegian available to learn (I’m not a huge fan of them, but you might be!)

I also use the Anki app on my phone to create flashcards (there’s a free knock-off version and a legit version that costs like £20+. I use the free one and it’s fine).

Podcasts:

Norskpodden is a good podcast for learners as they also have a transcript

Lær Norsk Nå! is also aimed at learners

Norsklærer Karense has her own podcast too (A2+)

I quite like Smartere på 10 minutter as well because it's interesting and it's short and the presenter speaks in clear Oslo dialect. If you're still not used to listening in Norwegian, you can slow it down to half speed. (B1+)

Oppdatert is also not too long, the presenters speak quite clearly and it’s about current affairs (B1+)

E-books

While I absolutely do not endorse the author's awful transphobic views, I know a lot of people are interested in reading the Harry Potter books as a way to expand their vocabulary, and it sure would be a shame if you could find all the PDFs free online and not have to give money to that aforementioned author. (Side note: the translator uses "omforladels" as a translation for "sorry" which like no actual Norwegian person apart from maybe in some dialects uses ever. Also remember it’s a translation, and the translator has tried to maintain a sense of “Britishness”, so some of the language isn’t entirely natural)

You can also search ebooks by language (including Norwegian) and download them for free from here (definitely 100% not illegal in any way shape or form *shifty glance*)

If you prefer to buy Norwegian ebooks actually legally, you can do so here.

Youtube channels:

Special shoutout to Norwegian Done Easy because Markus is my italki tutor and he's awesome (plus I'm featured! So you can see my silly little face Norwegianing as hard as it can!)

Norsklærer Karense (I'm uhh not actually a fan BUT she has lots of useful videos for like A1-B2 level. There's also a lot of useful information about culture and moving to Norway and integration and test-taking)

Preben's Norwegian Academy (he's from Nord-Norge, so you get some dialect exposure too)

Norskkurset (it's not updated for a little while but there are some good videos there!)

Norwegian Teacher Karin (another one that's not updated for a while but still has some good videos)

Norwegian With Tor (for a little Tromsø dialect)

Hope that's enough to get you started/keep you going! Let me know if you have any questions :)