adverbA2
Gradsadverb og forsterkere
[Degree Adverbs and Intensifiers]Degree adverbs precede adjectives or other adverbs to amplify, moderate, or scale the intensity of a quality. The most frequent are 'veldig' (very), 'ganske' (quite), 'litt' (a bit), 'helt' (completely), and 'altfor' (too).
1. Intensity Scale: From Maximum to Minimum
Overview of how degree adverbs calibrate the intensity of an adjective (e.g. 'varm'):
Intensity Level
Overdreven / Negativ (+ + +)(Excessive / Too (+ + +))
Adverb
altfor / for(altfor / for (too / way too))
Example (with translation)
Kaffen er altfor varm!(The coffee is way too hot!)
Intensity Level
Høy forsterkning (+ +)(High amplification (+ +))
Adverb
veldig / kjempe- / utrolig(veldig / extremely)
Example (with translation)
Det er veldig koselig her.(It is very cozy here.)
Intensity Level
Moderat / Middels (+)(Moderate (+))
Adverb
ganske / temmelig(ganske / quite / rather)
Example (with translation)
Boka var ganske spennende.(The book was quite exciting.)
Intensity Level
Svak grad (-)(Low degree (-))
Adverb
litt / en smule(litt / slightly / a bit)
Example (with translation)
Jeg er litt sliten i dag.(I am a bit tired today.)
Intensity Level
Absolutt / Fullstendig (100 %)(Absolute / Complete (100%))
Adverb
helt / fullstendig(helt (completely / totally))
Example (with translation)
Huset er helt nytt.(The house is brand new.)
Intensity Level
Nær null (0–10 %)(Near zero (0–10%))
Adverb
nesten ikke / knapt(knapt / barely / hardly)
Example (with translation)
Vi rakk knapt toget.(We barely caught the train.)
| Intensity Level | Adverb | Example (with translation) |
|---|---|---|
Overdreven / Negativ (+ + +)Excessive / Too (+ + +) | altfor / foraltfor / for (too / way too) | Kaffen er altfor varm!The coffee is way too hot! |
Høy forsterkning (+ +)High amplification (+ +) | veldig / kjempe- / utroligveldig / extremely | Det er veldig koselig her.It is very cozy here. |
Moderat / Middels (+)Moderate (+) | ganske / temmeligganske / quite / rather | Boka var ganske spennende.The book was quite exciting. |
Svak grad (-)Low degree (-) | litt / en smulelitt / slightly / a bit | Jeg er litt sliten i dag.I am a bit tired today. |
Absolutt / Fullstendig (100 %)Absolute / Complete (100%) | helt / fullstendighelt (completely / totally) | Huset er helt nytt.The house is brand new. |
Nær null (0–10 %)Near zero (0–10%) | nesten ikke / knaptknapt / barely / hardly | Vi rakk knapt toget.We barely caught the train. |
2. Crucial Contrast: 'Veldig' (Very) vs. 'Altfor' (Too Much / Problematic)
'Veldig' neutrally signals high degree, whereas 'altfor' explicitly indicates excess causing an issue:
Examples:
Skoene er veldig fine. (positiv vurdering)The shoes are very nice. (positive evaluation)
Skoene er altfor små, jeg kan ikke gå i dem. (problem)The shoes are too small, I cannot walk in them. (problematic excess)
Han snakker veldig fort, men jeg forstår ham.He speaks very fast, but I understand him.
Han snakker altfor fort, ingen skjønner hva han sier.He speaks too fast, nobody understands what he is saying.
In informal Norwegian, the prefix 'kjempe-' is omnipresent as an intensifier: 'kjempefint' (super nice), 'kjempestor' (huge), 'kjempebra' (great).