Norwegian Language Schools in Norway

No matter where you choose to study in Norway, nature will be just a step (or more likely, ski) away. The country is known for its majestic fjords— narrow seas between cliffs or mountains— and the northern lights, but it’s with the people you’ll form the most lasting bonds. Important to remember throughout the country: dialects. Even people living just a kilometer down the road from each other might speak in entertainingly different ways!

The capital, Oslo, is the most-populated city in Norway, but two-thirds of it are still forests, parks, and green spaces. Hiking and biking are popular ways to let off steam after a grueling day of study, and a great way to have fun with your new international friends. The city may have one of the highest costs of living in the world, but the standard of living is right up there too. You’ll be able to dine out, go to concerts, and otherwise enjoy Scandinavian life in this bustling metropolis.

Bergen is Norway’s second largest city, and is known alternately as the “Gateway to the Fjords” and “the city of seven mountains” for its UNESCO ranked western harbor and stunning mountain landscape. It’s a great place to be an international student; there are tons of festivals to fill students’ free time and a number of opportunities to attend Norwegian classes in Norway and stay with families.

Northern Norway has its own offerings, even as far North as the Arctic Circle. One of the best places to see the Northern lights is in Tromsø, a city with a highly skilled population and numerous research institutions, including Tromsø University. Trondheim is a history-lover’s paradise, as it was the nation’s capital during the Viking Age and a religious center in the Middle Ages. It is still home of the northernmost Medieval cathedral in the world, and it offers many opportunities to explore Norway’s past.

The history of Norway has a lot to do with its current set of dialects today; there are as many variations of the language as there are reindeer in the north. The Danish occupation of the country influenced much of this, but the separation of and lack of transportation between small communities ensured that each valley, fjord, and village developed its own unique way of speaking. You’ll probably learn bokmål during your Norwegian courses, but living in a homestay or having language partners can introduce you to one of the many other dialects.

There are two official written standards of Norwegian: bokmål and nynorsk. Language schools and universities will emphasize these, and provide a stronger focus on grammar than some of the other program types. If you’re someone motivated by a group setting and classroom structure, sign up for one of these programs. Classes are typically held three to five times a week, which leaves you plenty of free time to test out your new pair of skis.

Another great option, particularly if you want something more informal and hands-on, is to live and study in the home of your private Norwegian teacher. You’ll have daily lessons with a certified teacher, but you’ll also be integrated into the family and have the opportunity to chat over meals, gatherings, and the optional outings that are included. This is a great way to learn at your own pace and not feel pressured to keep up with a class.

Similarly, language partners can be a huge benefit if you’re living on your own, or even as an addition to your studies if you’re taking Norwegian classes in Norway at a school. You can meet as much or as little as is convenient to you both, and you’ll get an inside look at what makes a Norwegian, Norwegian. They’ll teach you to swap your KitKat for a Kvikk Lunsi (trust me, you’ll want to), and learn to say key phrases that’ll take you from obvious language learner to someone who could pass as a native, even if just for a second! After a few meetings you’ll be saying skål (cheers) with the best of them.

The rate at which you learn any language depends largely on the effort you make; you get out what you put in. No one is perfect, so be patient and don’t consider complete perfection to be the ultimate goal!

To learn Norwegian in Norway can seem daunting to the untrained eye. Selvstendighet, for example. Could mean anything, right? While totally foreign-looking at first, Norwegian’s Germanic roots actually make the language far more similar to English than you first might think. Take the word apart so it reads self-standy-hood, and “independence" seems like a perfectly logical meaning. The same goes for snikskytter… at first glance it seems a far cry from “assassin,” until you break it down to sneak shooter and it all makes perfect sense. Look for these unexpected cognates and you’ll not only pick up a lot more words, you’ll also get a totally new perspective on some English words you never thought twice about!

When trying to navigate the icy waters of Norwegian (and let’s be real, Norway itself), it’s helpful to note that grammar and word order are also remarkably similar to English. “I can speak Norwegian” has the same subject-verb-noun order in both English and Norwegian, while in German, for example, you would say “I can Norwegian speak.” 

This is a huge help that will allow you to do what a lot of language instructors forbid: in-your-head literal translations. Most teachers will ask that you never translate before speaking, but instead learn how it’s phrased in the new language. Norwegian offers a bit of a cheat by being almost identical in structure, and you can get away with these translations in a pinch.

Norway has a lot to offer the international student, with free college education being just the first! It’s also perfect for anyone interested in different political and economic systems— Norway is very pro-environment and has a strong human rights agenda— and anyone with a penchant for the great outdoors. They even have a “freedom to roam” law, Allemannsrett, that allows free access to all uncultivated land. 

However, despite being the country that, you know, speaks Norwegian, it can actually be pretty difficult sometimes to find places to practice. Because English is spoken by nearly everyone, many public announcements and automated greetings are multilingual. You can even file your taxes on an English-language tax form. You will likely stand out as a foreigner the second you try to pronounce Ø, Æ, or Å, and it can be very tempting to resort back to the English that everyone understands. A lot of Norwegians will also see you as a great way for them to practice their English, which is great, as long as the exchange is mutual! That being said, if they can survive the Great Butter Shortage of 2011, you can persevere through the wonky pronunciation and insanely long nouns, and be a Norwegian-speaking champ in no time.

While you learn Norwegian in Norway, make the effort to break the (literal) ice, and most importantly, find something you like that will make speaking Norwegian a part of your daily life. Whether it’s the comic books of Pondus, recipes with brown cheese or lutefisk, or catching up on the record-breaking list of Winter Olympic gold medal winners, Norway is sure to light the spark of learning.