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Quiz
Politeness and Social Phrases
Learn the most important polite phrases in Norwegian — thank you, sorry, please and more.
Polite phrases are important in every language. Here are the most important Norwegian polite phrases:
Basic politeness
| Norwegian | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| takk | /tak/ | Takk for hjelpen! — Thank you for the help! |
| tusen takk | /too-sen tak/ | Tusen takk! — A thousand thanks! |
| vær så snill | /vær so snil/ | Kan du hjelpe meg, vær så snill? — Can you help me please? |
| unnskyld | /un-shül/ | Unnskyld! — Excuse me / Sorry! |
| ingen årsak | /ing-en or-sak/ | Ingen årsak! — No problem! / You are welcome! |
| vær så god | /vær so goo/ | Vær så god! — Here you are! / Please go ahead! |
| Gratulerer! | /gra-tu-le-rer/ | Gratulerer med dagen! — Happy birthday! |
| Lykke til! | /lük-e til/ | Lykke til på eksamen! — Good luck on your exam! |
Tip
Norwegians are generally informal — "du" (you) is used with everyone including strangers. But "takk" and "unnskyld" are always important! A smile and a simple "takk" goes a long way.
🧠 Test yourself
Question 1 / 3
Which phrase do you use when someone is sick?
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