Norwegian word choices
Noe vs noen in Norwegian: Examples and Practice
Choose noe for something or an amount, and noen for someone or some plural things. Practise the difference in context.
The short answer
Noe: something or an amount. Noe melk (some milk).
Noen: someone or some plural things. Noen venter (someone is waiting); noen billetter (some tickets).
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Four examples with answers
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Situations, answers and short explanations.
View the noe and noen examples with answers as a list
Prompt
The recipe needs an unspecified amount of milk. Vi trenger ___ melk. Choose noe or noen.
Answer and explanation
Vi trenger noe melk. We need some milk. An unspecified amount of milk: use noe.
Prompt
You bought a few concert tickets. Jeg kjøpte ___ billetter. Choose noe or noen.
Answer and explanation
Jeg kjøpte noen billetter. I bought some tickets. Plural tickets: use noen, which also refers to things.
Prompt
Someone you do not know is waiting at the entrance. Det står ___ ved inngangen. Choose noe or noen.
Answer and explanation
Det står noen ved inngangen. Someone is standing at the entrance. An unspecified person: use noen.
Prompt
You are hungry but have not chosen what to eat. Jeg vil gjerne spise ___. Choose noe or noen.
Answer and explanation
Jeg vil gjerne spise noe. I would like to eat something. Something unspecified to eat: use noe.
Usage notes
It is not simply things versus people. In questions and negative sentences, noen can mean “any” with a singular en-noun: Har du noen penn? (Do you have a pen?). With an et-noun: Jeg har ikke noe pass (I do not have a passport).
Noe annet means something else; noen andre can mean someone else or other plural things.
References: NTNU’s quantities and indefinite references and Bokmålsordboka’s uses of noen and noe. Practice examples are original.