Which type of Norwegian should I learn?

As for which spoken dialect to learn, I recommend Standard East Norwegian. That is the dialect spoken in Oslo and the surrounding areas. People all over Norway will understand you perfectly if you speak in that dialect. It’s the most common dialect heard on the TV, in movies and in other media in Norway*.

What are the different types of Norwegian?

Today there are two official forms of written Norwegian, Bokmål (literally ‘book tongue’) and Nynorsk (‘new Norwegian’), each with its own variants.

What is the difference between Norwegian Bokmål and nynorsk?

Nynorsk is mostly used in Western Norway as a written language (by roughly 10 \% of the people, amounting to about half a million), Bokmål is dominant in the rest of the country, and is used in writing by close to 90 \%.

Should I learn bokmål or nynorsk?

Since 90\% of the Norwegian population use bokmål, we strongly recommend starting with bokmål. Once you have a solid understanding of bokmål, you might wish to learn some nynorsk in order to understand the differences between the two language forms, although nynorsk and bokmål are very close to each other.

What is the correct spoken Norwegian language?

Regulated by the Norwegian Academy, the Norwegian language has rules and guidelines for proper written Norwegian. However, unlike many other languages, there is no standard for spoken Norwegian. Therefore, while two standard and regulated forms of written Norwegian exist, several different dialects are accepted as correct spoken Norwegian.

How many different forms of Norwegian are there?

Today there are two official forms of written Norwegian, Bokmål (literally “book tongue”) and Nynorsk (“new Norwegian”), each with its own variants.

What languages are taught in schools in Norway?

Both of these are taught in schools. English is taught from around the age of 8 and so most Norwegians are fluent by the time they reach their teenage years. Many also choose to learn a second foreign language either at school or for fun, with German and Spanish seeming to be the most popular options at the moment.

What language do they speak in Oslo?

It’s also sometimes called Eastern Norwegian, or Standard Norwegian. A more recent development is a spoken form of the language known as kebabnorsk. It’s a fusion of Norwegian and foreign languages, and can be heard on the streets in parts of Oslo. The other written standard for the language is known as Nynorsk, or new Norwegian.