The Norwegian puzzle - find your missing pieces
Episodes
#41 "Frisk" or "fersk"? - The finesse of freshness. [vokabular]
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us Fan Mail“Fresh” sounds simple until you try to say it in Norwegian and suddenly you have two options that both seem right. We unpack the r...
#40 "Normalest"? Or "mest normal"? - three rules of comparative and superlative use [grammatikk]]
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textWe start with the quick foundation: how comparative and superlative forms work (think -ere and -est), and why the English habit of avoiding...
#39 Tid / gang / time - What do they mean? And how are they used? [vokabular]
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textSupport the showDo you like the podcast? :) Feel free to buy me a coffee :) buymeacoffee.com/thenorwegianpuzzle .... This podcast is avai...
#38 Silje lærer å stå på ski! (3/3) [lytteøvelse] [listening practice]
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textI share how a final course day transformed nerves into confidence by framing cross-country skiing around three core “gears,” each desig...
#37 Skiglede ("ski joy") where are you? - A sceptic’s guide to skiing, gear, and sanity [kultur] [tips]
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textWinter can feel endless when the sun disappears, and everyone around you seems to glide across the snow like they were born doing it. I&apo...
#36 Silje lærer å stå på ski ... eller?? 2/3 [lytteøvelse] [listening practice]
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textLet's continue with my ski course story from last episode ... First, I guide you through a Norwegian–English sequence with generous ...
#35 Silje lærer å stå på ski (1/3) [på norsk]
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textSupport the showDo you like the podcast? :) Feel free to buy me a coffee :) buymeacoffee.com/thenorwegianpuzzle .... This podcast is avai...
#34 "I", "inn", "inne" and "inni". I say no more... [vokabular]
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat is the difference in meaning and function of these four words? How can we translate the English word "in" to Norwegian? ...
#33 I have cake for you... or to you? When to use "til" instead of "for" in Norwegian. [vokabular]
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSupport the showDo you like the podcast? :) Feel free to buy me a coffee :) buymeacoffee.com/thenorwegianpuzzle .... This podcast is a...
# 32 My very personal language learning tips (hint: fall in love with the process) [tips]
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWe explore why motivation beats method when learning Norwegian and how joy, identity, and daily habits make progress stick. We share har...
#31 "Å bety" versus "å mene" - because “to mean” means a lot ... [vokabular]
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWe start with "å bety", the reliable choice when you ask what a word translates to, define a term, or tie facts to outcomes. ...
30. God jul! Godt nytt år! "Takk for det gamle!" (+ podcast plan for 2026)
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe shortest days can still spark the biggest plans. We open with Yule—what it actually means, why it isn’t the same as Christmas, a...
#29 "Erfaring" or "opplevelse"? The 2 nuances of "experience" in Norwegian. [vokabular]
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOne word captures the knowledge you carry forward while the other captures the moment you live through. With clear examples from work, l...
#28 Meg og meg selv, selv -- me and myself, by myself ... wait, what?? [vokabular]
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textStop second-guessing yourself in Norwegian. In this episode you will learn the three ways to say "myself" (and "yourself&...
#27 Norwegian excitement ... is three different emotions! - So exciting! Så spennende! [vokabular]
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEver wonder why “I’m excited” in English never seems to land quite right in Norwegian? We unpack the three routes Norwegians typic...
#26 "At" or "som"? The one where pizza explains it all ... [grammatikk] [on the go]
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWe dive into the real logic behind Norwegian "at" and "som", stripping away jargon and showing exactly how these con...
#25 Preteritum and perfektum - How Norwegians look at the past [grammatikk] [on the go]
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textLet's dig into a clear mental model that strips away guesswork and shows exactly when to use preteritum, presens perfektum, and pre...
#24 Halloween in Norway listening exercise [på norsk] [pronunciation]
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, I contrast two traditions that shape this season in Norway. Halloween on October 31 brings costumes, door-to-door visit...
#23 "Noe" or "noen"? what they can mean and how they are used. [vokabular] [grammatikk]
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis notorious word pair confuses even advanced learners, but today I'm breaking it down into simple, manageable parts that will tr...
#22 A, E, and Æ pronunciation... and some geometry revisions [uttale] [pronunciation]
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this pronunciation-focused episode, we break down three connected but distinct Norwegian vowel sounds: A, E, and Æ. Rather than gett...
#21 Snakkes? Spises? Synes? The secrets of s-ending verbs [grammatikk]
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textStruggling with those mysterious S-endings on Norwegian verbs? The secret is that there isn't just one explanation – there are t...
#20 "Skal", "vil", or "kommer til å"? You will soon understand the future tenses! [vokabular]
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textStruggling with how to express future actions in Norwegian? You're not alone. The difficulty lies in the crucial distinctions betwe...
#19 Språkforvirret? Lost in translation? Avoid these funny translation mistakes! [vokabular]
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a text This episode dives into some of the most common translation mistakes that nearly all Norwegian learners make, regardless of their leve...
#18 "Hvis" or "om"? If I only knew ... / Hvis jeg bare visste det ... [grammatikk]
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textStarting with good news - you can always use "om" if you're uncertain, though native speakers typically differentiate bet...
#17 "Annen", "annet", "andre" : another confusing topic in Norwegian [grammatikk] [vokabular]
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis episode tackles one of the most confusing aspects of Norwegian grammar: the different forms of "annet," "annen,"...
#16 Inversion: what it is, when to do it and how [grammatikk]
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe logic behind Norwegian inversion is actually quite straightforward once you understand it: the verb always wants to occupy the secon...
#15 When English "to" becomes "å", "til å", or "for å" [vokabular]
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe seemingly simple word "to" can transform into three different Norwegian constructions: "å" (the infinitive part...
#14 Sommer på jorda - Norwegian summer song decoded [på norsk] [kultur]
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textDive into the heart of Norwegian summer through music as we explore and translate the beloved classic "Sommer på jorda" by Po...
#13 Duck face Y (how to pronounce the letter Y + exercises) [pronunciation] [uttale]
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe letter Y in Norwegian requires precise lip positioning. Mastering this sound prevents embarrassing mistakes like saying "to dro...
#12 Sikker / sikkert: two mistakes I am 99 % sure you make [grammatikk] [vokabular]
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a text*Bonus material below introduction*Have you ever confidently used a word in Norwegian only to be met with confusion? That's exactly...
#11 Perfection your Norwegian "u" sound and avoid misunderstandings [pronunciation] [uttale]
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textStruggling with Norwegian pronunciation? You're not alone! The letter U presents a unique challenge for English speakers, requiring...
#10 When private lessons might be the answer - and how to choose your teacher. [tips og tanker]
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textStruggling with motivation in your language learning journey? You're not alone. The traditional classroom setting works wonderfully...
#9 Å legge/ligge, å sette/sitte: two tricky verb pairs demystified [vokabular] [grammatikk]
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textNorwegian features tricky verb pairs that confuse even native speakers: intransitive "å ligge/å sitte" (describing states) v...
#8 Å legge, å sette and å putte: Things, their position and the art of placing them correctly. [vokabular]
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhile English speakers casually "put" things anywhere, Norwegians must choose between three specific verbs—å legge, å sett...
#7 Flags, parades & ice cream! - 17th of May listening exercise! [kultur] [på norsk]
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textNorway's Constitution Day transforms the entire country into a sea of red, white, and blue flags, joyous celebrations, and the rhyt...
#6 Norwegian nouns demystified (an introduction and a little bit extra) [grammatikk]
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textNorwegian nouns operate within a three-gender system with unique rules for articles and definiteness that differ significantly from Engl...
#5 Å tro - å synes - å tenke - å mene: the subtle art of expressing opinions in Norwegian [vokabular]
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textNorwegian's multiple verbs for expressing thoughts and opinions create a fascinating linguistic puzzle for learners. Moving beyond ...
#4 The KJ sound: it's time to nail it! [pronunciation] [uttale]
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textNorwegian teacher Silje provides a detailed guide to mastering the challenging KJ sound in Norwegian with three practical techniques and...
#3 "Å pleie å" - how you actually use it (English can be a false friend) [vokabular]
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe Norwegian verb "å pleie" differs significantly from the English "used to" despite seeming like a direct transla...
#2 Uniquely simple and tricky - an introduction to Norwegian grammar & pronunciation [grammatikk] [uttale] [pronunciation]
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textNorwegian grammar appears intimidating at first glance but actually offers surprising simplicity in many areas compared to other languag...
#1 What is this podcast all about? And who am I?
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textLearning Norwegian and just discovering my podcast? In this episode you'll learn a bit about me and the concept behind my podcast!...