Learn Norwegian food vocabulary
One topic we haven’t covered yet on our blog is food, so we have put together a three-part series that will focus on various topics, from the most essential words for food in Norwegian to restaurant-related vocabulary to Norway’s cuisine. To start off, here’s a list of words and phrases you’ll be able to use when the hunger kicks in, when you’re at a store buying groceries, or even as a dinner guest at a friend’s house.
How to talk about food in the Norwegian language?
Meals:
- (en) frokost – breakfast
- (en) lunsj – lunsj
- (en) middag – dinner
- (en) forrett – appetizer
- (en) hovedrett – main course
- (en) dessert – dessert
- (en) måltid – meal
Utensils:
- (en) tallerken – plate
- (en) skål – bowl
- (en) kopp / (en) krus – cup, mug
- (et) glass – glass
- (en) kniv – knife
- (en) gaffel – fork
- (en) skje – spoon
Food:
- (et) brød – bread
- (en) brødskive – slice of bread
- (en) grønnsak – vegetable
- (en) frukt – fruit
- (en) skinke – ham
- (en) ost – cheese
- (et) smør – butter
- (et) egg – egg
- (et) pålegg – topping for bread (anything you can add to bread, like jam, cream cheese, salami, literally anything is pålegg)
- (et) kjøtt – meat
- (en) fisk – fish
- (en) pølse – sausage
- (en) suppe – soup
- (en) potet – potato
- (en) salat – salad
- (en) melk – milk
- (en) frokostblanding – cereal
Useful phrases around the table
- Forsyn dere! – Dig in! Help yourselves!
- Hva vil du ha å spise/drikke? – What would you like to eat/drink?
- Kan jeg få brus/øl/kaffe? – Can I get soda/beer/coffee?
- Jeg vil gjerne ha et glass vann. – I would like to have a glass of water.
- Jeg har lyst på rødvin. – I feel like having red wine.
- Er du forsynt? – Are you satisfied? Have you had enough food?
- Kan jeg få litt til/mer? –May I have some more?
- Jeg er mett. – I am full.
You might be tempted to use “jeg er full” instead, which is incorrect and means something completely different, “full” means drunk, so careful what you say or you’ll be cut off from the alcohol supply.
- Det var godt/deilig. – That was good/delicious.
- Takk for maten! – Thank you for the food!
If you feel like we left anything out or there are any words or phrases you’re wondering about on your quest to learn Norwegian, leave a comment below and we’d be happy to answer your questions. We might even be able to add the extra vocabulary items to the next post in the series.
