Moments · Learning Norwegian

Glad you went

Before the run, you were looking for a reason to stay home. Now you’re glad you went.

Back on the doormat

There was a moment by the door when taking your shoes off again seemed reasonable. Instead, you went out.

Now you’re back. Your shoes leave a little grit on the mat. You unzip your jacket and stand still while your breathing settles.

Someone asks how it was.

The same moment, a little more language

What would you say?

Start with what you know. Stay for something new. All three levels are here to explore.

Learn all 9 phrases

All three levels, introduced gradually in order: A1 → B1 → C1. Earlier phrases return for review as you learn more. A free account is needed.

A1 · The essentials

Say it simply

Say how the run felt.

Your answer can be short. There’s time for the rest once you’ve taken your shoes off.

A1 includes these 3 phrases.

English

It was tough.

Norwegian

Det var tungt.

English

I’m tired now.

Norwegian

Jeg er sliten nå.

English

It was worth it.

Norwegian

Det var verdt det.

Tungt literally means heavy, but can describe effort. Sliten is tired or worn out. Verdt det is “worth it”, a useful phrase to learn as a whole.

A small thing to try

Think of something that took effort today. Say whether it was worth it.

B1 · A little more language

Explain a little more

Connect how you felt before with how you feel now.

You almost didn’t go. That’s part of why standing here afterwards feels so good.

B1 includes these 3 phrases.

English

I didn’t really feel like running today.

Norwegian

Jeg hadde egentlig ikke lyst til å løpe i dag.

English

I’m glad I got out.

Norwegian

Jeg er glad jeg kom meg ut.

English

It was tough at first, but it got easier along the way.

Norwegian

Det var tungt i starten, men det ble lettere underveis.

Ha lyst til å introduces something you feel like doing. Kom meg ut carries the little effort of getting yourself out. Underveis means along the way.

A small thing to try

Tell someone about a time you nearly stayed home but went out. Include how you felt afterwards.

C1 · Tone and nuance

Make it sound like you

Admit the reluctance with a little humour.

Du står på matta og husker hvor gode grunnene til å bli hjemme virket. Nå virker de litt mindre overbevisende. Du lar være å love at det blir like lett neste gang.

Read the scene in English

You stand on the mat and remember how good the reasons for staying home seemed. Now they seem a little less convincing. You stop short of promising it will be as easy next time.

C1 includes these 3 phrases.

English

The biggest hurdle was actually getting out the door.

Norwegian

Den største kneika var egentlig å komme seg ut døra.

English

I’d nearly talked myself into staying home.

Norwegian

Jeg hadde nesten overtalt meg selv til å bli hjemme.

English

Right now it feels like an excellent idea; ask me again tomorrow.

Norwegian

Akkurat nå virker det som en glimrende idé; spør meg igjen i morgen.

Kneika can turn a steep part of a route into a metaphor for a hurdle. The last sentence lets your listener hear both satisfaction and some doubt about tomorrow. The humour comes from that small admission.

A small thing to try

Describe a small achievement to a friend without making yourself sound more motivated than you were.

You’re still tired. You’re also smiling.

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A note on levels and language

A1, B1 and C1 describe the focus of each section, not a test of your ability. You may recognise phrases at any level. These are teaching examples guided by the CEFR descriptions, not official ratings of individual sentences. The Norwegian uses Bokmål.