How do I learn Norwegian? (10+ Ways to Do It)

Have you heard about the North Cape? The Oslo Opera House? The Holmenkollen Ski Museum? All these famous places are in Norway. It fascinated me to learn more about the country and its official language, Norwegian. Have you also thought of learning it but dropped the plan just because you thought it would be tough? If yes, then you are wrong. Trust me, it is the easiest language to learn. It may be tough to believe, so I will share how I learn Norwegian. I hope it will help you in learning Norwegian.

Ways to learn Norwegian

Norwegian is the easiest language out of the languages I have learned so far. Although I enjoy learning all the languages, this was the easiest one for me. Want to know how? Go along with the guide-

1. Checking up the best apps

The first thing I always do is to check which platform is right for me. As learning a new language becomes boring sometimes, it is important to have the right platform. If you are a beginner, I would suggest, using a platform that follows the gamified approach. The platforms that follow this approach are Duolingo, Ling, Lingodeer, etc. However, it is important to know which platform has the Norwegian language. Unfortunately, Duolingo was only one of these three apps to have the Norwegian language. So I started using it. 

2. Make a list of the words

Only completing the lessons was not enough. It is important to remember what was in the lesson. So I started making a journal to remember what I had learned so far. The writing style of Norwegian is similar to English. What I did was note down the tough words in it. Whenever I get my free time, I start revising them. As I can’t take it everywhere, I looked for a way to revise it even when I didn’t have it. I started using Flashcard apps.

3. Using flashcard apps

Trust me, this is one of the best ways to boost your vocabulary. I have always told in my blogs how much I love Anki and Memrise platforms. Both platforms have a lot of vocabulary lists created by others. In fact, I myself had created them for different languages. But I believe, we must try something new. Quizlet was a platform I had heard about but never tried it. So, I thought to give it a try. 

My experience with Quizlet was amazing. Let me tell you that it is not just a language-learning platform. You can get a lot of decks related to different subjects including GCSEs and A-levels. Isn’t it great? Want something more? Here it is. There are a lot of pre-made decks in it. So, next time before going for any exam, do check the Quizlet app.

Important: All three apps – Memrise, Anki, and Quizlet, are best in their own ways. You can choose any one of them. I am sure you will love them.

4. Listening to podcasts

One thing I have noticed in recent days is the increasing popularity of podcasts. Every niche has a set of podcasts available online. Language learning is becoming a popular niche. At present, there are a lot of platforms like Spotify and YouTube having interesting podcasts. In fact, some people have their own websites to produce podcasts. However, the only thing you need to look at is to check if they are for beginners. If you are at an intermediate level, you can also watch some podcasts on the niche you like.

As I love learning scientific facts, I usually check out scientific podcasts in Norway. If you love studying through this style, try using Pimsleur. It is a perfect platform to study through audio lessons. The audio lessons are arranged from beginner to advanced level. Here are some other podcasts that I used to learn the language-

• One Minute Norwegian
• Life In Norway Show
• Sprakteign
• NorwegianClass101

5. Being consistent

“Consistency is the key to success.”

 Whether you want to grow your online business or learn the language, just be consistent. Becoming consistent means not missing a single day. So even if you are out or on a trip, try to get at least 10 minutes to revise it. When you are consistent in learning the Language, it becomes easy to complete your journey faster. 

6. Never lose the hope

When a negative thing happens, we start losing hope, which is wrong. Starting anything new has a lot of risks in it. The same is true for learning languages. It may not involve risks but definitely the probability of forgetting the words is higher. So, does it mean we should get demotivated or stop doing it? No. Remember if something has broken you down, come back as a fighter. If you are making mistakes, learn from them, and go on with your language-learning journey.

7. Reading books

Are you a book lover? If yes, this is what you will love. I have so many books in my home and of course, books to learn Norwegian are one of them. You must be wondering, there are so many apps that provide you with a lot of content. So, why books? Books are the primary source of education. The content you get on any of the platforms is always less than any book.

How many books you would need, depends upon your learning. But one book you must have is the one with English translations. If you want to read a novel, learn the basics first. It is because there may be some hard words. Here are some books I used to learn Norwegian-

• Short Stories in Norwegian for Beginners by Olly Richards
• Norwegian in 10 Minutes a Day by Kristine Kershul
• Complete Norwegian by Margaretha Danbolt-Simons

8. Talk to your friends in Norwegian

It may look like a joke but you can do it with your friends. Some people want to learn something new. You may have some friends or family members like them. Teach them the words you have learned so far by communicating with them. However, if such people do not surround you, I have a better option. Look for online language learning partners. Don’t know what they are and how to get one of them? Don’t worry. The next step explains it all.

9. Look for an online language learning program

Just like you, I do not find the right person to practice with, in my friends and family. So, I decided to choose the online platforms. Norwegian is not a popular language. It was very hard for me to find the right partner for me. Here are the apps I checked to find some good partners-

a. Tandem

Tandem is known for its language exchange programs. There is a list of people based on the details you have filled. Just choose the one and send a message. It has a free version but with limitations on the number of translations. However, I would suggest not taking the subscription plan of this platform. It is because there is a special feature for subscription people – to get a partner living near you. With this feature, people have made it more of a dating app.

b. HelloTalk

HelloTalk was the first platform I used to find an online partner. I started using it when I learned Spanish, and since then, it has been with me. It has two built-in features- Autocorrector and Translations. The free version has a restriction on the number of translations for a single day. You can only get 20 translations a day, freely.

Although both platforms have some good people to connect with, I rarely find one of my age. So, I thought of trying other apps and got this amazing platform-

c. Mylanguageexchange

This was a new platform for me and I was not expecting good results. But I guess I was wrong. There were more than 7000 people to connect with. Most of them were native to two languages. I was amazed by the way it was created. Although the platform is free, it is restricted. To get unlimited access, it is important to take a subscription plan. It allowed me to connect with them through messaging or a call. 

10. Join the online forums

I must say, that online forums are the hub of everything. Everything can be done here, from getting information to finding the right person. If you are facing an issue, just post it, and get answers to your problems. However, it can cause a lot of confusion at the same time. I remember when I asked for the review of ‘Norwegian in 10 Minutes a Day, there were both positive and negative reviews for it. It may be because every person has their own reviews. Some enjoy learning with visual concepts, others enjoy theoretical concepts. 

11. Watch shows in Norwegian

Chilling at home and watching Netflix? What if you make it a part of your language-learning journey? Yes, you can. Check if the show is in Norwegian. If not, try choosing the show which is in it. There will be many shows which are in this language. Once you find them, try repeating the dialogues. This technique helped me to correct my pronunciation.

12. Shadowing the language

The technique I mentioned above is what shadowing means. It means repeating what you listen to. I find this very useful, especially when learning the language. It not only corrects my pronunciation but also helps me understand what is going on in the show or video. Another way that I used was to repeat the dialogues in the podcast. It is not possible to repeat everything. If we start doing it, it will take more than double the time. So, how to do it? Simply repeating a few dialogues or sentences.

13. Get immersed in the Norwegian language 

Immersing yourself means using the language whenever you can. From going out shopping to watching shows, you must use Norwegian. If you love to explore new facts, check their cultural practices or the history of Norway. I am a big foodie and enjoy knowing about different cousins. So, when I was learning the language, all my YouTube videos were filled with their famous cuisines. Some of their famous cousins are-

• Pinnekjøtt 
• Lefse 
• Smalahove
• Brown Cheese
• Potetball

14. Hire a private tutor

Although I didn’t hire one, you can do it if you struggle with the language. It may be difficult for you to find the right tutor, but there are platforms to find them online. iTalki and Preply are one of them. I have used both platforms for different languages. Trust me the tutors on it are so amazing and helpful. However, it may be costly for you. Thus, check your budget before choosing it. If you have a tight budget check for Duolingo or Pimsleur.

Reasons to learn Norwegian

When you start doing something new, there is a reason behind it. A similar is for learning a new language. Here are some common reasons why people learn Norwegian-

• Traveling – If you are traveling to Norway, you must learn Norwegian, at least at a level where you can have a basic conversation.
• Going for admission to a reputable university – Most reputable universities look for students knowing a second language. 
• Getting a good job: At present, most companies want to hire people who do not 2 or more languages. 
• Just for personal interest: That is my reason too. I learned Norwegian just because I was fascinated by the culture of Norway.

Conclusion

Norwegian is a language that is officially spoken in Norway and is one of the easiest languages to learn as an English speaker. I have learned it, and trust me, it was a fun experience. I used Duolingo to learn the basics. As it follows a gamified approach, I enjoyed it a lot. After that, I made sure to remember the vocabulary properly. To do this, I included many flashcard apps. You can also include podcasts, books, etc., in your journey.

FAQs