One of the perks of living in Norway is learning Norwegian (go figure). While I don't claim to speak fluently, I have learned a fair amount. These are a few phrases that have stuck out so far because of their pure brillance, quirkiness, or fun. I've tried to provide a rough pronunciation, too.[1]
- et øyeblikk
- Pronunciation: et oy-blek
- A moment; literally, "an eye blink"
- In English, we'd say "one moment/second/minute". The Norwegian way is much more elegant, yet just as meaningful.
- takk for sist
- Pronunciation: tuck for sist
- Something akin to "nice to see you again"; literally, "thanks for last time"
- There's no direct translation for this in English. It expresses happiness at seeing a friend again and reminds them that you had a good time with them last time you were together.
- en rosin i pølsen
- Pronunciation: en row-seen e pull-san
- A surprise in something already great; literally, "a raisin in the sausage"
- Norwegians like sausages and apparently raisins in sausages are (or used to be) just short of a delicacy here. So, a sausage is already great on its own, but add in raisins and they're even better.
- ha det (bra)
- Pronunciation: ha da (bra)
- Good bye; literally, "have it (well)"
- Most of the time, you just say "ha det", which translates to "have it". Similar to "see you" in that it isn't a complete sentence, but it's used so often that the meaning is understood.
- koselig
- Pronunciation: koose-lee
- Comfortable, cozy
- This is used especially to describe the inviting atmosphere of a house during the winter. A "koselig" home usually has a fire, plenty of candles, yummy smells, and good friends.
[1] Pronunciation is very dependent on the area of Norway you live. For instance, in Oslo, "d"s at the end of words are often silent. Also, since I'm giving a rough approximation in English, it depends on how you pronounce things in English.
