Samfunnet: demokrati og valg (society and democracy)
How Norway is governed, who may vote in which election, and rights and duties.
15 minutes · A free lesson from B1: Selvstendig (independent) · Roman and Urdu pronunciation guides and English meanings are shown under each phrase
Norway is a democracy and a constitutional monarchy. The Constitution, Grunnloven, was signed at Eidsvoll on 17 May 1814, which is why 17 May is the national day. Power is shared between Stortinget (parliament), which makes the laws, regjeringen (the government), which carries them out, and domstolene (the courts). The country is run at three levels: staten (the state), fylkene (the counties) and kommunene (the municipalities).
| Grunnloven | Say grunloovuhn | گرُنلُووَن | Means: the Constitution |
| Stortinget | Say sturtinguht | ستُرتِنگَت | Means: the Storting, Norway's parliament |
| regjeringen | Say rehyehringuhn | رےیےرِنگَن | Means: the government |
| domstolene | Say domstoolehnuh | دومستُولےنَ | Means: the courts |
| staten | Say statuhn | ستاتَن | Means: the state |
| fylkene | Say fuelkuhnuh | فیُلکَنَ | Means: the counties |
| kommunene | Say kommoonehnuh | کوممُونےنَ | Means: the municipalities |
Elections
- Stortingsvalg (the general election) is held every four years. Only Norwegian citizens may vote.
Stortingsvalg Say sturtingsvalg ستُرتِنگسوالگ Means: The general election - The local elections, kommunevalget and fylkestingsvalget, are also held every four years, two years after the general election. Foreign citizens may vote in them if they have been registered as living in Norway for the three years before election day.
kommunevalget Say kommoonehvalguht کوممُونےوالگَت Means: the municipal election fylkestingsvalget Say fuelkuhstingsvalguht فیُلکَستِنگسوالگَت Means: the county election - You must be 18 by the end of the election year to vote.
Society words
Everyone in Norway has rights — freedom of speech and of religion, equal treatment, health care and schooling — and duties: to obey the law, to pay tax, and to make sure children go to school for the ten compulsory years.
Kommunevalget
Sign in to play the recording. The transcript:
- Amina: Skal du stemme ved kommunevalget?Say: skal doo stehmmuh veh kommoonehvalguht?سکال دُو ستےممَ وے کوممُونےوالگَت?Means: Are you going to vote in the municipal election?
- Kamran: Ja! Jeg har bodd her i over tre år, så nå har jeg stemmerett.Say: ya! yai har bod hehr ee oovuhr treh ohr, soh noh har yai stehmmehreht.یا! یائی ہار بود ہےر ای اُووَر ترے اور, سو نو ہار یائی ستےممےرےت.Means: Yes! I've lived here for over three years, so now I have the right to vote.
- Amina: Vet du hvilket parti du skal stemme på?Say: veht doo vilkuht partee doo skal stehmmuh poh?وےت دُو وِلکَت پارتی دُو سکال ستےممَ پو?Means: Do you know which party you'll vote for?
- Kamran: Ikke ennå. Jeg vil lese hva partiene sier om skole og eldreomsorg først.Say: ikuh ehnnoh. yai vil lehsuh va parteeehnuh seeuhr om skooluh oh ehllrehomsorg foesht.اِکَ اےننو. یائی وِل لےسَ وا پارتیےنَ سیَر اوم سکُولَ او اےللرےومسورگ فوےشت.Means: Not yet. I want to read what the parties say about schools and care for the elderly first.
- Amina: Lurt. Det er jo kommunen som har ansvaret for det.Say: lurt. deh ehr yoo kommoonuhn soom har ansvaruht for deh.لُرت. دے اےر یُو کوممُونَن سُوم ہار آنسوارَت فور دے.Means: Smart. After all, it's the municipality that is responsible for that.
Say it out loud (50 seconds): Hva synes du er viktig i et demokrati? Gi to grunner.Say: va suenuhs doo ehr vikti ee eht dehmokratee? yee too grunnuhr.وا سیُنَس دُو اےر وِکتِ ای اےت دےموکراتی? یی تُو گرُننَر.Means: What do you think is important in a democracy? Give two reasons.
A model answer
Jeg synes ytringsfrihet er viktig, fordi alle må kunne si hva de mener uten å være redde. Dessuten er det viktig at alle voksne kan stemme. Da kan folk være med og bestemme hvordan samfunnet skal være.Say: yai suenuhs uetringsfreehuht ehr vikti, fordee alluh moh kunnuh see va dee mehnuhr ootuhn oh vaaruh rehduh. dehssootuhn ehr deh vikti at alluh voksnuh kan stehmmuh. da kan folk vaaruh meh oh buhstehmmuh vordan samfunnuht skal vaaruh.یائی سیُنَس ایُترِنگسفریہَت اےر وِکتِ, فوردی آللَ مو کُننَ سی وا دی مےنَر اُوتَن او وارَ رےدَ. دےسسُوتَن اےر دے وِکتِ ات آللَ ووکسنَ کان ستےممَ. دا کان فولک وارَ مے او بَستےممَ ووردان سامفُننَت سکال وارَ.Means: I think freedom of speech is important, because everyone must be able to say what they think without being afraid. Besides, it is important that all adults can vote. Then people can help decide how society should be.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: Which people may vote in the general election (stortingsvalget)?
- Everyone who lives in Norway
- Norwegian citizens aged 18 or over
- Only people who own a home
Show the answer
B: Norwegian citizens aged 18 or over — Only citizens vote in the general election. Local elections are open to more people.
Quick check: Which foreign citizens may vote in local elections?
- Those registered as living in Norway for the three years before election day
- None
- Anyone who has visited Norway
Show the answer
A: Those registered as living in Norway for the three years before election day — Three years of registered residence before election day.
Quick check: What happened on 17 May 1814?
- Norway joined the EU
- The first parliament building opened
- The Constitution was signed at Eidsvoll
Show the answer
C: The Constitution was signed at Eidsvoll — That is why 17 May is the national day.
Quick check: What does “en plikt” mean?
- a duty
- a right
- a party
Show the answer
A: a duty — Det er en plikt å betale skatt: paying tax is a duty.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now