Norwegian - Folk Dance Federation of California, South Inc.

Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.

Norwegian
By Norwegian

A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g,
H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p,
Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v,
W w, X x, Y y, Z z, Æ æ, Ø ø, Å å

Norwegian is a North Germanic language and has over five million speakers. It is closely related to Danish and Swedish.

Norwegian vowels can be short or long.

Letters not listed below are pronounced approximately as in English.

A, a - a as in father; a as in bar

E, e - e as in let; a as in fray; u as in lettuce

I, i - i as in pin; also i as in machine

O, o - o as in note; also oo as in school

U, u - oo as in foot; u as in duke

Y, y - i as in pin; i as in machine

Æ, æ - a as in tap

Ø, ø - ou as in bouy

Å, å - aw as in paw; o as in pot; o as in note

C, c - s as in sink in front of a soft vowel (i, y); c as in candy in front of a hard vowel (a, o, u)

G, g - g as in go in front of hard vowels and consonants; silent in words ending in "-ig"

H, h - ch (gutteral kh) as in loch

J, j - y as in yes

K, k - h as in hand in front of soft vowels; k as in kangaroo in front of hard vowels

Q, q - qu as in quell (but only in foreign words)

R, r - slightly rolled

W, w - w (pronounced as a "v") as in wisent (but only in foreign words)

X, x - s as in sold (but only in foreign words)

Z, z - s as in slip (but only in foreign words)

DIPTHONGS:

Ai, ai - ai as in kaiser

Au, au - au as in sauerkraut

Ei, ei - ei as in eider

Gn, gn - gn as in bologna

Kj, kj - a combination of h and ch (of loch)

Ng, ng - ng as in song

Oi, oi - oi as in boil

Sk, sk - sh as in shoe (before soft vowels)

Skj, skj - sh as in shoe

Sl, sl - shl as in shlep

Ui, ui - ui as in ruin

SILENT LETTERS:

d - at the end of a word (except for ned and sted)

g - silent in adverbs and adjectives that end in "-ig"

h - silent when preceding a "j" or "v"

t - silent at the end of a definite neuter noun and in "det"

v - silent at the end of some words

A, a	- a as in father; a as in bar
E, e	- e as in let; a as in fray; u as in lettuce
I, i	- i as in pin; also i as in machine
O, o	- o as in note; also oo as in school
U, u	- oo as in foot; u as in duke
Y, y	- i as in pin; i as in machine

Æ, æ	- a as in tap
Ø, ø	- ou as in bouy
Å, å	- aw as in paw; o as in pot; o as in note

C, c	- s as in sink in front of a soft vowel (i, y); c as in candy in front of a hard vowel (a, o, u)
G, g	- g as in go in front of hard vowels and consonants; silent in words ending in "-ig"
H, h	- ch (gutteral kh) as in loch
J, j	- y as in yes
K, k	- h as in hand in front of soft vowels; k as in kangaroo in front of hard vowels
Q, q	- qu as in quell (but only in foreign words)
R, r	- slightly rolled
W, w	- w (pronounced as a "v") as in wisent (but only in foreign words)
X, x	- s as in sold (but only in foreign words)
Z, z	- s as in slip (but only in foreign words)

DIPTHONGS:

Ai, ai	- ai as in kaiser
Au, au	- au as in sauerkraut
Ei, ei	- ei as in eider
Gn, gn	- gn as in bologna
Kj, kj	- a combination of h and ch (of loch)
Ng, ng	- ng as in song
Oi, oi	- oi as in boil
Sk, sk	- sh as in shoe (before soft vowels)
Skj, skj	- sh as in shoe
Sl, sl	- shl as in shlep
Ui, ui	- ui as in ruin

SILENT LETTERS:

d	- at the end of a word (except for ned and sted)
g	- silent in adverbs and adjectives that end in "-ig"
h	- silent when preceding a "j" or "v"
t	- silent at the end of a definite neuter noun and in "det"
v	- silent at the end of some words