Compound words
Norwegian makes new words by gluing old ones together: buss + sjåfør = bussjåfør (bus driver). Once you see the parts, long words get easy – but you have to write them as one word.
We teach Bokmål, the written standard most people in Norway use.
In short: glue the words together, write them as one word, and let the last word decide the meaning and the gender: en buss + en sjåfør = en bussjåfør.
What is this about?
A compound word is a new word built from two or more words that already exist. «Kaffe» (coffee) and «kopp» (cup) become «kaffekopp» (coffee cup). This way a language can make new words almost without limit, and you can often understand a long word just by splitting it up.
Norwegian loves compounds: «barnehage» (kindergarten, child + garden), «bussjåfør» (bus driver), «sykehus» (hospital, sick + house), «værmelding» (weather forecast). The last word is the main word, and the first one describes it: a «kaffekopp» is a kind of cup. The main word also decides the gender: «en barnehage», because it's «en hage». Sometimes a small letter comes in the middle, an -s- or an -e-: «arbeidsdag» (working day), «julebord» (Christmas party). And most importantly: the whole thing is written as one word.
English often writes two words: bus driver, weather forecast. That's why English speakers tend to split Norwegian words and write «buss sjåfør». In Norwegian that can change the meaning or simply look wrong. You'll meet compounds everywhere: on signs, in forms from NAV and Skatteetaten, and in job ads for things like «helsefagarbeider» (healthcare worker).
Rules
- The last word is the main word, the first one describes it: en kaffekopp is a cup for coffee (it can be empty). En kopp kaffe is a cup with coffee in it.
- The gender comes from the last word: et barn + en hage = en barnehage. Ei/en hånd + et kle = et håndkle (towel). Et vær + en melding = en værmelding (weather forecast).
- Endings follow the last word too: barnehagen, barnehager.
- Linking -s-: arbeid + dag = arbeidsdag, fødsel + dag = fødselsdag (birthday), kjærlighet + brev = kjærlighetsbrev. After -ing, -het, -sjon and -dom there is almost always an -s-: en avdelingsleder (head of department).
- Linking -e-: barn + hage = barnehage, jul + bord = julebord (Christmas party), syk + pleier = sykepleier (nurse).
- No link: buss + sjåfør = bussjåfør, tann + lege = tannlege (dentist), fot + ball = fotball.
- There's no simple rule for when you get -s- or -e-. Learn the word as a whole and check ordbokene.no when you're unsure.
- Three identical consonants become two: buss + stasjon = busstasjon, natt + tog = nattog (night train).
- Writing the parts apart changes the meaning: røykfritt = smoking is not allowed, but «røyk fritt» = smoke as much as you like! En engelsklærer teaches English, en engelsk lærer is a teacher from England.
- Hyphen with abbreviations and numbers: PIN-kode, TV-program, EU-land, 17. mai-tog.
- Long words are completely normal. Take them apart from the end: barnehageplass = a plass (place) in a barnehage, sykehusparkering = parkering at a sykehus.
Typical mistake: English writes compounds apart (bus driver, winter jacket), so English speakers write «buss sjåfør», «vinter jakke». In Norwegian it's one word: bussjåfør, vinterjakke.
Examples
- Jeg jobber som sykepleier på legevakta i Kristiansand.I work as a nurse at the emergency clinic in Kristiansand.
- Barnehagen stenger klokka fem på fredager.The kindergarten closes at five on Fridays.
- Husk vinterjakke og ullsokker på turen til Finse.Remember a winter jacket and wool socks for the trip to Finse.
- Kan jeg få en kopp kaffe? – Ja, kaffekoppene står i skapet.Can I have a cup of coffee? – Sure, the coffee cups are in the cupboard.
- Vi har julebord på jobben neste fredag.We're having our work Christmas party next Friday.
- Hele hotellet er røykfritt, også balkongene.The whole hotel is non-smoking, including the balconies.
- Hun fikk barnehageplass til sønnen sin i Sandnes.She got a kindergarten place for her son in Sandnes.
- Han søkte på en jobb som avdelingsleder i Bergen.He applied for a job as head of department in Bergen.