Lessons for English speakers

Learn to read Norwegian

A short, active path into reading Norwegian: three extra letters and the silent ones, nine real words decoded before any grammar, why the verb sits second in a statement, how “the” hides on the end of the noun, and two short fables before your first book.

13 core sections · ≈ 33 min + 3 optional lookups · ≈ 44 min with everything

Read nine real words before you learn anything else

≈ 2 min

What you'll learn

The nine letters you just met are all these nine words need.
Try each word once, reveal it, say it aloud. Most of them return in the readings.
Nine letter combinations follow, and the spelling system is nearly finished.
Three of them say “sh” or the soft hiss; those are the ones worth practising.

Work each one out before you reveal it. Six of nine is a good first pass.

Nine words for the stories

Say the word aloud, then reveal.

hus
The tight u.
Show answer +Hide answer −
hushuus“house”
mus
Show answer +Hide answer −
musmuus“mouse”
sol
o is “oo”.
Show answer +Hide answer −
solsool“sun”
skog
Show answer +Hide answer −
skogskoog“forest”
rev
A long e is “ay”.
Show answer +Hide answer −
revrayv“fox”
tre
Show answer +Hide answer −
tretray“tree”
gå
å is “aw”.
Show answer +Hide answer −
gågaw“to go”
bjørn
j says y, and ø is “ur”.
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bjørnbyurn“bear”
jente
Show answer +Hide answer −
jenteYEN-tuh“girl”

Nine combinations, and the spelling system is nearly finished

What you see	What it says	In a word
ei	“ay”, as in “day”, starting a little further open	veivay“road”
au	“a-uu” — the a of “cat” gliding into the tight u	sausa-uu“sheep”
øy	“oy”, as in “boy”, but starting at ø	øyoy“island”
sj	“sh”	sjøshur“sea”
skj	“sh” as well	skjeshay“spoon”
kj	“ch” — the soft hiss of a whispered “huge”	kjæreCHA-ruh“dear”
gj	y	gjøreYUR-uh“to make”
hv	v — the h is silent	hvavah“what”
ng	the ng of “singer”, with no g after it	ingenING-en“nobody”

Three spread further. sk before i, y or øy says “sh”: skishee“ski”. k before i or y, and tj, say the soft “ch”: kirkeCHIR-kuh“church”. g before i, y or ei says y: gikkyik“went”.

Two words that turn on the new combinations

sjø
sj is “sh”; ø is “ur”.
Show answer +Hide answer −
sjøshur“sea”
vei
ei is the vowel of “day”.
Show answer +Hide answer −
veivay“road”