70 Idioms and Sayings in Norway

Ugler i mosen - Owls in the moss.

Norwegian language is full of quirky and interesting idioms and sayings that give you a peek into the country's culture. These expressions range from funny to profound and sometimes reveal a bit about old Norwegian values and way of life. In this blog post I’ve tried to collect idioms and sayings that you might actually come across during your studies or visit to Norway.

PS: Some these sayings have been “stolen” from other languages over time, so you might just recognize some of them from your own native language.

1. Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær
   Translation: There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes
   Meaning: Don’t complain about the weather, you should dress better instead.
   

2. Gammel vane er vond å vende
   Translation: “Old habbits are difficult to turn”
   Meaning: “Old habits are hard to change”
   

3. Morgenstund har gull i munn
   Translation: “Morning time has gold in the mouth”
   Meaning: The morning is a very valuable time where you can achieve many things.
   

4. Eplet faller ikke langt fra stammen
   Translation: The apple doesn’t fall far from the trunk
   Meaning: Children resemble their parents.
   

5. Å få både i pose og sekk
   Translation: To get both in bag and sack
   Meaning: You can’t get both / You can’t have your cake and eat it too
   

6. Førstemann til mølla
   Translation: First person to the mill
   Meaning: The first to get there gets it / First come first served
   

7. Smi mens jernet er varmt
   Translation: Forge while the iron is hot
   Meaning: To do something while you have the chance / To strike while the iron is hot
   

8. Bedre sent enn aldri
   Translation: better late than never
   Meaning: Better to do something late than not at all.
   

9. Ta det med en klype salt
   Translation: Take it with a pinch of salt
   Meaning: Don’t believe 100% of what was said / don’t take it too seriously
   

10. Å ta det for god fisk
    Translation: To take it as good fish
    Meaning: To believe something someone said without doubting them
    

11. Aldri for sent å snu
    Translation: Never to late to turn
    Meaning: It’s never to late to stop / return / go back
    

12. Ha det bra
    Translation: Have it well
    Meaning: Take care!
    

13. Borte bra men hjemme best
    Translation: Away is good, but home is best
    Meaning: Nothing beats home
    

14. Ut på tur, aldri sur
    Translation: Out on a trip / hike, never grumpy
    Meaning: There’s no reason to be grumpy when you’re outside enjoying nature
    

15. Mye vil ha mer
    Translation: Much / A lot wants more
    Meaning: People that have a lot of things / money / anything always wants to have more
    

16. Det selger som hakka møkk
    Translation: It sells like minced / chopped shit
    Meaning: It’s selling really well / It’s super popular
    

17. Lyset er på, men ingen er hjemme”
    Translation: The lights are on, but nobody’s home
    Meaning: This person is not very smart
    

18. Du er ikke den skarpeste kniven i skuffen
    Translation: You’re not the sharpest knife in the drawer
    Meaning: You’re not very smart (sharp)
    

19. Å gå rundt grøten
    Translation: To walk around the porrige
    Meaning: To avoid getting to the point / Take a long time before getting to the point.
    

20. Å male seg selv i et hjørne
    Translation: To paint oneself into a corner
    Meaning: To put oneself in a difficult situation
    

21. Hvorfor så lang i maska?
    Translation: Why so long in (your) mask?
    Meaning: Why are you making that face (usually a sad or surprised face)
    

22. Du må ha is i magen
    Translation: You must have “Ice in the stomach”
    Meaning: You must be “be patient”
    

23. Jo flere kokker, jo mere søl
    Translation: The more chefs, the more mess
    Meaning: Having more people involved means there are more people that can mess up the situation.
    

24. En ulv i fåreklær
    Translation: A wolf in a lamb’s clothing
    Meaning: A bad guy disguised as a good guy
    

25. Selv en blind høne kan finne korn
    Translation: Even a blind hen can find corn
    Meaning: Anybody can get lucky
    

26. Å bli tatt på senga
    Translation: To be taken on the bed
    Meaning: To be caught in action
    

27. Å bli tatt på fersken / fersk gjerning
    Translation: To be taken on the “fresh”
    Meaning: To be caught in the act of doing something / while the act is still very recent
    

28. Det går så det griner / gviner
    Translation: It goes so (much that) it’s crying (whining)
    Meaning: It’s going really well
    

29. Brent barn skyr ilden
    Translation: Burned children avoid fire
    Meaning: Children (or people in general) learn from their mistakes
    

30. Jeg er frisk som en fisk
    Translation: I’m as healthy as a fish
    Meaning: I am very healthy
    

31. Øving gjør mester
    Translation: Practice makes master
    Meaning: You have to practice to become a master / Practice makes perfect
    

32. Tida flyr
    Translation: Time flies
    Meaning: Time is passing / has passed really quickly
    

33. Ikke selg skinnet før bjørnen er skutt
    Translation: Don’t sell the hide / skin before the bear has been shot
    Meaning: Don’t promise something before you’re sure you can deliver on it.
    

34. Uten mat og drikke duger helten ikke
    Translation: Without food and drink, the hero doesn’t work
    Meaning: You can’t accomplish great things with an empty stomach
    

35. Å få blod på tannen
    Translation: To get blood on your tooth.
    Meaning: To become inspired / driven to do something.
    

36. Sitte med skjegget i postkassa
    Translation: To sit with your beard in the mailbox.
    Meaning: To have ended up in a stupid situation, that you may have cheated your way into.
    

37. Man skal ikke skue hunden på hårene
    Translation: You shouldn’t judge the dog on its hairs.
    Meaning: You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
    

38. Å gjøre kål på
    Translation: To make cabbage of
    Meaning: To finish something so that it is gone, for example by eating the leftovers.
    

39. Å være på bærtur
    Translation: To be out berry-picking
    Meaning: To describe someone who does not know what they’re talking about or don’t know what they’re doing
    

40. Det er aldri så galt at det ikke er godt for noe!
    Translation: It’s never so bad that it’s not good for something.
    Meaning: You can always find something positive in a negative situation
    

41. Å snakke rett fra leveren
    Translation: To speak directly from the liver.
    Meaning: To speak plainly/truthfully without sugar-coating.
    

42. Der er ugler i mosen
    Translation: There are owls in the moss.
    Meaning: Something is off or not quite right. There is something secretive/sinister about a situation.
    

43. Å ha en finger med i spillet
    Translation: To have a finger included in the game.
    Meaning: To play a part in something (often something sneaky).
    

44. Det er helt Texas!
    Translation: That’s completely Texas!
    Meaning: That’s crazy
    

45. Hva er i veien?
    Translation: What’s in the way?
    Meaning: What’s wrong?
    

46. Å svelge noen kameler
    Translation: To swallow some camels.
    Meaning: To give in / to chose to ignore something, often to keep the peace.
    

47. Det er helt på trynet!
    Translation: It’s completely on the face.
    Meaning: It’s totally ridiculous.
    

48. Håper at det smaker
    Translation: I hope that it tastes.
    Meaning: I hope it tastes good, bon appetit!
    

49. Har du røyka sokka dine?
    Translation: Have you smoked your socks?
    Meaning: Are you crazy?
    

50. Snakke i munnen på hverandre
    Translation: Talking in each other’s mouths.
    Meaning: People are talking at the same time, talking over each other / one another.
    

51. Holde tunga rett i munnen
    Translation: Keeping the tongue straight in the mouth.
    Meaning: To be accurate / To no not deviate from the mission / To concentrate at the task at hand.
    

52. Ta knekken på (meg)!
    Translation: This breaks me! “Knekk” means to break in half.
    Meaning: It’s killing me!
    

53. Ryk og reis
    Translation: Smoke and travel.
    Meaning: Get the hell out of here.
    

54. Jeg har det på tungen
    Translation: I have it on my tongue.
    Meaning: It’s on the tip of my tongue.
    

55. Å leve på luft og kjærlighet
    Translation: Living on air and love.
    Meaning: To survive on very limited / few resources.
    

56. Å gjøre noen en bjørnetjeneste
    Translation: Do someone a bear favour.
    Meaning: Despite trying to do the right thing, you do more harm than good.
    

57. Å stikke noe under en stol
    Translation: Stick something under a chair.
    Meaning: To try and hide something.
    

58. Å være i vinden
    Translation: Being in the wind.
    Meaning: To be popular, fashionable or to be “on a roll”.
    

59. Som plommen i egget
    Translation: Like the yolk in the egg.
    Meaning: To be in an ideal situation / To be in a very comfortable situation.
    

60. En gladlaks
    Translation: A happy salmon.
    Meaning: A positive and cheerful person / A happy-go-lucky person.
    

61. Å tenke koffert
    Translation: To think suitcase.
    Meaning: Someone who associated everything with sex, similar to having one’s head in the gutter.
    

62. Å ha bein i nesa
    Translation: To have bones in your nose.
    Meaning: To be tough and determined and not afraid to speak up.
    

63. Jeg har en høne å plukke med noen
    Translation: I have a hen to pluck with someone.
    Meaning: To have a bone to pick with someone.
    

64. Å være midt i smørøyet
    Translation: To be in the middle of the butter melting in the porridge.
    Meaning: To be in a great place, find yourself in a favourable position.
    

65. Å tråkke i salaten
    Translation: To step in the salad
    Meaning: To do or say something embarrasing or tactless.
    

66. Det er hipp som happ for meg
    Translation: It’s hip like happ for me
    Meaning: Either (or any) way is fine (by me)
    

67. Stopp en halv
    Translation: Stop one half.
    Meaning: Hold your horse.
    

68. For noe tull og fanteri
    Translation: How jokingly and silliness.
    Meaning: Silly and/or useless things/activities.
    

69. Brillefint
    Translation: Glasses-nice.
    Meaning: Splendid / Superb.
    

70. Det er helt hull i hodet
    Translation: That is completely hole in the head.
    Meaning: That is very stupid / ridiculous.
    

71. Å ha rent mel i posen
    Translation: To have clean / pure flour in the bag
    Meaning: To have pure intentions.
    

72. Å dra alle under en kam
    Translation: To pull everyone under one comb
    Meaning: To generalise people / Assume a stereotype is true for everyone who’s in that group.

As you can probably tell Norwegian is a rather colorful language. It’s probably also easy to see that a good amount of idioms stem from our long history of fishing and farming.

Hopefully you learned something new from this collection! Also please feel free to let me know if I should add, remove or correct something.

Vi snakkes!
-Martin