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Language

One hundred and fifty years ago, Norwegians spoke Danish. There are now two official languages, Bokmål and Nynorsk, which have equal status and are used in public administration, schools, churches and the media.

Bokmål, a Norwegian form of Danish, is the more popular of the two official languages, being spoken by 95% of the population. Nynorsk, created in the 1850s from spoken Norwegian and Old Norse, is spoken by about 20% of the population. Of the seven additional languages spoken in Norway, two are gypsy and five are Finn (often referred to by the derogatory term Lapp) languages. The two official languages are mutually comprehensible, but the Finn languages are not related to Norwegian and cannot be understood by those who have not learnt one of them.

English is widely spoken in Bergen and German, French and Spanish may also be understood.

Phrases

Yes - Ja
No - Nei
Hello - Hei
Goodbye - Hadet
Please - Vær Så Snill (Vaer Saa Snill)
Thank you - Takk
My name is ... - Mitt navn er ... / Jeg heter ...
How are you? - Hvordan går det? (gaar)
I am very well - Jeg har det bra / Det går bra (gaar)
I feel ill - Jeg føler meg syk (foeler)
How much does it cost? - Hvor mye koster det?
Do you speak English? - Snakker du Engelsk?
I do notunderstand - Jeg forstår ikke (Forstaar)
Where is ...? - Hvorer ...?
Entrance - Inngang
Exit - Utgang
Danger - Fare
Open - Åpen (Aapen)
Closed - Stengt
Toilets - Toalett
Doctor - Doktor
Hotel - Hotell
Restaurant - Restaurant
Beer - Øl (Oel)
Wine - Vin
Menu - Meny
Today - I Dag
Tomorrow - I Morgen
Monday - Mandag
Tuesday - Tirsdag
Wednesday - Onsdag
Thursday - Torsdag
Friday - Fredag
Saturday - Lørdag (Loerdag)
Sunday - Søndag (Soendag)
One - En
Two - To
Three - Tre
Four - Fire
Five - Fem
Six - Seks
Seven - Syv
Eight - Åtte (Aatte)
Nine - Ni
Ten - Ti
Twenty - Tyve / Tjue
Thirty - Tredve / Tretti
Forty - Førti (Foerti)
Fifty - Femti
Sixty - Seksti
Seventy - Søtti (Soetti) / Sytti
Eighty - Åtti (Aatti)
Ninety - Nitti
One Hundred - Ett Hundre
One Thousand - Ett Tusen




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