You'll learn Norwegian faster when you use it every day, not only in class. Find something in Norwegian you enjoy: a TV show, a movie, a band or a comic. When you enjoy it, practice does not feel like work. You keep going, even when you are tired.
How to get the most out of it
Turn on Norwegian subtitles. When you see and hear the words at the same time, you understand more.
Watch the same thing twice. The first time, follow the story. The second time, listen for words you know.
Read the song lyrics. Find the lyrics to a song you like and sing along. Imagine you are at karaoke!
Write down new words. Pick three new words from each episode or song. Use them during the week.
Don't worry about dialects. Many movies and shows use dialects. It is normal not to understand everything. It gets easier over time.
👉🏼 NRK TV is free Everything on NRK TV is free. You may need a free NRK account. Some programmes only work in Norway, and some are only available for a limited time. Most programmes have Norwegian subtitles.
🎧 Music
Start with our Spotify playlist Lær nok med musikk. It has songs for people learning Norwegian.
New pop and hip-hop: Musti, Unge Ferrari, Arif, Hkeem, Isah, Kjartan Lauritzen, Chirag, Cezinando, Karpe, Lars Vaular
Rock and indie: DumDum Boys, CC Cowboys, Postgirobygget, Razika, Fjorden Baby!, John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen
Classics with calm, clear lyrics: Lillebjørn Nilsen, Jan Eggum, Jonas Fjeld, Anne Grete Preus
Tip: Rap uses a lot of slang and Oslo language. Read the lyrics while you listen.
🍿 Movies
Titles are in Norwegian. The English title is in brackets when there is one, so you can find the movie on other streaming services.
True stories
Kon-Tiki: Thor Heyerdahl crosses the Pacific Ocean on a raft.
Max Manus: A resistance fighter during World War II.
Kongens nei (The King's Choice): The King says no to the Germans in 1940. NRK TV
Den 12. mann (The 12th Man): A dramatic escape through Northern Norway during the war. NRK TV
Nokas: A famous bank robbery in Stavanger.
Action and thriller
Bølgen (The Wave): A tsunami hits a small village by a fjord.
Hodejegerne (Headhunters): A crime thriller based on a book by Jo Nesbø.
Comedy and drama
Børning: A wild car race across Norway. NRK TV
Kong Curling (King Curling): A comedy about curling and second chances.
En ganske snill mann (A Somewhat Gentle Man): A dark comedy about a man who has just left prison.
Kompani Orheim (The Orheim Company): Growing up with a difficult father.
Hawaii, Oslo: Several lives cross on one summer day in Oslo.
Tottori! Sommeren vi var alene: Two children on an adventure alone in Japan. Good for the whole family.
Horror and fantasy
Trolljegeren (Trollhunter): Students search for real trolls. NRK TV
Villmark (Dark Woods): Horror in the Norwegian forest.
Død snø (Dead Snow): A zombie comedy with a lot of violence.
📺 TV shows
Young people
Skam: Friends at a high school in Oslo. Popular all over the world. NRK TV
Blank: A 20-year-old woman finds her way in Oslo. NRK TV
Lovleg: Young people in a small town in Western Norway. Nynorsk and Western Norwegian dialect. NRK TV
Norsk-ish: Three young adults with roots in several cultures try to find their place in Norway. Good for you if you have moved to Norway yourself. NRK TV
Comedy
Vikingane (Norsemen): Vikings with modern problems. NRK TV
Rådebank: Young adults in Sandnes. Strong Rogaland dialect. NRK TV
Unge lovende (Young & Promising): Young adults try to sort out their lives in Oslo. NRK TV
Dag: A couples therapist who does not believe in love.
Hjem til jul (Home for Christmas): A person looks for a partner before Christmas.
Drama and thriller
Lykkeland (State of Happiness): Norway finds oil in the 1970s. NRK TV
Kampen om tungtvannet (The Heavy Water War): Sabotage during World War II. NRK TV
Valkyrien: A secret hospital under Oslo. NRK TV
Halvbroren (The Half Brother): A family story across several generations. NRK TV
Okkupert (Occupied): Norway is occupied by Russia.
Ragnarok: Norse gods in a modern Norwegian town.
Wisting: A detective solves serious crimes.
Furia: A thriller about extremism.
Twin: Twin brothers swap lives in Lofoten.
More to watch on NRK TV
Ett år i Lofoten: Nature and everyday life through a whole year in Lofoten.
Karl Johan
Parterapi
Hellums kro
Svart humor
Heksejakt
Comics
Comics are great reading practice. The texts are short, the language is everyday Norwegian, and the pictures help you understand.
Pondus: A football-crazy bus driver and his everyday life.
Nemi: Everyday humour from a young woman who always dresses in black.
Try this week
Choose one movie or TV show and one song from this page.
Write down three new words from each.
Use the words in a conversation or a text before the end of the week.
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