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Common idioms

Idioms make language come alive. Here you learn eight expressions Norwegians use a lot, what they mean and when they fit.

We teach BokmÄl, the written standard most people in Norway use.

In short: An idiom is a fixed expression whose overall meaning differs from the meaning of the individual words.

Rules

  1. Ta seg vann over hodet: to take on more than you can handle, like 'bite off more than you can chew'. Med tre jobber tok hun seg vann over hodet.
  2. Ikke se skogen for bare trér: to be so focused on details that you miss the big picture – 'can't see the wood for the trees'. Han ser ikke skogen for bare trér.
  3. SlĂ„ to fluer i en smekk: to achieve two things with one action – 'kill two birds with one stone' (literally: hit two flies with one swat). Jeg sykler til jobben og slĂ„r to fluer i en smekk.
  4. Det er ingen ku pÄ isen: there is no danger, nothing to worry about (literally: there's no cow on the ice). Vi rekker toget, det er ingen ku pÄ isen.
  5. Gi noen lang nese: to outwit or defy someone, often by getting away – close to 'thumb your nose at'. Tyven ga politiet lang nese.
  6. Ha en finger med i spillet: to have a hand in something, often behind the scenes. Jeg tror sjefen hadde en finger med i spillet.
  7. Kaste perler for svin: to give something valuable to people who can't appreciate it – 'cast pearls before swine'. Å servere dem god vin er Ă„ kaste perler for svin.
  8. Snakke rett fra levra: to speak your mind honestly and directly (literally: straight from the liver). Hun snakker alltid rett fra levra.
  9. Fixed wording: idioms rarely allow changes. Norwegians say «i en smekk», not «med ett slag».
  10. Style: most of these idioms are spoken and slightly informal. Use them sparingly in a factual report.

Typical mistake: translating the English idiom word for word. «Drepe to fugler med Ă©n stein» is not Norwegian – say «slĂ„ to fluer i en smekk».

Examples

  • Hun tok seg vann over hodet da hun sa ja til begge prosjektene.She bit off more than she could chew when she agreed to both projects.
  • I all diskusjonen om detaljer ser vi ikke skogen for bare trĂŠr.With all the discussion about details, we can't see the wood for the trees.
  • NĂ„r jeg handler pĂ„ vei hjem, slĂ„r jeg to fluer i en smekk.When I shop on the way home, I kill two birds with one stone.
  • Slapp av, det er ingen ku pĂ„ isen – vi har god tid.Relax, there's nothing to worry about – we have plenty of time.
  • Laget fra den lille bygda ga favorittene lang nese.The team from the small village outsmarted the favourites.
  • Det er tydelig at noen hadde en finger med i spillet.It's obvious that someone had a hand in it.
  • Å gi ham gode rĂ„d er som Ă„ kaste perler for svin.Giving him good advice is like casting pearls before swine.
  • Bestefar snakket rett fra levra i talen sin.Grandpa spoke his mind in his speech.

Practise with a test (C1) Translate into Norwegian

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