Learning Norwegian

 

 

my profile on Duolingo

Intro 

    One way to honor my ancestors is to learn the languages they spoke. Following the Beucus family line as it branches into the Gunderson, Knutson, Jensdatter, and Isaksdatter family lines, we end up back in Norway. So as a way to honor their heritage, I have started to learn Norwegian Bokmål on the Duolingo app. I plan to learn other ancestral languages as well such as German, French, and Dutch. Obviously, I don't expect to be fluent in every language our ancestors once spoke, but I think it is important to cherish their traditions. And in that vein, I can learn how to speak and write some of words and phrases in their native languages. I decided to start with Norwegian because my mother and I are planning a bucket list cruise that starts in Norway and goes to England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. We want to do a train ride in Norway before the cruise, so I thought it would be helpful to understand some of the language. It's actually been fun learning on the app, and I wanted to share some of the interesting vocabulary and sentence structures I have learned.

Key Words 

Family

1. far = father 
2. mor = mother 
3. datteren = the daughter 
4. sønnen = the son 
5. søster = sister 
6. bror = brother 

Greetings

1. hei = hi 
2. hallo = hello 
3. velkommen = welcome 
4. god dag = good afternoon 
5. god helg = have a nice weekend 
6. god kveld = good evening
7. unnskyld = excuse me 
8. Vær så snill = please 
9. bare hyggelig = you're welcome 
10. hvordan går det = How's it going? 
11. går det bra med deg = Are you doing alright? 
12. ha det = goodbye 
13. takk = thank you 
14. beklager = sorry

Descriptions

1. morsom = funny 
2. vanskelig = difficult 
3. stressende = stressful 
4. interessant= interesting 
5. kald = cold 
6. varm = hot 
7. ung = young 
8. Høy = tall 
9. smart = smart 
10. snill = nice 
11. veldig = very 

Nouns 

1. meny = menu
2. fisk = fish 
3. servitør = waiter 
4. te = tea 
5. kaffe = coffee 
6. hund = dog  
7. katt = cat 
8. jenta = girl 
9. gutten = the boy
10. kvinnen = the woman 
11. mannen = the man 
12. jeg = I 
13. du = you 
14. vann = water 
15. vin = wine 
16. øl = beer 
17. brød = bread 
18. ost = cheese

Sentences 

 

Autumn Surratt, Summer Gould, & Walter Surratt 

• Faren min er veldig høy = My father is very tall 

My father Walter Edward Surratt is 6 feet and 1 inch tall. He towers over my 5 feet 2 inches and my mom Summer Gould's 5 feet 4 inches. It makes him very helpful for getting things off the top shelf. My father taught me to see things from a different perspective to make sure everything is done right. He shared his love of hiking and nature with me.

 

Mary (Dodge) Surratt, Autumn Surratt, & Clayton Surratt

• Broren min er morsom = My brother is funny 

My brother Clayton James Surratt dressed up as Princess Jasmine from Aladdin for Halloween. He has a great sense of humor and loves to play games like Throw Throw Burrito. My brother Clayton taught me to not be so serious and to remember to have fun in life. He loves the beach, video games, The Last Kingdom, and Game of Thrones. 

 

Summer Gould & Autumn Surratt 

• Moren min leser ofte = My mother reads often 

My mother Summer loves to read books. She started reading Ramona Quimby around age 7. Now, her favorite authors are Patricia Cornwell, Stephen King, James Patterson, and Heather Graham. My mom taught me to be curious and inquisitive as well as kind and empathetic. She shared her love of reading, movies, and crafts with me. 

 

me 

• Jeg lager aldri mat = I never cook 

I dislike cooking, and I am rarely found in the kitchen. However, I do enjoy baking because I have a major sweet tooth. I love cookies, cupcakes, brownies, Chex treats, crisps, pies, and so on. I also love all things Halloween hence the apron and background.  

 

Jessica Anderson, Wyatt Surratt, & Autumn Surratt 

• Broren min er snill = My brother is nice

My brother Wyatt is closest in age to me. He taught me to be more authentic and not let others define who I am. My brother Wyatt loves video games, Star Wars, anime, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and bowling. 

With love, 

Autumn Rose Surratt 

The Ancestor Witch 

Sources 

• Norwegian Bokmål on the Duolingo app