Jeg snakker norsk.

I speak Norwegian.

Breakdown of Jeg snakker norsk.

• jeg: I
• snakke: to speak
• norsk: Norwegian

Questions & Answers about Jeg snakker norsk.

Do language names get capitalized in Norwegian?

No. Language and nationality words are not capitalized in Norwegian. So norsk, engelsk, spansk are all lowercase: Jeg snakker norsk.

Why is it snakker and not snakke?

Snakke is the infinitive (to speak). In the present tense Norwegian adds -r to regular verbs for all persons: jeg/du/han/vi/de snakker. So snakker is the present-tense form of å snakke.

Does snakker mean both “I speak” and “I am speaking”?

Yes. Norwegian present tense covers both simple and progressive meanings. Context clarifies it:

• General ability/habit: Jeg snakker norsk.
• Right now: Jeg snakker norsk nå.

Do I have to include the subject pronoun jeg?

Yes. Norwegian is not a drop-subject language. You normally must include the subject: Jeg snakker norsk. Leaving it out (Snakker norsk.) sounds incomplete except in headlines or notes.

Is norsk a noun or an adjective here, and why is there no article?

Here norsk functions as a noun meaning “(the) Norwegian (language).” Language names used as objects don’t take an article: Jeg snakker norsk.

• You may see norsken to mean the school subject or someone’s personal “Norwegian” ability: Norsken min er ganske bra.

How do I negate it?

Place ikke after the finite verb:

• Jeg snakker ikke norsk. With a modal or auxiliary, ikke follows the modal: Jeg kan ikke snakke norsk.

How do I make a yes/no question?

Invert subject and verb:

• Statement: Jeg snakker norsk.
• Question: Snakker du norsk? With a question word: Hvilket språk snakker du?

When should I use på norsk instead of just norsk?

Use på norsk to mean “in Norwegian” when talking about wording/translation:

• Hva heter det på norsk? (What is it called in Norwegian?) For ability, the bare noun is most idiomatic: Jeg snakker norsk.

What are the key pronunciation tips?

• jeg is commonly pronounced like “yai/yeh” (JEI/JÆI).
• snakker has a short vowel + double consonant: SNAK-ker; lightly tap or roll the r.
• norsk often sounds like “norshk” because rs becomes a “sh” sound in many accents.

What’s the Nynorsk or dialectal equivalent?

In Nynorsk it’s Eg snakkar norsk. Many dialects vary in pronunciation and sometimes say eg instead of jeg, and snakkar instead of snakker.

Are there synonyms for å snakke?

• å prate = to chat, more casual: Jeg prater norsk med naboen.
• å tale = to speak (formal/public): Statsråden taler norsk. For general ability, å snakke is the default.

Does norsk change form as an adjective?

Yes, when it describes a noun:

• Indefinite: en norsk by, ei norsk bok, et norsk flagg (no -t in neuter for -sk adjectives)
• Plural/definite: norske: norske byer, den norske filmen

How do I say “I speak a little Norwegian” or “I speak Norwegian well”?

• Jeg snakker litt norsk.
• Jeg snakker norsk ganske godt. Adverbs like litt, godt, ganske usually come after the verb or at the end.