Norwegian translations

Our high-quality technical translations from and into Norwegian are available for all the content types and formats included in our areas of specialization. EHLION's translation services are the best choice if you need your marketing materials, technical documentation or annual reports translated into Norwegian. EHLION's qualified translators can create accurate, precise and fluent Norwegian versions of all your corporate communications. Put our professional quality assurance standards to the test – you won't be disappointed.

Norwegian | Norsk | [nɔʃk]

So, what does Norwegian sound like?

Would you like to hear a sample of someone speaking it? Click the play button and listen carefully to how the Norwegian language sounds. Can you hear the differences in intonation and rhythm between English and Norwegian?

The audio sample we have chosen is an extract from “Sult” (Hunger) written by the well-known Norwegian novelist Knut Hamsun (1859-1952). Hamsun received the 1920 Nobel Prize in Literature for "Markens Grøde" (Growth of the Soil) “Sult” was hailed as one of the pioneering examples of modernist writing in Europe. It is a partly autobiographical work, based on the author’s own experience. The principal character is an impoverished, unrecognized writer, struggling to make a living.

Did you know...?

Did you know that, since 1834, a law has existed in Norway that grants free access to all public libraries? As a result, Norway possesses one of the most advanced library systems in the world. For a country with just over 5 million inhabitants, it has an astonishing number of libraries – nearly 900 serving local communities, more than 330 in scientific institutions, plus 20 central or national libraries. Another of Norway’s most attractive features is its magnificent landscapes. These include spectacular mountains, innumerable fjords, and more than 100,000 lakes. As in Sweden, the traditional “Allemannsretten” gives everyone free access to the open countryside anywhere in Norway. Visitors can roam wherever they like, on skis or on foot, and even set up a tent for the night – on condition that the land is unfenced and not being cultivated.

FACT FILE Norwegian

Approximately five million people speak Norwegian as their native tongue, mainly in Norway. There are two official forms of written Norwegian – Nynorsk and Bokmål – both of which are taught in schools. Only around 10-15% of the population use Nynorsk as their principal language. Like Danish and Swedish, Norwegian has its roots in Old Norse, but it has never developed into a uniform language due to the multiplicity of spoken dialects. There are estimated to be around 450 different dialects of Norwegian (or roughly one per municipality), which is largely a result of the country’s unique geography and settlement structure. Most Norwegians consequently speak their own dialect, which is why there is no standard form of spoken Norwegian. The bilingual Norwegian dictionary published by "Språkrådet" (the Norwegian Language Council) is the standard reference work on spelling and grammar, both for "Bokmål" and for "Nynorsk". An online edition of the "Nynorskordboka og Bokmålsordboka" is also available, produced in collaboration with the University of Oslo (www.nob-ordbok.uio.no).