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Norwegian · A1

Å beskrive folk (describing people)

Looks and personality: høy, snill, morsom — and the adjective after er.

12 minutes · A free lesson from A1: Første steg (first steps) · Roman and Urdu pronunciation guides and English meanings are shown under each phrase

Looks

høy / lavSay: hoy, lavہوئی, لاوMeans: tall / shorttall / shortBroren min er høy, og jeg er lav.Say: brooruhn meen ehr hoy, oh yai ehr lav.برُورَن مین اےر ہوئی, او یائی اےر لاو.Means: My brother is tall, and I am short.
ung / gammelSay: ung, gammuhlاُنگ, گاممَلMeans: young / oldyoung / oldBestefaren min er gammel, men sprek.Say: buhstehfaruhn meen ehr gammuhl, mehn sprehk.بَستےفارَن مین اےر گاممَل, مےن سپرےک.Means: My grandfather is old, but fit.
mørkt hår / lyst hårSay: moerkt hohr, luest hohrموےرکت ہور, لیُست ہورMeans: dark hair / fair hairdark hair / fair hairHun har langt, mørkt hår.Say: hoon har langt, moerkt hohr.ہُون ہار لانگت, موےرکت ہور.Means: She has long, dark hair.
brillerSay: brilluhrبرِللَرMeans: glassesglassesLæreren vår har briller.Say: laarehruhn vohr har brilluhr.لارےرَن وور ہار برِللَر.Means: Our teacher wears glasses.
skjeggSay: shehgشےگMeans: a bearda beardHan har kort skjegg.Say: han har kurt shehg.ہان ہار کُرت شےگ.Means: He has a short beard.

Personality

snillSay: snilسنِلMeans: kindkindNaboen vår er veldig snill.Say: naboan vohr ehr vehlli snil.نابوان وور اےر وےللِ سنِل.Means: Our neighbour is very kind.
morsomSay: moshoomموشُومMeans: funnyfunnyKollegaen min er så morsom!Say: kollehgaan meen ehr soh moshoom!کوللےگان مین اےر سو موشُوم!Means: My colleague is so funny!
roligSay: rooliرُولِMeans: calm, quietcalm, quietBarnet er rolig og blidt.Say: barnuht ehr rooli oh blidt.بارنَت اےر رُولِ او بلِدت.Means: The child is calm and cheerful.
flinkSay: flinkفلِنکMeans: good at things, clevergood at things, cleverHun er flink til å tegne.Say: hoon ehr flink teel oh tehngnuh.ہُون اےر فلِنک تیل او تےنگنَ.Means: She is good at drawing.
hjelpsomSay: yehlpsoomیےلپسُومMeans: helpfulhelpfulAlle på jobben er hjelpsomme.Say: alluh poh yobuhn ehr yehlpsommuh.آللَ پو یوبَن اےر یےلپسوممَ.Means: Everyone at work is helpful.
sjenertSay: shehnartشےنارتMeans: shyshyHan er litt sjenert i starten.Say: han ehr lit shehnart ee startuhn.ہان اےر لِت شےنارت ای ستارتَن.Means: He is a bit shy at first.

After er (is, are), the adjective still agrees with the person or thing: Han er høy. · Huset er stort. · De er høye. Before a noun it agrees too: en snill nabo, snille naboer.

erSay ehrاےرMeans: am, is, are
Han er høy.Say han ehr hoy.ہان اےر ہوئی.Means: He is tall.
Huset er stort.Say hoosuht ehr sturt.ہُوسَت اےر ستُرت.Means: The house is big.
De er høye.Say dee ehr hoyuh.دی اےر ہوئَ.Means: They are tall.
en snill naboSay ehn snil nabooاےن سنِل نابُوMeans: a kind neighbour
snille naboerSay snilluh naboarسنِللَ نابوارMeans: kind neighbours

Den nye kollegaen

Sign in to play the recording. The transcript:

Say it out loud (45 seconds): Beskriv en person du kjenner godt: hvordan ser personen ut, og hvordan er han eller hun?Say: buhskreev ehn pashoon doo shehnnuhr got. vordan sehr pashoonuhn oot, oh vordan ehr han ehlluhr hoon?بَسکریو اےن پاشُون دُو شےننَر گوت. ووردان سےر پاشُونَن اُوت, او ووردان اےر ہان اےللَر ہُون?Means: Describe a person you know well: what does the person look like, and what is he or she like?

A model answer

Søsteren min heter Hina. Hun er ganske høy og har langt, mørkt hår. Hun er snill og morsom, og hun er flink til å lage mat. Vi snakker sammen på telefonen hver dag.Say: soestehruhn meen hehtuhr heena. hoon ehr ganskuh hoy oh har langt, moerkt hohr. hoon ehr snil oh moshoom, oh hoon ehr flink teel oh laguh mat. vee snakuhr sammuhn poh tehlehfoonuhn vehr dag.سوےستےرَن مین ہےتَر ہینا. ہُون اےر گانسکَ ہوئی او ہار لانگت, موےرکت ہور. ہُون اےر سنِل او موشُوم, او ہُون اےر فلِنک تیل او لاگَ مات. وی سناکَر ساممَن پو تےلےفُونَن وےر داگ.Means: My sister is called Hina. She is quite tall and has long, dark hair. She is kind and funny, and she is good at cooking. We talk on the phone every day.

Lesson quiz

Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.

Quick check: Choose the right form: “Huset er ___.”

  1. stor
  2. store
  3. stort
Show the answer

C: stort — hus is neuter, so the adjective takes -t even after er: huset er stort.

Quick check: What does “snill” mean?

  1. shy
  2. kind
  3. tall
Show the answer

B: kind — snill is kind. Shy is sjenert, and tall is høy.

Quick check: What does “Hun har langt, mørkt hår” mean?

  1. She has long, dark hair.
  2. She has short, fair hair.
  3. She has dark eyes.
Show the answer

A: She has long, dark hair. — langt is long, mørkt is dark, and hår is hair.

Practise: everyday words and pronouns
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