With nearly everyone fluent in English and many AI language tools available, it’s tempting for many foreigners coming to Norway to coast by and not bother to learn the language.
But those that do bother often find learning Norwegian helps build deeper social connections, opens up career opportunities, and fosters a stronger sense of belonging.
In Norway, language levels follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), ranging from beginner (A1–A2) to intermediate (B1–B2) and advanced (C1–C2).
While many jobs and daily interactions can be managed in English, reaching at least a B1 level in Norwegian is often encouraged for deeper social integration, and is now required when applying for citizenship.
Alejandro Viquez (38), from Mexico City, feels lucky he got the opportunity to study the first three levels at the University of Oslo for free ‒ a benefit offered to international students enrolled in a Master’s degree at the institution. It was the reason he moved to Norway in the first place ten years ago.
“I thought: this is a new language to learn and this is free - this is cool,” he says. “And it turned out great. The teachers were very good, I got to know new international friends who were all in the same boat as me. In addition, if you, as a student, finished the classes, that was a great tool - whether you wanted to apply for different visas, basically those hours and exams. If you used it well, it could be very fruitful.”
Work hasn’t been the main motivation to keep studying and practicing, though. “I have been working mainly in an international environment," says the Senior Communication Manager at Kahoot!. The turning point came when he moved 20 minutes by train outside of Oslo, where people are more used to speaking Norwegian. “That helped me a lot. In a smaller city, you see the same people more often at the gym, grocery store so you need to interact. You have no choice but to use your Norwegian. I saw that when you actively put in effort and they understand you, you’re in.”
Today, he is fluent. “Of course I make mistakes, and sometimes I use the wrong formulation, probably because I’m thinking in Spanish or English format. But people understand. It takes a bit of courage to speak, so I would say to anyone starting now: just give it a shot.”
Social integration was also the reason why London-born Alistair Franke (31) rolled up his sleeves and studied the language. He moved to Oslo four years ago to work in finance and now balances his time between consulting and creating content for his successful Become Norwegian Instagram account.
As a “nearly fluent” speaker, he was determined to learn Norwegian the moment he set foot at Gardermoen Airport. “I don’t like the idea of being a typical ‘Brit abroad’ who doesn’t bother to learn the local language, so for me it’s very important to at least try,” says Alistair, who hasn’t taken any formal lessons, just tried to immerse himself as much as possible.
Although he never felt excluded, he believes that not understanding Norwegian can certainly make social situations more challenging. “For example, at a party or gathering where everyone is speaking Norwegian, it makes it that bit harder to join in. But 90 percent of the time, Norwegians will happily switch to English if they realise you’re not keeping up. This is both a blessing and a curse.”
To break that pattern, he focused less on getting things perfect and more on just being understood or getting the gist. “Usually, as long as you say something ‘mostly correct’, it’s enough.”
For someone moving to Norway, Alistair has two tips: “Embrace all the typical aspects of Norwegian culture, even the things you think are weird - that makes everything more enjoyable. Plus, I often ask friends to text me in Norwegian. This is great practice, and it’s really easy to copy and paste into Translate for the words I don’t understand. They won’t even know!”
If Alistair quickly started learning Norwegian to integrate despite working in English, for Brazilian Letícia Ribeiro (33), Subsea Engineer at Equinor, it was the other way around. She already worked at the company in her hometown of Rio de Janeiro and moved to Norway on a short-term assignment.
“Initially, the plan was to survive with English. As usual, the first year is full of things to adapt to, and the language was not on top of the priorities. At work, I was in a very international team, and it was working fine with my English.”
That mindset shifted when her role changed to a department where more Norwegian is spoken, especially during water cooler chats, social events, and informal conversations.
“I decided to start learning the language as a result of my own internal pressure. After the first year, once all the moving and adapting was done, I got to the point of feeling uncomfortable and tired of not understanding the language and not 100 percent participating.”
She’s been studying for the last six months with a 1:1 private teacher online and just finished A2 level. “I’m still learning. I use it in basic situations, at the grocery store, for example, but not yet in full conversations. I study with the teacher, watch Norwegian TV with subtitles, and I love Duolingo.”
A tip for those about to move here? “This is a hard one. Everyone works in a different way. The best advice is to start as soon as possible so you can try and fail until you find the technique, tool, or activity that works for you. And don’t give up. It’s okay to take a break, but don’t give up."
If you want to know more about which different courses are available, check this guide from the City of Oslo.
By Marianna Wachelke
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