Norwegian Idioms & Metaphors
Phrases and metaphors that cannot be translated literally, making your Norwegian speech natural and vivid
«Å være midt i smørøyet»
Literally: To be in the middle of the butter hole in porridge.To be in the best possible, perfect, and most advantageous spot or situation.
«Vi leier en leilighet midt i smørøyet i Oslo sentrum.»
We are renting an apartment in the absolute prime location in central Oslo.
«Å ta det helt med ro»
Literally: To take it completely with calm.To relax, take it easy, and avoid unnecessary stress.
«Det er helg nå, så vi må bare ta det helt med ro.»
It is the weekend now, so we should just take it completely easy.
«Ugler i mosen»
Literally: Owls in the moss (originally 'wolves in the swamp').Something is suspicious or fishy; there is danger lurking.
«Han ville ikke vise kontrakten, så jeg aner ugler i mosen.»
He did not want to show the contract, so I smell something fishy.
«Å bite i det sure eplet»
Literally: To bite into the sour apple.To bite the bullet; to force oneself to do something unpleasant.
«Jeg måtte bite i det sure eplet og betale den ekstra regningen.»
I had to bite the bullet and pay the extra bill.
«Å være på bærtur»
Literally: To be out in the woods picking berries.To be completely mistaken, totally off track or missing the point.
«Hvis du tror norskkurset er enkelt uten å øve, er du helt på bærtur!»
If you think the Norwegian course is easy without practicing, you are totally off track!
«Å tråkke i salaten»
Literally: To step in the salad.To put one's foot in one's mouth; commit an embarrassing social blunder.
«Jeg spurte om graviditeten hennes, men hun var ikke gravid — jeg tråkket skikkelig i salaten!»
I asked about her pregnancy, but she was not pregnant — I really put my foot in my mouth!
«Å holde tunga rett i munnen»
Literally: To keep your tongue straight in your mouth.To be extremely focused, careful, and precise not to make any mistakes.
«Med norske preposisjoner må man virkelig holde tunga rett i munnen.»
With Norwegian prepositions, you really have to keep your wits about you.
«Å ha en høne å plukke med noen»
Literally: To have a hen to pluck with someone.To have a bone to pick with someone; an issue to settle.
«Kom hit, jeg har en høne å plukke med deg om det du sa i går.»
Come here, I have a bone to pick with you about what you said yesterday.
«Å slå to fluer i en smekk»
Literally: To hit two flies in one swat.To kill two birds with one stone; achieve two goals with a single action.
«Ved å sykle til jobben trener jeg og sparer penger — to fluer i en smekk!»
By cycling to work, I get exercise and save money — two birds with one stone!
«Å snakke rett fra leveren»
Literally: To speak straight from the liver.To speak one's mind bluntly, honestly, and without filtering.
«Hun er kjent for å snakke rett fra leveren i møtene.»
She is known for speaking her mind very bluntly during meetings.
«Å ta beina på nakken»
Literally: To put one's legs on one's neck.To run away as fast as possible; make a run for it.
«Da regnet startet, tok vi beina på nakken mot bussen.»
When the rain started, we ran like mad towards the bus.
«Å koke bort i kålen»
Literally: To boil away in the cabbage.To fizzle out into nothing; a plan that leads to no result.
«Prosjektet vårt kokte dessverre bort i kålen fordi ingen fulgte opp.»
Our project unfortunately fizzled out because no one followed up.
«Å stå opp med feil bein»
Literally: To get out of bed on the wrong foot.To be in a bad and irritable mood from the start of the day.
«Sjefen sto visst opp med feil bein i dag, så vær forsiktig.»
Looks like the boss got out of bed on the wrong foot today, so be careful.
«Å ta det med en klype salt»
Literally: To take something with a pinch of salt.To not believe something completely; take it with skepticism.
«Du bør ta ryktene med en klype salt.»
You should take these rumors with a grain of salt.
«Å sette prikken over i-en»
Literally: To put the dot over the letter i.To add the final touch that makes something complete and perfect.
«Desserten satte virkelig prikken over i-en for denne kvelden.»
The dessert really put the crowning touch on this evening.
«Å ha sommerfugler i magen»
Literally: To have butterflies in the stomach.To feel nervous excitement before an important event.
«Jeg har alltid sommerfugler i magen før en muntlig eksamen.»
I always have butterflies in my stomach before an oral exam.
«Å ha is i magen»
Literally: To have ice in the stomach.To stay cool-headed, patient, and calm under intense pressure.
«I vanskelige forhandlinger må man ha is i magen.»
In tough negotiations, you have to keep your cool.
«Å male fanden på veggen»
Literally: To paint the devil on the wall.To anticipate the worst; to be overly pessimistic without reason.
«Ikke mal fanden på veggen før vi har fått testresultatene.»
Do not paint the devil on the wall before we get the test results.
«Å kaste inn håndkleet»
Literally: To throw in the towel.To give up, surrender, or admit defeat.
«Etter tre timer med feilsøking kastet han inn håndkleet og ba om hjelp.»
After three hours of troubleshooting, he threw in the towel and asked for help.
«Å brenne alle broer»
Literally: To burn all bridges.To cut off all ways of return; eliminate any possibility of going back.
«Selv om du slutter i jobben, er det lurt å ikke brenne alle broer.»
Even if you quit the job, it is wise not to burn all your bridges.
«Å gå over bekken etter vann»
Literally: To cross the stream to fetch water.To do something in an unnecessarily complicated way when a simple solution is right there.
«Hvorfor kjøpe dyre programmer når du har gratis verktøy? Det er å gå over bekken etter vann.»
Why buy expensive software when you have free tools? That is crossing the stream for water.
«Å feie for egen dør»
Literally: To sweep in front of one's own door.To fix one's own faults before criticizing others; look in the mirror.
«Før du klager på kollegene dine, bør du feie for egen dør.»
Before you complain about your colleagues, you should sweep in front of your own door.
«Å ta tyren ved hornene»
Literally: To take the bull by the horns.To face a difficult challenge directly and decisively.
«Vi kan ikke utsette dette lenger, vi må ta tyren ved hornene.»
We cannot postpone this anymore, we have to take the bull by the horns.
«Å kaste perler for svin»
Literally: To cast pearls before swine.To offer valuable things to people who do not appreciate them.
«Å servere dyr årgangsvin til folk som drikker hva som helst, er å kaste perler for svin.»
Serving expensive vintage wine to people who do not care is casting pearls before swine.
«Å få blod på tann»
Literally: To get blood on the tooth.To get a taste for something; become energized and eager to continue.
«Etter at hun vant det første løpet, fikk hun virkelig blod på tann.»
After winning her first race, she really got a taste for victory.
«Å ikke være født bak en låvedør»
Literally: To not be born behind a barn door.To not be stupid, naive, or gullible; savvy and street-smart.
«Du kan ikke lure meg, jeg er ikke født bak en låvedør!»
You cannot fool me, I was not born yesterday!
«Å ha mange jern i ilden»
Literally: To have many irons in the forge fire at once.To have many irons in the fire; engaged in multiple activities at once.
«Han studerer, jobber og pusser opp huset — han har mange jern i ilden.»
He is studying, working, and renovating the house — he has many irons in the fire.
«Å ta skjea i en annen hånd»
Literally: To take the spoon in the other hand.To turn over a new leaf; radically change one's habits and get one's act together.
«Nå må du ta skjea i en annen hånd og begynne å øve til eksamen.»
Now you have to get your act together and start studying for the exam.
«Å se gjennom fingrene med noe»
Literally: To look at something through one's fingers.To turn a blind eye to something minor; overlook a small mistake.
«Læreren så gjennom fingrene med at han kom fem minutter for sent.»
The teacher turned a blind eye to him being five minutes late.
«Å gå for lut og kaldt vann»
Literally: To get by on lye and cold water only.To be completely neglected and left to fend for oneself.
«I travle perioder kan husarbeidet lett gå for lut og kaldt vann.»
During busy times, household chores can easily be neglected.
«Å ha det på tunga»
Literally: To have it on the tip of the tongue.To be just on the verge of remembering or recalling something.
«Hva heter den restauranten igjen? Åh, jeg har det på tunga!»
What is that restaurant called again? Oh, it is on the tip of my tongue!
«Å stå på egne bein»
Literally: To stand on one's own two feet.To be independent, self-reliant, and able to take care of oneself.
«Etter at hun fikk fast jobb i Norge, kan hun endelig stå på egne bein.»
After getting a permanent job in Norway, she can finally stand on her own feet.
«Å holde et øye med noen/noe»
Literally: To keep an eye on someone/something.To watch, guard, or supervise attentively.
«Kan du holde et øye med kasserollen mens jeg henter posten?»
Can you keep an eye on the pot while I fetch the mail?
«Å ta en spansk en»
Literally: To pull a Spanish move.To pull a fast one; improvise a shortcut or cheeky workaround.
«Jeg hadde ikke tid til å fylle ut hele skjemaet, så jeg tok en spansk en.»
I did not have time to fill in the entire form, so I pulled a fast one.
«Å legge seg noe på minnet»
Literally: To lay something into memory.To commit something to memory; make a mental note.
«Dette grammatikktipset bør du legge deg på minnet før prøven.»
You should make a mental note of this grammar tip before the test.
«Å ha ti tommeltotter»
Literally: To have ten thumbs.To be all thumbs; extremely clumsy with manual tasks.
«Jeg kan ikke montere IKEA-møbler selv, jeg har ti tommeltotter!»
I cannot assemble IKEA furniture myself, I am all thumbs!
«Å gå i vasken»
Literally: To go down the sink.To fall through, fail, or be ruined completely.
«Hele helgeturen gikk i vasken på grunn av den kraftige stormen.»
The entire weekend trip fell through because of the heavy storm.
«Å få kalde føtter»
Literally: To get cold feet.To get cold feet; become nervous and hesitate at the last second.
«Han skulle kjøpe huset, men fikk kalde føtter rett før kontrakten ble signert.»
He was going to buy the house, but got cold feet right before signing.
«Å ha et godt øye til noen»
Literally: To have a good eye for someone.To have a crush on someone or feel a fond attraction towards them.
«Alle på kontoret vet at han har et godt øye til den nye kollegaen.»
Everyone in the office knows he has a soft spot for the new colleague.
«Å henge med leppa»
Literally: To hang one's lip down.To look down in the dumps, sulk, or feel sorrowful.
«Ikke heng med leppa, du klarer førerprøven neste gang!»
Do not look so down in the dumps, you will pass your driving test next time!
«Å komme ut av det»
Literally: To come out of it (lose the thread).To lose one's train of thought or become momentarily flustered.
«Unnskyld, jeg kom helt ut av det da telefonen ringte.»
Sorry, I completely lost my train of thought when the phone rang.
«Å ta ting på sparket»
Literally: To do things on the kick/stride.To improvise on the spot without any preparation; play it by ear.
«Vi hadde ingen fast reiseplan, så vi tok bare ting på sparket.»
We had no fixed itinerary, so we just played things by ear.
«Det gikk opp et lys for meg»
Literally: A light went on for me.The penny dropped; I suddenly understood the whole picture.
«Da læreren forklarte regelen med et eksempel, gikk det endelig opp et lys for meg!»
When the teacher explained the rule with an example, the penny finally dropped!
«Å ha rent mel i posen»
Literally: To have clean flour in the bag.To have nothing to hide; act with completely clean and honest intentions.
«Politiet sjekket papirene hans, og han hadde helt rent mel i posen.»
The police checked his documents, and he had nothing to hide.
«Å ha det som plommen i egget»
Literally: To have it like the yolk in the egg.To be in total comfort, clover, and living the best life.
«På hytta ved fjorden har vi det som plommen i egget.»
At the cabin by the fjord, we are living in absolute clover.
«Å gjøre en fjær til fem høns»
Literally: To make one feather into five hens.To make a mountain out of a molehill; exaggerate wildly.
«Det var bare en liten misforståelse, ikke gjør en fjær til fem høns!»
It was just a small misunderstanding, do not make a mountain out of a molehill!
«Å sitte med skjegget i postkassa»
Literally: To sit with your beard trapped in the mailbox.To be left high and dry, caught out, or looking foolish after being duped.
«Han stolte på rådgiveren, men endte opp med skjegget i postkassa da aksjene falt.»
He trusted the advisor, but was left high and dry when the stocks crashed.
«Å slå kaldt vann i blodet»
Literally: To pour cold water into the blood.To keep calm and temper expectations; not get ahead of oneself.
«Før vi feirer seieren, bør vi slå litt kaldt vann i blodet.»
Before we celebrate the victory, we should keep our excitement in check.
«Å bite tennene sammen»
Literally: To bite one's teeth together.To grit one's teeth and push through hardship without giving up.
«De siste kilometerne av fjellturen måtte jeg bare bite tennene sammen.»
For the final kilometers of the mountain hike, I just had to grit my teeth.
«Å være i samme båt»
Literally: To be in the same boat.To be in the same boat; share the exact same challenges.
«Alle som lærer norsk som andrespråk er i samme båt, så vi hjelper hverandre.»
Everyone learning Norwegian as a second language is in the same boat, so we support each other.
«Å ha et horn i siden til noen»
Literally: To have a horn in the side towards someone.To bear a grudge or harbor long-standing resentment against someone.
«Han har hatt et horn i siden til naboen siden de kranglet om gjerdet.»
He has held a grudge against the neighbor ever since they argued about the fence.
«Å ikke se skogen for bare trær»
Literally: To not see the forest for the trees.To be so focused on minor details that you miss the bigger picture.
«Når du skriver en oppgave, må du passe på å ikke miste oversikten — ikke overse skogen for bare trær.»
When writing an essay, be careful not to miss the forest for the trees.
«Å stikke kjepper i hjulene for noen»
Literally: To stick spokes/sticks in someone's wheels.To throw a wrench in the works; sabotage or hinder someone's progress.
«Konkurrentene prøvde å stikke kjepper i hjulene for den nye bedriften vår.»
The competitors tried to put a spoke in the wheels of our new business.
«Å snu kappen etter vinden»
Literally: To turn the cloak according to the wind.To trim one's sails to the wind; act opportunistically without principles.
«Han har ingen faste prinsipper, han snur bare kappen etter vinden.»
He has no fixed principles; he simply trims his sails to the wind.
«Å slå ut håret»
Literally: To let one's hair down.To let one's hair down; unwind, relax, and have uninhibited fun.
«På julebordet slo hele avdelingen virkelig ut håret!»
At the Christmas party, the whole department really let their hair down!
«Å gå i fella»
Literally: To walk right into the trap.To fall into a trap; be tricked into a tricky situation.
«Ikke klikk på ukjente lenker i e-poster, det er lett å gå i fella.»
Do not click on unknown links in emails; it is easy to fall into the trap.
«Å legge kortene på bordet»
Literally: To lay one's cards on the table.To lay all cards on the table; be completely honest and transparent.
«Det er best at vi legger kortene på bordet og forteller hva som skjedde.»
It is best that we lay our cards on the table and explain what happened.
«Å ikke ville høre på det øret»
Literally: To refuse to hear on that ear.To turn a deaf ear; refuse to consider or listen to advice.
«Vi ba ham ta fri, men han ville ikke høre på det øret.»
We told him to take some time off, but he turned a deaf ear.
«Å ha en finger med i spillet»
Literally: To have a finger in the game.To have a hand in something; participate in or influence an outcome.
«Jeg er sikker på at han hadde en finger med i spillet da kontrakten ble tildelt.»
I am confident he had a hand in how the contract was awarded.
«Å få munnen på gli»
Literally: To get the mouth gliding smoothly.To loosen one's tongue; start talking freely and enthusiastically.
«Han var sjenert først, men etter en kopp kaffe fikk han virkelig munnen på gli.»
He was shy at first, but after a cup of coffee he really loosened his tongue.
«Å bite fra seg»
Literally: To bite back against an opponent.To hold one's own; defend oneself vigorously and fight back.
«Det unge laget bet godt fra seg mot serielederne.»
The young team held their own admirably against the league leaders.
«Å være på høyde med noe»
Literally: To be at the same height level with something.To be on par with; measure up to high expectations or standards.
«Kvaliteten på arbeidet hennes var absolutt på høyde med de beste.»
The quality of her work was easily on par with the very best.
«Å ta det pent i svingene»
Literally: To take the curves gently and slowly on the road.To proceed with caution; avoid reckless risks and act prudently.
«Dette er en ny kunde, så vi bør ta det litt pent i svingene i starten.»
This is a new client, so we should proceed with caution at the start.
«Å gå som varmt hvetebrød»
Literally: To sell like hot wheat bread.To sell like hotcakes; fly off the shelves in huge demand.
«Billettene til konserten gikk som varmt hvetebrød på fem minutter.»
Tickets to the concert sold like hotcakes within five minutes.
«Å sette kronen på verket»
Literally: To put the crown on the work.To crown an achievement; put the crowning victory on a major endeavor.
«Gullmedaljen i OL satte virkelig kronen på verket for karrieren hans.»
The Olympic gold medal truly crowned his athletic career.
«Å holde seg i skinnet»
Literally: To keep oneself within one's skin.To keep one's temper; restrain oneself and behave properly.
«Selv om han ble provosert, klarte han å holde seg i skinnet.»
Even though he was provoked, he managed to keep his cool.
«Å ha en høy stjerne hos noen»
Literally: To have a high star with someone.To be held in high regard; enjoy great esteem and favor with someone.
«Hun jobber så nøyaktig at hun har en veldig høy stjerne hos ledelsen.»
She is so meticulous that she is held in very high esteem by management.
«Den røde tråden»
Literally: The red thread woven throughout.The common thread; the central recurring theme or unifying idea.
«Den røde tråden i presentasjonen var hvordan vi kan redusere energiforbruket.»
The recurring theme of the presentation was reducing energy consumption.
«Å ha hendene fulle»
Literally: To have one's hands completely full.To have one's hands full; very busy with tasks and responsibilities.
«Med tre små barn og full jobb har foreldrene hendene fulle.»
With three young children and full-time jobs, the parents have their hands full.
«Å kaste lys over noe»
Literally: To cast a beam of light on something.To shed light on something; help clarify or explain a complex matter.
«Den nye rapporten kaster lys over hvorfor prisene har steget så mye.»
The new report sheds light on why prices have increased so dramatically.