Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg liker kaffe mest.

“Mest” tends to be used a bit differently (see next question), so if you just want to say which thing you prefer, “best” is the normal choice.

What is the difference between mest and best here?

Both are superlatives, but they come from different adjectives:

mye → mer → mest
much → more → most
god → bedre → best
good → better → best

In practice:

best is used for preferences and choices:
- Jeg liker kaffe best. = I like coffee best.
- Hvilken film likte du best? = Which movie did you like the most?
mest is used more with amount, degree, or frequency:
- Jeg jobber mest om kvelden. = I work mostly in the evenings.
- Hun er mest hjemme. = She is at home most of the time.
- Dette huset koster mest. = This house costs the most.

So “Jeg liker kaffe mest” is understandable, but “Jeg liker kaffe best” is what people naturally say when talking about what they prefer.

Can I say “Jeg liker mest kaffe” instead? What changes?

Yes, “Jeg liker mest kaffe” is grammatically correct, but the emphasis shifts slightly.

Jeg liker kaffe best.
Neutral way to say “Coffee is what I like best (compared to other things).”
Jeg liker mest kaffe.
Feels more like “What I mostly like is coffee” / “For the most part, what I like is coffee.”

The difference is subtle:

“kaffe best” → focus is on how much you like coffee compared to other things.
“mest kaffe” → focus is more on what you like most of all the things you like (slightly more “topic-like” focus on coffee itself).

In everyday speech, “Jeg liker kaffe best” is by far the most common way to express this idea.

Why is there no article before kaffe? Why not “Jeg liker kaffen mest”?

In Norwegian, mass nouns / uncountable nouns like coffee, water, milk often appear without an article when you talk about them in general:

Jeg liker kaffe. = I like coffee (in general).
Jeg drikker vann. = I drink water.
Hun liker musikk. = She likes music.

Use the definite form when you mean some specific coffee, not coffee in general:

Jeg liker kaffen. = I like the coffee (this particular coffee we’re talking about / drinking now).

So:

Jeg liker kaffe best.
= I like coffee best (as a type of drink, in general).
Jeg liker kaffen best.
= Of the different coffees we have here (or the drinks we’re tasting now), this coffee is the one I like best.

Could I say “Jeg liker den kaffen mest”?

Yes, but the meaning becomes very specific.

Jeg liker den kaffen mest.
= I like that coffee the most (among some specific set of coffees we’re comparing).

Here:

den kaffen = that particular coffee
mest still means “the most”

You might say this if you have several cups of coffee from different brands/roasts in front of you and you’re choosing which one you like the most.

Why is it “liker” and not “elsker”? In English people often say “I love coffee”.

Norwegians are more careful with elsker than English speakers are with love.

å like = to like
å elske = to love (strong, more emotional)

For things like food, drinks, hobbies, etc., liker is by far the most common verb:

Jeg liker kaffe. = I like coffee.
Jeg liker kaffe veldig godt. = I like coffee very much.
Jeg elsker kaffe. sounds very strong or dramatic, like “I absolutely adore coffee!”

So while “Jeg elsker kaffe” is not wrong, “Jeg liker kaffe (best)” is the typical, natural way to talk about liking coffee.

What tense is “liker”, and how does it compare to English “like / am liking”?

“liker” is the present tense of å like.

Norwegian present tense usually covers both:

English simple present: I like coffee.
English present progressive: I am liking coffee (rare in English with like, but common with other verbs).

So:

Jeg liker kaffe.
can mean both “I like coffee (in general)” and “Right now, I’m liking this coffee,” depending on context.

You don’t normally make a progressive form (holder på å like kaffe) for this verb in Norwegian; just the plain present liker is used.

Where does ikke go if I want to say “I don’t like coffee the most”?

The normal place for ikke is after the verb in main clauses:

Jeg liker ikke kaffe. = I don’t like coffee.
Jeg liker ikke kaffe best.
Could mean “It isn’t coffee that I like best” (maybe you like tea best instead).

General pattern:

Subject – Verb – ikke – (object) – (adverb)

So:

Jeg liker ikke kaffe mest/best.
= Coffee is not what I like most.

If you want to be very clear about contrast, you can add more:

Jeg liker ikke kaffe best, jeg liker te best.
= I don’t like coffee best; I like tea best.

How do I make this into a question: “Do you like coffee the most?”

In Norwegian yes/no questions, you usually put the verb first:

Liker du kaffe best?
= Do you like coffee the most / best?

Word order:

Statement: Du liker kaffe best.
Question: Liker du kaffe best?

Other examples:

Liker du kaffe? = Do you like coffee?
Liker du kaffe eller te best? = Do you like coffee or tea best?

How can I say “I like coffee the most of all drinks” more explicitly?

A very natural way is:

Jeg liker kaffe best av alle drikker.
= I like coffee best of all drinks.

Possible variations:

Jeg liker kaffe best av alt.
= I like coffee best of all (things).
Av alle drikker liker jeg kaffe best.
(Fronting av alle drikker for emphasis: Of all drinks, coffee is the one I like best.)

In all of these, best is still the natural choice for expressing preference.