Norwegian, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, is a language rich in culture and history. Learning Norwegian can be a delightful challenge, and one crucial component of mastering it is understanding its numeral system. Numerals are foundational in any language as they are used in daily interactions, from telling time and dates to managing money and quantities. This article will guide you through Norwegian numerals, their formation, and practical usage in various contexts.
The Basics of Norwegian Numerals
Just like English, Norwegian numerals are divided into cardinal and ordinal numbers. Cardinal numbers are used for counting (one, two, three), while ordinal numbers denote position or order (first, second, third).
Cardinal Numbers
Here are the basic cardinal numbers in Norwegian from 0 to 20:
0 – null
1 – en / ett
2 – to
3 – tre
4 – fire
5 – fem
6 – seks
7 – sju / syv
8 – åtte
9 – ni
10 – ti
11 – elleve
12 – tolv
13 – tretten
14 – fjorten
15 – femten
16 – seksten
17 – sytten
18 – atten
19 – nitten
20 – tjue
Notice that Norwegian uses both “en” and “ett” for the number one. “En” is used with masculine and feminine nouns, while “ett” is used with neuter nouns.
From 21 onwards, the numbers follow a pattern similar to that of English. For example:
21 – tjueen
22 – tjueto
23 – tjuetre
30 – tretti
40 – førti
50 – femti
60 – seksti
70 – sytti
80 – åtti
90 – nitti
100 – hundre
For larger numbers, the system also follows a logical pattern:
1000 – tusen
1,000,000 – en million
1,000,000,000 – en milliard
Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers in Norwegian are formed by adding suffixes to the cardinal numbers. Here are the first ten:
1st – første
2nd – andre
3rd – tredje
4th – fjerde
5th – femte
6th – sjette
7th – sjuende / syvende
8th – åttende
9th – niende
10th – tiende
For numbers beyond ten, the ordinal form is created by adding “-ende” or “-de” to the cardinal number:
11th – ellevte
12th – tolvte
13th – trettende
20th – tjuende
21st – tjueførste
30th – trettiende
Using Numerals in Daily Life
Understanding the basic forms of numerals is just the beginning. Knowing how to use them in real-life contexts is essential for effective communication.
Telling Time
Telling time in Norwegian can be quite different from English. Here are some key phrases and their usage:
1:00 – Klokken ett (The clock is one)
2:15 – Kvart over to (Quarter past two)
3:30 – Halv fire (Half past three)
4:45 – Kvart på fem (Quarter to five)
The 24-hour clock is commonly used in Norway, especially in formal contexts. For example:
13:00 – Tretten null null
18:30 – Atten tretti
Dates
Dates in Norwegian are typically written in the day-month-year format. For example, “15 March 2023” would be “15. mars 2023”. When speaking, you would say:
15. mars 2023 – femtende mars totusenogtjuetre
Months in Norwegian are as follows:
January – januar
February – februar
March – mars
April – april
May – mai
June – juni
July – juli
August – august
September – september
October – oktober
November – november
December – desember
Money and Prices
Norwegian currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK). When talking about money, the numeral comes before the currency:
100 kroner
250 kroner
Prices are often written with a comma as a decimal separator, such as “99,50” for ninety-nine kroner and fifty øre (the smaller unit of the krone).
Telephone Numbers
Norwegian telephone numbers are typically written in groups of two or three digits. For example, the number 12345678 might be written as 12 34 56 78. When saying a phone number out loud, each digit is pronounced individually:
12 34 56 78 – en to tre fire fem seks sju åtte
Special Cases and Common Expressions
While the rules above cover most situations, there are some special cases and common expressions worth noting.
Fractions
Fractions in Norwegian are straightforward. Here are some examples:
1/2 – en halv
1/3 – en tredjedel
1/4 – en fjerdedel
2/3 – to tredjedeler
Decimals
Decimals are read by stating the whole number followed by “komma” (comma) and then the decimal part. For example:
3.14 – tre komma fjorten
0.75 – null komma syttifem
Large Numbers
For very large numbers, it’s helpful to know the terms for millions and billions:
1,000,000 – en million
1,000,000,000 – en milliard
Norwegian uses the long scale for large numbers, so “billion” in English is “milliard” in Norwegian.
Common Phrases Involving Numbers
There are many common expressions in Norwegian that involve numbers. Here are a few:
En gang til – One more time
To ganger – Twice
Tre ganger – Three times
Hundre prosent – One hundred percent
En million takk – A million thanks
Practice and Application
To master Norwegian numerals, practice is essential. Here are some exercises to help reinforce your learning:
Exercise 1: Simple Translations
Translate the following English numbers into Norwegian:
1. Seven
2. Fourteen
3. Twenty-two
4. Thirty-five
5. Ninety-nine
Answers:
1. Sju / Syv
2. Fjorten
3. Tjueto
4. Trettifem
5. Nittini
Exercise 2: Ordinal Numbers
Translate the following ordinal numbers from English to Norwegian:
1. First
2. Fourth
3. Seventh
4. Tenth
5. Twentieth
Answers:
1. Første
2. Fjerde
3. Sjuende / Syvende
4. Tiende
5. Tjuende
Exercise 3: Telling Time
Translate these times into Norwegian:
1. 2:15
2. 4:45
3. 6:30
4. 11:00
5. 18:45
Answers:
1. Kvart over to
2. Kvart på fem
3. Halv sju
4. Klokken elleve
5. Atten førtifem
Exercise 4: Dates
Write the following dates in Norwegian:
1. 1 January 2023
2. 15 March 2023
3. 30 June 2023
4. 25 December 2023
5. 8 October 2023
Answers:
1. 1. januar 2023
2. 15. mars 2023
3. 30. juni 2023
4. 25. desember 2023
5. 8. oktober 2023
Exercise 5: Prices
Translate the following prices into Norwegian:
1. $5.99
2. $12.50
3. $20.75
4. $45.30
5. $100.00
Answers:
1. 5,99 kroner
2. 12,50 kroner
3. 20,75 kroner
4. 45,30 kroner
5. 100,00 kroner
Conclusion
Understanding and using Norwegian numerals effectively is a crucial step in mastering the language. Whether you’re telling time, discussing dates, handling money, or simply counting, a good grasp of Norwegian numbers will significantly enhance your communication skills.
Practice regularly, use the exercises provided, and immerse yourself in real-life situations where you can apply what you’ve learned. With time and effort, you’ll find that Norwegian numerals become second nature. Happy learning!
