Moments · Learning Norwegian

Listening through the wall

You hear your child coughing and stop halfway through what you’re doing.

Halfway through the evening

Your hand stays on the kitchen drawer. You listen for another cough.

Later, someone asks how things are at home. You want to explain the cold and the worry that comes with it.

You don’t need an elaborate way to describe the feeling before you can share it.

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

Name what is happening and how you feel.

Someone asks about your child. These short sentences give you a place to begin.

A1 includes these 3 phrases.

English

My child has a cold.

Norwegian

Barnet mitt er forkjølet.

English

My child is coughing a lot.

Norwegian

Barnet mitt hoster mye.

English

I’m worried.

Norwegian

Jeg er bekymret.

In Norwegian, you er forkjølet: you have a cold. It does not mean feeling cold. Jeg er bekymret can stand on its own.

A small thing to try

Say what is happening, then add a sentence about how you feel.

B1 · A little more language

Explain a little more

Describe your observations and ask someone to listen.

You’re talking to someone close to you. You want them to understand why you keep losing the thread of the conversation.

B1 includes these 3 phrases.

English

My child has had a cold for a few days.

Norwegian

Barnet mitt har vært forkjølet i noen dager.

English

I get worried when I hear the coughing.

Norwegian

Jeg blir bekymret når jeg hører hostingen.

English

Can we talk for a bit? I need to share this with someone.

Norwegian

Kan vi snakke litt? Jeg trenger å dele dette med noen.

Har vært … i noen dager describes a situation that has lasted for a few days. Change the time phrase to match your observation. Blir bekymret describes becoming worried; er bekymret describes being worried.

A small thing to try

Imagine explaining a worry to a friend. Ask for a little time to talk.

C1 · Tone and nuance

Make it sound like you

Describe the attention a worry takes up.

Du prøver å følge med på samtalen, men hver gang det kommer en lyd fra rommet ved siden av, mister du tråden. Til slutt sier du hva du egentlig tenker på.

Read the scene in English

You try to follow the conversation, but every time there’s a sound from the next room, you lose your train of thought. Eventually, you say what you’re really thinking about.

C1 includes these 3 phrases.

English

I notice that I’m listening out for every little sound.

Norwegian

Jeg merker at jeg lytter etter hver minste lyd.

English

I find it difficult to put the worry aside.

Norwegian

Jeg synes det er vanskelig å legge bekymringen fra meg.

English

You don’t need to have an answer; I just need someone to listen.

Norwegian

Du trenger ikke ha et svar; jeg trenger bare at noen lytter.

Lytte etter means listening out for something. Legge bekymringen fra meg gives worry the image of something you’re carrying. The last sentence gently tells the other person what kind of support you want.

A small thing to try

Ask someone to listen without making them feel they must solve the problem.

You have a way to tell someone what has been on your mind.

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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.

This imagined scene teaches language for observations and feelings. It does not assess symptoms or give medical advice.