In this grammar lesson we are going to learn the difference between the Norwegian words “mange” and “mye”. These words may seem very similar, but the rules for when to use them are actually quite simple. Let’s take a closer look.
Mange
“Mange” means “many”, “a lot of” and it is used with countable nouns; that is with things that we can count:
- mange språk (many languages)
- mange venner (many friends)
- mange studenter (many students)
“Mange” can also be used on its own as a noun when it refers to people, and the context is clear:
- Det var mange på festen på lørdag. – There were a lot of people at the party on Saturday.
And here is how you form the degrees of comparison of “mange”:
| mange | flere | flest |
| many | more | most |
Mye
“Mye” means “much”, “a lot of” and we use it with uncountable nouns. These are things that we can’t really count:
- mye mat (much food)
- mye jobb (a lot of work)
- mye kjærlighet (much love)
In addition, we can use “mye” with verbs:
- Jeg har mye å gjøre. – I have a lot to do.
And here is how you form the degrees of comparison:
| mye | mer | mest |
| much | more | most |
“Mange” and “mye”
We can use both, “mange” and “mye” in some cases, for example:
- mange/mye folk – a lot of people
- mange/mye penger – a lot of money
Have you found this article useful? Check out our lesson about how to use “noen” and “noe” or take a look at our Norwegian courses if you would like to learn more Norwegian.
