Second lesson

We'll go deeper into interrogative sentences. Numbers 1-10 and homework.

Today we're going to learn more about how to introduce yourself in Norwegian, to give more information about yourself, and to ask more about your companion. We'll go deeper into interrogative sentences. And, we'll learn to count from 1 to 10 in Norwegian. Ema, er du klar? Ema, are you ready?

Please remember what you learnt last time. Listen to Jan and repeat all of it. After repeating out loud, translate everything into English, and then answer a question. Er dere klare? - Are you ready? Let's begin!

dictionary

Dictionary   

notes

Notes   

• - Hei alle sammen! Hi to all of you learning Norwegian together with norwegianABC.com!
• - Hei alle sammen. How are you doing? Hvordan går det med dere? Går det bra? Is everything alright? Fint!

Today we're going to learn more about how to introduce yourself in Norwegian, to give more information about yourself, and to ask more about your companion. We'll go deeper into interrogative sentences. And, we'll learn to count from 1 to 10 in Norwegian. Ema, er du klar? Ema, are you ready?

• - Ja, jeg er klar. Well, I'm ready, and you? Let's begin. La oss begynne.

Please remember what you learnt last time. Listen to Jan and repeat all of it. After repeating out loud, translate everything into English, and then answer a question.   er dere klare? - Are you ready? Let's begin! Jan, vi kan begynne. - Jan, we can begin.

• - Hei! Jeg heter Jan. Og hva heter du?
• - Your answer
• - Hvordan går det? Går det bra?
• - Your answer
• - Hvor kommer du fra?
• - Your answer
• - OK, ha det bra, vi snakkes.

Well, how did you do? If the speed is too fast, rewind and try it once again. Jan,   takk for hjelpen . Jan, thanks for your help.

• - Bare hyggelig.

So, let's learn a new saying which could be useful in our daily communication. I've just said it. When someone thanks you, it's polite to say: Bare hyggelig.

  bare

just

  hyggelig

nice

I've also said OK, as you have heard. That's the OK you can find in many languages. It is spelled in the same way in Norwegian, only the pronunciation is different. OK.

Now let's repeat personlige pronomen, personal pronouns. I'll spell them together with Ema. Right, Ema?

• - Ja.

So, after hearing a personal pronoun, say it in Norwegian, and vice versa. La oss begynne, let's begin:

I

jeg

It

det

You

dere

He

han

She

hun

You

du

We

vi

They

de

Many Norwegian students usually make one pronunciation mistake which causes a lot of laughter to Norwegian people. Do you remember that we spoke about the sound U in the sample lesson? It's often pronounced as “iu” in Norwegian.So, the word DU, a personal pronoun, is pronounced exactly in this way: du, du.

Why is correct pronunciation so important in this case? Because if you say DO, that will mean “toilet”. By the way, I have to add that this word is of masculine gender, “en do”. We already know the three Norwegian genders from the past lesson, right?

Ja, vi er flinke.

Yes, we are clever.

So, if we want to ask, what the name of our companion is, we say: Hva heter du? And if we want to say that we're going to the toilet, we say - Jeg skal på do.

So let's go back to our conversation and learn to communicate in Norwegian correctly. When meeting a new person, we usually say that it is nice to meet him. How does it sound in Norwegian?

• -   hyggelig å hilse på deg .

Sounds quite complicated, doesn't it? Hyggelig – a new word we have learned today.

  å hilse

to greet

  på deg

with you

Repeat slowly together with Jan, try to express the sentence melody also:

• - Hyggelig å hilse på deg.
• - Bra. Well done! It's easy, as you can see.In responding that we're glad to meet also, we say:
• - I like måte.

By the way, Norwegian language is very similar to other Scandinavian languages. After learning Norwegian, you'll manage to communicate with Swedes, and read Swedish and Danish easily. Historically it happens to be that bokmål, which we're learning now, is a language formed on a basis of Danish language. So don't be surprised when you face Danish and see that it has many similar and even the same words. Unfortunately, there is one minus. The pronunciation is very different from Norwegian. So you won't make yourselves understood with Danes, unless in English. But, as I've already said, you won't have difficulties in understanding what they are writing. And the expression I like måte is the only thing that in Norwegian is pronounced the same as in Danish.

So, let's continue. And the next thing we have to do is ask Jan what he is doing. The word “to do”, “to act” is already known to you from the past lesson – that is „å gjøre“. And this word also stands between the verb exceptions, which we'll have to learn. Here's a reminder to those who forgot – the infinitive to act, to do - „å gjøre“, the present tense ,,gjør“:

• - What do you do? Hva gjør du?
• - Well, and what are we all doing here? Vi – we studerer – are learning – norsk. We are learning Norwegian. Jeg studerer tysk.

Hva sier du?

What did you say?

Jeg studerer tysk.

I'm learning German.

Kan du tysk, Jan?

Do you speak German, Jan?

As you have heard, Ema asked, do I speak German. The verb   å kunne – to be able, is a modal verb (we'll talk about them in the next lesson). A present tense of this verb should be learned by heart, because, unlike the majority, it isn't made by adding an ending -r to the infinitive.

Jeg kan

I can or I am able

  jeg kan snakke norsk.

I can speak Norwegian.

Jeg kan norsk.

I speak Norwegian.

  kan du norsk?

Do you speak Norwegian?

Let's learn the names of other languages. Let's listen to how Ema pronounces new words. You repeat, and I will tell what they mean:

  engelsk

English

  russisk

Russian

  polsk

Polish

  fransk

French

  tysk

German

• - Snakker du fransk, Jan?
• - Nei. Jeg snakker norsk. Snakker du tysk?
• - Ja, jeg snakker tysk.
• - Now you repeat together with me, naming the languages you speak at the end of the sentence. Jeg snakker...
• - Got tired? And you, Ema?   er du trøtt? Are you tired? Let's learn a new word:

  trøtt

tired

• - Nei, nei.

Some Norwegian students go to courses. They will say: Jeg går på norskkurs. I am going to Norwegian courses. Å gå – „to go” is a new word for us. A simple word, right?

Jeg går på norskkurs. Et kurs – a course. This word, as you can hear from the article “et”, is of neuter gender.

But we don't have to go anywhere! With norwegianABC.com we can learn in any place comfortable to us, right? Det er bra 

And now let's say that we are working. “To work” is jobbe. As you already know, we make the present tense when adding an ending -r to the infinitive- Jeg jobber.

  å gå

to go

  et kurs

a course

  å jobbe

to work

Now I'm going to check your knowledge. Before this short exercise you can relax and repeat the common communication phrases you have already learned, or just drink a cup of coffee or tea. Ema will speak in English, and you translate it into Norwegian. After a short pause you will hear the right answer. Lykke til! Good luck!

Hello. My name is Ema.

Hallo. Jeg heter Ema.

What is your name?

Hva heter du?

Nice to meet you.

Hyggelig å hilse på deg.

Me too.

I like måte.

How are you doing?

Hvordan går det? Hvordan har du det?

Very good, thanks.

Takk, bare bra.

Where do you come from?

Hvor kommer du fra?

I come from Germany.

Jeg kommer fra Tyskland.

And you?

Og du?

I am from Norway.

Jeg er fra Norge.

What do you do?

Hva gjør du?

I attend Norwegian courses.

Jeg går på norskkurs.

I speak English and Norwegian.

Jeg snakker engelsk og norsk.

I work.

Jeg jobber.

How are you doing? I have no doubt that you coped with many questions already. We talked a little about questions in the past lesson. And now let's talk more about it.

Remember, that there is no interrogative word “Do …?” in Norwegian. And the closed questions, that is the questions to which we answer “yes” or “no”, always begin with a predicate. In essence everything is simple enough. Look.

We already know the word ,,å jobbe” - to work. You work – Du jobber. Now ask, if you work. We just have to put a predicate into the first place - that is jobbe – Jobber du? And so, we have a question already. Simple, right?

Du jobber.

Jobber du?

Another example. He is eating - Han spiser.

Is he eating?

Spiser han?

Now let's do this. We say a sentence to you, and you try to form a question. Jan says a sentence in Norwegian, and then in English.

Du bor i Bergen.

You live in Bergen.

You have to make the question:

Do you live in Bergen?

Bor du i Bergen?

Now it's your turn. OK? I will help you, and you will hear the correct answer after a short pause. Just don't forget to repeat with us! In repeating we will learn new phrases faster.

Han leser bøker.

He reads books.

Leser han bøker?

Vi bor i Oslo.

We live in Oslo.

Bor vi i Oslo?

De snakker norsk.

They speak Norwegian.

Snakker de norsk?

Hun har bøker.

She has books.

Har hun bøker?

Svein jobber i butikk.

Svein works in a shop.

Jobber Svein i butikk?

Tom sover.

Tom is sleeping.

Sover Tom?

Hun heter Anne.

Her name is Ana.

Heter hun Anne?

Svein forstår norsk.

Svein understands Norwegian.

Forstår Svein norsk?

Simple, right? Just put the predicate into the beginning.

So let’s strengthen our knowledge. I'll say a question in English, and you translate it into Norwegian. You'll hear the correct answer after a short break.

Does he read books?

Leser han bøker?

Do we live in Oslo?

Bor vi i Oslo?

Do they speak Norwegian?

Snakker de norsk?

Does he have books?

Har han bøker?

Does Svein work in a shop?

Jobber Svein i butikk?

Is Tom sleeping?

Sover Tom?

Is her name Anna?

Heter hun Anne?

Does Svein understand Norwegian?

Forstår Svein norsk?

Veldig Bra! Good job! Dere er veldig flinke!

You have learned what we call closed questions. And now let's repeat and learn more about the open questions, which we have discussed in the previous lesson.

Differently from closed questions, the open questions begin with an interrogative word. Interrogative words usually begin with hv-, so they are such called hv- questions.

Let's repeat the interrogative words. Most of them we heard in the previous lesson. I'll say an interrogative word in Norwegian, and you say what it means. You will hear the right answer after a pause. La oss begynne. Let's begin.

  hva

what (about things)

  hvem

who (about people)

  hvor

where

  hvilken   hvilke   hvilket

which

  hvorfor

why

  hvordan

how

  når

when

Let's try to make a question, et spørsmål, with an interrogative word.

Take a sentence: Anita jobber. Anita works. A closed question, as you remember, is made in a very simple way – we just put a verb into the first place. So, we get: Jobber Anita? Does Anita work?

And now let's ask where Anita works. So, let's just add an interrogative word “where” - hvor.

Where?

Hvor?

Hvor jobber Anita?

Where does Anita work?

Let's ask what Anita does. Now we add an interrogative word “what” - hva. What will we get? Just say it, and I’ll wait. Pause. Did you say: Hva jobber Anita med? Fint!

What?

Hva?

Hva jobber Anita med?

What does Anita?

Making questions isn’t complicated. The word order is simple. We say the interrogative word at first, then – the predicate, then – the subject, and then everything else that’s left.

Now you try making questions. Don't worry, I will help you!

I'll say a sentence in English and Norwegian. Then I will dictate questions, which you have to say in Norwegian. You will hear the correct answer after a short pause.

For instance, I say: Line is eating. Line spiser. Then I say a question, and you have to say it in Norwegian. What does Line eat? Hva spiser Line? Where does Line eat? Hvor spiser Line? When does Line eat? Når spiser Line?

Let's try. Lykke til! Good luck! Don't forget to repeat the right answer with us!

He is reading.

Han leser.

What is he reading?

Hva leser han?

Where does he read?

Hvor leser han?

When does he read?

Når leser han?

She lives.

Hun bor.

Where does she live?

Hvor bor hun?

Tom is sleeping.

Tom sover.

Where does Tom sleep?

Hvor sover Tom?

When does Tom sleep?

Når sover Tom?

• - Veldig bra! Dere er flinke! Don't worry if you didn't get everything right the first time. Repeat, and don't give up till you make it!
• - Uff, jeg er trøtt.

Did you hear, Ema is already tired! And you? I hope not. Today we don’t have much, but some relevant information is left. Let's try to push harde. Let's go.

When learning interrogative words, you perhaps had a question rising – why the interrogative word “which” hviken, hvilket, hvilke – has even 3 versions. So, using any form of “which” depends on the noun gender.

When asking which day is it, which girl, and so on, we combine the interrogative word “which” – hvilken, hvilket, hvilke with gender. We use hvilken with feminine and masculine genders, hvilket with neuter gender, and hvilke with plural.

For instance:

Which day

hvilken dag

Which day are you going to arrive.

Hvilken dag kommer du.

Which girl

hvilken jente

Which girl are you talking to.

Hvilken jente snakker du med.

Which language

hvilket språk

Which language do you speak.

Hvilket språk snakker du.

And hvilke is used with plurals. But we'll talk about plurals next time.

While today's lesson is coming to an end, I’ll give you some homework – to learn to count up to ten.

Quantitative numbers in Norwegian – that is “one, two, three, and so on” are called „grunntall”. The word “number” is of neuter gender   et tall. The number “one” - Én, éi, et – is combined with a noun according to its gender, for instance, one girl – éi jente, one car – Én bil, one house – et hus. Other numbers are combined to a noun in a more simple way.

Let's count:   GRUNNTALL

1

  én éi et

2

  to

3

  tre

4

  fire

5

  fem

6

  seks

7

  sju

8

  åtte

9

  ni

10

  ti

• - Uff, today you have surely learned a lot with us, and norwegianABC.com.
• - To tell you the truth, I can't wait to see you again and teach you more correct Norwegian language! Learning Norwegian with us is easy! Norsk er lett! Ha det bra, vi høres!
• - Ha det bra alle sammen.