Language/Norwegian-bokmal/Vocabulary/Numbers-and-counting
Introduction:
As a language teacher with 20 years of experience teaching Norwegian Bokmål, I know that mastering the basics is one of the most important elements of language learning. In this lesson, we will focus on counting and expressing numbers in Norwegian Bokmål. Whether you plan on traveling to Norway, studying in a Norwegian-speaking country, or just want to impress your friends with your language skills, understanding numbers is key.
The Norwegian Bokmål Number System:
The Norwegian Bokmål number system is based on the Arabic numeral system, with a few key differences. The numbers from zero to nine are generally the same in both systems. However, starting from ten, the Norwegian Bokmål system differs slightly from the Arabic numeral system. In Norwegian Bokmål, numbers are written in the correct order but with a space in between the digits of a compound number, much like in English. So, 42 would be written as "førtito" (literally, "forty-two") in Norwegian Bokmål.
Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers:
Before we dive into the number system, let's take a quick look at the two types of numbers we'll be talking about: cardinal and ordinal numbers. Cardinal numbers are used for counting (such as one, two, three, etc.), while ordinal numbers are used for positioning (such as first, second, third, etc.).
Basic Numbers in Norwegian Bokmål:
Here are the basic numbers in Norwegian Bokmål:
Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Birthday & Days of the Week.
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| null | /nʉl/ | zero |
| en | /ɛn/ | one |
| to | /tu/ | two |
| tre | /trɛ/ | three |
| fire | /fiːr/ | four |
| fem | /fɛm/ | five |
| seks | /sɛks/ | six |
| syv | /syːv/ | seven |
| åtte | /ɔtə/ | eight |
| ni | /ni/ | nine |
| ti | /ti/ | ten |
Notice that "ti" is different from the numbers that follow, as we mentioned in the previous section.
Counting from 11-100:
Counting from 11-100 in Norwegian Bokmål is a bit tricky, but with practice, it will become second nature. Here are the numbers from 11-20:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| elleve | /ˈɛləvə/ | eleven |
| tolv | /tuːlv/ | twelve |
| tretten | /ˈtrɛtən/ | thirteen |
| fjorten | /ˈfjuːrtən/ | fourteen |
| femten | /ˈfɛmːtən/ | fifteen |
| seksten | /ˈsɛksːtən/ | sixteen |
| sytten | /ˈsyːtən/ | seventeen |
| atten | /ˈɔtən/ | eighteen |
| nitten | /ˈninən/ | nineteen |
| tjue | /ˈtjʉː/ | twenty |
To form numbers from 21-100, you need to combine the modified form of the tens with the ones. Here is a table showing that:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| tjueen | /ˈtjuː.ən/ | twenty-one |
| tjueto | /ˈtjuː.ətʊ/ | twenty-two |
| tjuetre | /ˈtjuːtrə/ | twenty-three |
| tjuefire | /ˈtjʉː.fɪrə/ | twenty-four |
| tjuefem | /ˈtjuː.fɛm/ | twenty-five |
| tjuenseks | /ˈtjuː.ənsɛks/ | twenty-six |
| tjuesyv | /ˈtjuː.ənsyːv/ | twenty-seven |
| tjueåtte | /ˈtjuː.əɔtə/ | twenty-eight |
| tjue ni | /ˈtjuː.ni/ | twenty-nine |
| tretti | /ˈtrɛti/ | thirty |
| førti | /ˈførti/ | forty |
| femti | /ˈfɛmti/ | fifty |
| seksti | /ˈsɛksti/ | sixty |
| sytti | /ˈsyti/ | seventy |
| åtti | /ˈɔtɪ/ | eighty |
| nitti | /ˈniti/ | ninety |
| hundre | /ˈhʉndrə/ | one hundred |
As you can see, the modified form of the tens (tjue-, førti-, etc.) are used, along with the basic numbers from one to nine.
Higher Numbers:
Once you've mastered the basic numbers and counting from 11-100, you're ready to move on to higher numbers in Norwegian Bokmål. Here are some of the numbers you might need to know:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| tusen | /ˈtʉsən/ | one thousand |
| en million | /ɛn miˈlɔn/ | one million |
| en milliard | /ɛn miˈliɑrd/ | one billion |
Notice that the word "en" is used for "one" in these examples. You can substitute any basic number if you want to count how many thousands or millions of things there are.
Some Useful Phrases:
Here are some useful phrases and sentences you can use to practice counting and expressing numbers in Norwegian Bokmål:
- Jeg kan telle til hundre. (I can count to one hundred.)
- Hva er telefonnummeret ditt? (What is your telephone number?)
- Jeg vil ha to billetter, takk. (I would like two tickets, please.)
- Hvor mye koster dette? (How much does this cost?)
- Jeg har ti kroner. (I have ten Norwegian kroner.)
- Jeg er født i to tusen tolv. (I was born in 2012.)
Conclusion:
Counting and expressing numbers is an important part of Norwegian Bokmål language learning. With practice, you'll become more comfortable with the number system and be able to use it in meaningful ways. In the next lesson, we'll explore words and phrases related to food and eating in Norwegian Bokmål.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Food and eating
- Drinks
- Free Time Activities
- Days of the Week
- Asking Directions
- Time
- Hobbies and leisure activities
- Technical and scientific language
- Parts of the Body
- How to Say Hello and Greetings