Thank you in Norwegian: takk, please, sorry and you’re welcome

You say takk, which sounds roughly like “tahk” with a short vowel. Norwegians use it constantly: when paying, getting change or stepping off the bus. There are several ways to make it stronger.

• Takk

  Thanks / thank you

• Tusen takk

  Thanks so much

  Literally “a thousand thanks”; the most common emphatic form.

• Mange takk

  Many thanks

• Takk skal du ha

  Thank you very much

  Warmer and more personal; to a group: “takk skal dere ha”.

• Tusen hjertelig takk

  Heartfelt thanks

  For something important.

• Takk for hjelpen

  Thanks for your help

• Ja takk / Nei takk

  Yes, please / No, thank you

  How you politely accept or decline.

• Takk, i like måte

  Thanks, same to you

  Also “takk, det samme”.

There is no word used the way English uses “please”: the politeness lies in how you phrase the request. You ask a question (Kan jeg få…?, “can I have…?”), use gjerne (“gladly”) or simply add takk at the end. Notice that ja takk means “yes, please”.

• En kaffe, takk.

  A coffee, please.

• Kan jeg få regningen?

  Could I have the bill, please?

• Jeg vil gjerne ha en billett til Oslo.

  I’d like a ticket to Oslo, please.

• Kan du hjelpe meg?

  Could you help me, please?

• Vennligst vent.

  Please wait.

  Only in writing or on signs; sounds formal.

Vær så snill (“be so kind”) does exist, but it is for pleading or insisting: a child begging for ice cream, or someone saying Vær så snill, ikke gå! (“Please, don’t go!”).

The most usual reply to takk is bare hyggelig (“my pleasure”). You will also hear ingen årsak (“no reason”, i.e. don’t mention it) and ikke noe problem (“no problem”). Quite often people simply answer with another takk.

• Bare hyggelig

  My pleasure / you’re welcome

  The most natural today.

• Ingen årsak

  Don’t mention it

  “årsak” sounds roughly like “OR-sahk”.

• Ikke noe problem

  No problem

• Det var så lite

  It was nothing

  A bit more traditional.

• Vær så god

  Here you are / help yourself

  When handing something over or inviting people to eat. Also written “værsågod”.

Note that vær så god is not “you’re welcome”: you say it when giving something (“here you go”) or inviting someone to start eating. If someone hands you a coffee with vær så god, you answer takk.

Unnskyld is “excuse me / sorry” for small things and for getting attention; beklager is “I’m sorry / I apologise” for a real mistake or when giving bad news. Unnskyld sounds roughly like “OON-shil”: the final d is silent.

• Unnskyld, kan jeg komme forbi?

  Excuse me, can I get past?

• Unnskyld, hvor er stasjonen?

  Excuse me, where is the station?

• Beklager at jeg kommer for sent.

  Sorry I’m late.

• Beklager, vi har stengt.

  Sorry, we’re closed.

• Det går fint.

  That’s fine / no worries.

  The typical reply to an apology.

English “I’m sorry” in the sense of sympathy is different again: Det er jeg lei meg for (“I’m sorry to hear that”) or, after a death, Kondolerer (“my condolences”).

Norwegian has fixed thank-you phrases for specific moments, and leaving them out can come across as curt.

• Takk for maten (“thanks for the food”): said after a meal, even at home to your parents. The host replies Velbekomme (roughly “enjoy” or “you’re welcome”).
• Takk for sist (“thanks for last time”): when you see someone again after spending time together. More in Norwegian greetings.
• Takk for i dag (“thanks for today”): when leaving work, class or a meeting.
• Takk for nå (“thanks for now”): to close a phone call or a chat.

You will hear these in real conversations from day one; you’ll find them alongside other everyday expressions in basic Norwegian phrases.