Strange noises you can make in Norwegian to sound like a local

Many foreigners in Norway kick off their language-learning journey with a Norwegian course or a learning app like Duolingo or Babbel. But if you want to make yourself sound more like a native speaker, you may need to find yourself needing to adopt some of the odder noises Norwegians make.

Inhaled ja

An inhaled yes (ja) is a popular expression in Danish and Swedish too, and other languages, such as German and French.

This is done by inhaling while saying the ja, which serves to make the affirmation a little more cursory. It can be a way of saying that the affirmation is self-evident, or perhaps a way of expressing a stoic acceptance that something unwelcome is the case. 

Mmmh

The frequent use of "Mmmh" as a way to show engagement is a pretty widespread habit in Norwegian.

While in many languages and cultures (such as those in Central and Eastern Europe), a listener might silently nod or wait for their turn to speak, Norwegians actively signal that they're paying attention with a stream of affirmative murmurs.

If you're talking to a Norwegian, don't be surprised to hear multiple "Mmmhs" per sentence - it's their way of saying, "I hear you, I'm following along, continue".

Don't think of this sound as just a filler (although, to be honest, at times, it is); more often, it plays an important role in keeping the conversation flowing, preventing awkward pauses or uncertainty about whether the other side should continue.

In fact, not using "Mmmh" can make you seem passive or disengaged, even if you're listening intently.

Uff da  

Norwegians are often labelled cold and reserved (whether this is fair or not is for another discussion), and this noise to show a little empathy could be perceived as a little stand-offish depending on the context, and how you take it.

Uff da is a bit like the anglophone equivalent of letting out an “ooof” or pulling in a sharp inhale while wincing.

If you see someone trip and it looks painful but not serious, you might start with a “uff da” before asking them if they are okay. If it looks serious, then uff da probably isn’t all that appropriate.

Say a friend tells you a story about their friend’s partner leaving them or their boss being unbearable, you can let out a “uff da” to let them know you feel sorry for the affected party without getting too involved.

Much like “ooof”, a situation can quickly turn awkward if you use uff da when a bit more levity is required.

READ ALSO: A language expert’s three top tips for learning Norwegian

Jajajaja

Not to be confused with the way you write laughter phonetically in Spanish (or ‘hahahahaha’ in English), is often used by people agreeing or nodding along with what someone is telling them.

In an interaction where someone is speaking for an extended period, a simple ja to let them know you’re agreeing can turn into a jaja to confirm you are still listening before snowballing into jajajajajaja.

This will be most common while speaking on the phone when someone is telling you a story or relaying plans.

The tone of the ja can change depending on whether the person is gladly absorbing the information being relayed, emphatically agreeing or being sarcastic, passive aggressive or dismissing it entirely.

Oj

This can be compared to “oops” or “oh” in English. It can be used in a short apology, lots of young Norwegians tend to mix English in and say, “Oj sorry”.

During a misunderstanding, you could say something like “oj, det var ikke min intensjon.” which equates to “Oh, that wasn’t my intention”.

It can also be used to express mild surprise or shock, such as if you were to say “oj, kom å se” (ooh come and look) if you wanted to bring someone else’s attention to something.

Æsj

Sounding similar to “esh”, this is typically used as a reaction to something that is annoying or disgusting.

If there’s an unpleasant smell you’d say something like “Æsj! Det lukter forferdelig” (ew, that smells terrible).

Many parents will also find themselves telling their children, “Æsj, ikke rør det” (ew, don’t touch that).

Pøh

This versatile noise can be compared to a couple of English noises. In one form, it can mean something akin to “pfft” to dismiss or scoff at something.

Hæ

This noise is very versatile and can be used in a number of ways depending on your tone.

Hæ can be seen as very close to “huh?” or “what?” in English. Using hæ in a lower pitch expresses confusion, while a higher pitch expresses surprise.

You’ll also often hear parents try and tell their kids not to use this expression as it could be considered impolite.

Å! and øh

These two expressions can also act as a sliding scale between outright scepticism, confusion and pleasant surprise.

Å, much like its pronunciation, is quite light and airy. It could be used to express surprise or when something suddenly makes sense, such as “Å! Nå forstår jeg” (Ahhhh! Now I understand!) or Å! ja (Oh, yeah!)

Øh has a heavier and lower pronunciation and is used to express confusion or scepticism, so it could be used like “øh, jeg er ikke sikker på at det vil fungere” (Errrr, I am not sure that will work).