How fast can you learn Norwegian?

Norwegian is a Germanic language. This means that it has many similarities to other languages that also have their roots in the Germanic language. As such, if you already speak a Germanic language, you’ll have a definite advantage in learning Norwegian. Conversely, if you don’t speak a Germanic language, you might find it taking a bit longer to learn Norwegian.

Words that have their roots in another common language are called cognates. Being a Germanic language, Norwegian shares cognates with other Germanic languages. You know which other language is a Germanic one? English! This means that you already know a bunch of Norwegian words, even if you weren’t aware of it. Take a look at some of them here.

• Familie  – family
• Politikk – politics
• Musikk – music
• Historie – history.

We could go on, but the point is clear. The language background of the learner makes a clear impact on the speed of learning Norwegian.

Motivation and dedication also plays a huge role. The more you want something, the harder you’ll work to get it. So the question here is, how much do you really want to learn Norwegian?

When we say you only need 3 months to learn Norwegian with Norwegian Community, that means you’ll also be willing to do the work necessary to get you there. That means dedicating time and energy to learning.

What can help is finding a reason for you to learn, if you don’t already have one. Maybe you’ll need to speak Norwegian to secure that dream job, or maybe you want to impress your friends or a romantic interest. Whatever the case may be, if you find a reason to motivate yourself to sit down and do the work, you’ll find yourself learning a language in no time!

When we talk about environment, we talk about two things. The physical environment you’re in, but also the people you surround yourself with. Making sure you engross yourself in a good environment will set you up for a speedy learning process as well.

When it comes to environment, you’ll need to realize how you like to learn. Is it in a quiet room with no distractions, or in a busy cafè with music blaring? Either way is fine as long as it’s conducive to your learning. Find out what this environment is for you, and make sure you’re in it when you want to be your most productive.

And then there’s people. Find people that support and cheer you on. Luckily for you, we have just the thing here in Norwegian Community. Taking part in our classes will give you access to one of the most supportive language learning environments you can find. The teachers and other students all want to see you progress and succeed, and this will undoubtedly help you do so at a record pace.

Let’s face it. There’s a lot of nonsense out there on the internet. You’ll have  to comb through a lot of garbage before you find some gold. You’ll need to find resources that work for you and help you progress quickly.

We have a large variety of just that here. Our learning resources along with our conversation classes will help you put the theory into practice, and further speed up your learning process.

Lastly, we believe that a varied learning approach is the best way to ensure success. You’ll need to do some private studying to grasp the theory, but also need to put this theory into practice and use it in actual conversation with other speakers.

We do just that here at Norwegian Community. We’ll give you a large variety of interesting readings that will introduce you to new concepts of both grammar and culture, and you’ll then talk about these topics in Norwegian in our conversation classes.

You may have a specific reason in mind for why you’re contemplating learning Norwegian. Maybe getting to 100% fluency is not your ultimate goal? So just exactly how long does it take to reach various levels of proficiency in Norwegian? Like we said above, many factors will determine how quickly you can learn. Especially how much time you invest. So for this handy guide, we’ll assume you invest two hours each day and your current level is 0.

• Beginner level: To reach a beginner’s level of proficiency in Norwegian with two hours of study a day, you can assume you’ll get there in 1 month.
• Intermediate level: To reach an intermediate level you can expect 2-3 months
• Advanced level: And finally, for an advanced level, you’ll need on average about 8 months to a year

Each level becomes, as you would expect, more time consuming. At first it might seem like a breeze, but eventually things will start to slow down as you get into the nitty gritty of the more complex systems of the language.

1 week of study will get you to the very basics of the language. The things you should focus on here are:

• Knowing the alphabet
• Recognizing the sound each letter makes in Norwegian
• Learning some numbers
• Learning to introduce yourself

There are plenty of resources online that can help you out here. We offer A1 courses that do just that, but you can also use free language apps that help you get the basics down.

After 1 month of study, you should be able to:

• Talk a bit about yourself
• Ask basic questions to others
• Know the question words
• Understand the basic sentence structure of the language
• Partake in simple, but brief, conversations with others
• Order food at a restaurant

A surefire way to measure your progress here is through conversations with others. You’ll miss a lot of words, but knowing some of them will help you fill in the blank through context. This is the point where our conversation classes become relevant. Check them out here.

Now for the real test. After 6 months of consistent studying you should be able to:

• Engage in conversations with others
• Talk about things in different tenses
• Be able to discuss abstract ideas and thoughts
• Talk and write with flow and ease

Here, you’ll want to engage in conversations with people that are at, or above your current level. Take part in talks with others and see if you’re not just able to understand, but also contribute to the conversation. Again, we offer conversational classes that let you do just that.

The quickest way to learn a new language is to surround yourself with it. Listen to podcasts, watch films and TV, be in areas where people speak your target language. This will help the language become familiar to you, and eventually you can reproduce it.

There are many ways to practice, but a sure fire one that works every time is speaking. Repat words out loud, talk to yourself in the language you’re learning. Talk to your phone. Or better yet, talk to others! If you need help finding people to talk to in Norwegian, why not check out our conversation courses here!

Don’t know where to get started in looking for your learning resources? Check out what we have to offer here. Combine these tools with our live conversation classes to put theory to practice, and learn even quicker.

Experienced learners will tell you the holy grail of learning a language. You have to actually use it. Put yourself in uncomfortable situations where you’ll be forced to produce Norwegian, and pretty soon it’ll become more comfortable. Even better, you’ll become more proficient, and you’ll realize that you’ve learned quite a bit.

The 6 most common reasons why someone wants to learn Norwegian are:

1. Personal interest in Norwegian/Scandinavian culture and society.
2. If you’re traveling to Norway or Scandinavia and want a more authentic experience.
3. For work related reasons. Either to work in Norway or to work with Norwegians.
4. To study in Norway.
5. If you have family connections in NOrway you want to get in touch with.
6. The personal growth that happens when learning a new language.

There are a ton of benefits to learning Norwegian. Let’s take a look at some of them here.

1. You’ll be more attractive in the Norwegian job market.
2. You’ll get a deeper understanding of the culture.
3. You’ll be able to build deeper relationships with Norwegians and colleagues.
4. You’ll understand the history of the country at a deeper level.
5. You’ll be able to integrate into society more effectively.

Lastly, let’s take a closer look at why learning Norwegian can help you in your career and with personal development.

Almost everybody in Norway speaks English. But that doesn’t mean they prefer it to Norwegian. In fact most Norwegians are way more comfortable speaking in Norwegian. So if you’re an employer, wouldn’t you want to hire someone who will make your day at work as comfortable as possible? Exactly.

Additionally, learning the language shows your company that you work hard, are trying to better yourself, and most importantly, you are looking to stay in Norway for the long haul. So, they won’t have to replace you as soon as you grow tired of the Norwegian way of life.

Learning a new language has also been linked to positive mental health. You’ll feel the awesome feeling of accomplishing something you worked hard towards, you’ll stave off Alzheimer’s, and you’ll improve memory and cognitive function.