level: A2-B1
1. Key Vocabulary Breakdown
Let’s start by identifying the most useful nouns and verbs from the lyrics that you can use in daily conversation.
Nouns (Substantiv):
- Natten (The night) – Definite form of “en natt”.
- Strender (Beaches) – Plural form of “en strand”.
- Bølger (Waves) – Plural form of “en bølge”.
- Fjell (Mountain) – A core Norwegian word.
- Fred (Peace) – Pronounced with a long ‘e’, the ‘d’ is silent.
- Eventyr (Adventure/Fairy tale) – Also means a folktale.
Verbs (Verbe):
- Danser (Dancing/Dances) – Present tense.
- Glem (Forget) – Imperative form (command).
- Le (Laugh) – Infinitive.
- Føle (Feel) – Infinitive.
- Skje (Happen) – Pronounced like “shay” (the ‘skj’ sound).
2. Grammar Focus: The Imperative (Commands)
In this song, the singer gives several commands (telling people what to do). In Norwegian, you form the Imperative by taking the infinitive verb and removing the -e.
| Infinitive (to…) | Imperative (Do it!) | Example from Song | Meaning |
| Å glemme (to forget) | Glem! | “Glem alle sorger” | Forget all sorrows |
| Å komme (to come) | Kom! | “Kom igjen” | Come on |
| Å vente (to wait) | Vent! | “Vent ikke” | Do not wait |
Note: “Kom igjen” is an extremely common phrase in Norway. It translates to “Come on!” and can be used to encourage someone (sports), hurry someone up, or show excitement.
3. Line-by-Line Analysis
Here we look at specific phrases that contain idioms or poetic structure.
“Livets rytme er vår sjarm”
- Literal: Life’s rhythm is our charm.
- Grammar Note: Livets uses the -s genitive (possessive). It connects “Livet” (the life) + “s” to mean “Life’s”.
“Kjenner pulsen i hver tær”
- Translation: Feel the pulse in every toe.
- Correction/Nuance: Strictly speaking, grammatically, hver (every) is usually followed by a singular noun (hver tå). However, the songwriter used tær (plural: toes) to rhyme with nær, hver, and sfære. This is called poetic license.
“Tiden er vår lege”
- Translation: Time is our doctor/healer.
- Idiom: This is a poetic way of referencing the common saying: “Tiden leger alle sår” (Time heals all wounds).
“Fra fjell til hav vi like glad”
- Translation: From mountain to ocean we [are] equally happy.
- Cultural Context: This line captures the essence of the Norwegian spirit. The contrast between fjell (mountain) and hav (ocean) covers the entire Norwegian landscape.
4. Pronunciation Spotlight
Norwegian has some tricky letter combinations. Use this song to practice them:
- The “Skj” Sound: Found in the word Skje (happen).
- It sounds like the English “Sh” in “She”.
- The Silent “D”: Found in Fred (peace).
- You do not pronounce the D. Say it like “Freh” (with a long E).
- The “Rv” Blend: Found in Virvelvind (whirlwind).
- Norwegians roll their R’s slightly. The R flows directly into the V.
5. Student Exercise
Test your understanding of the lyrics with this quick matching game. Match the Norwegian phrase to the English meaning.
| Norwegian | English |
| 1. Morgen | A. Sorrows |
| 2. Sorger | B. Morning |
| 3. La oss | C. Together |
| 4. Sammen | D. Let us |
| 5. Vind | E. Wind |
(Answers: 1-B, 2-A, 3-D, 4-C [implied in context], 5-E)