Master Norwegian Numbers
Norwegian (Bokmål) has a straightforward decimal counting system, but with a few twists. The number "one" has two forms — en (common gender) and ett (neuter) — matching the gender of the noun it describes. Seven can be either sju or syv, depending on preference and dialect. Unlike its Danish cousin, Norwegian avoided the vigesimal system and uses simple, predictable compound numbers.
Watch the videos below, then download the Foreign Numbers app and practice what you've learned!
Norwegian Phone Numbers
How phone numbers work in Norway & how locals say them
| Numeral | Cardinal | Ordinal |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | null | |
| 1 | én (m) éi (f), ett (n) - Bokmål
éin (m) éi (f), eitt (n) - Nynrosk | første |
| 2 | to | annen, andre |
| 3 | tre | tredje |
| 4 | fire | fjerde |
| 5 | fem | femte |
| 6 | seks | sjette |
| 7 | sju / syv | sjuende |
| 8 | åtte | åttende |
| 9 | ni | niende |
| 10 | ti | tiende |
| 11 | elleve | ellevte |
| 12 | tolv | tolvte |
| 13 | tretten | trettende |
| 14 | fjorten | fjortende |
| 15 | femten | femtende |
| 16 | seksten | sekstende |
| 17 | sytten | syttende |
| 18 | atten | attende |
| 19 | nitten | nittende |
| 20 | tjue | tjuende |
| 21 | tjueén / én og tyve | tjueførste |
| 22 | tjueto / to og tyve | tjueandre |
| 23 | tjuetre / tre og tyve | tjuetredje |
| 24 | tjuefire / fire og tyve | tjuefjerde |
| 25 | tjuefem / fem og tyve | tjuefemte |
| 26 | tjueseks / seks og tyve | tjuesjette |
| 27 | tjuesju / sju og tyve | tjuesjuende |
| 28 | tjueåtte / åtte og tyve | tjueåttende |
| 29 | tjueni / ni og tyve | tjueniende |
| 30 | tretti | trettiende |
| 40 | førti | førtiende |
| 50 | femti | femtiende |
| 60 | sekstii | sekstiende |
| 70 | sytti | syttiende |
| 80 | åtti | åttiende |
| 90 | nitti | nittiende |
| 100 | hundre | hundrede |
| 101 | (ett) hundre og én/éin
hundreogén | |
| 200 | to hundre | |
| 300 | tre hundre | |
| 1,000 | (ett) tusen | tusende |
| 2,000 | to tusen | |
| 3,000 | tre tusen | |
| 1 million | én million | |
| 1 billion | én milliard |
Number data and information courtesy of Omniglot.
What Makes Norwegian Numbers Challenging
Norwegian numbers are among the easiest for English speakers, but the two-gender system for 'one' (en/ett) requires knowing which nouns are common and which are neuter. The two acceptable forms for 7 (sju/syv) can initially confuse learners. Norwegian compound numbers are straightforward but long: tjuefem (25) is said as one word. The soft Norwegian pronunciation can make numbers harder to catch in casual speech compared to written forms.
Tips for Learning Norwegian Numbers
Norwegian numbers are logical and regular — invest time in digits 1-20 and the tens, then the system becomes predictable. Learn both sju and syv for 7 since you will hear both. For the en/ett distinction, learn the gender of common nouns gradually rather than trying to memorize all at once. Practice with Norwegian prices (kroner amounts) and addresses for real-world number recognition. Norwegian and Swedish numbers are very similar, so learning one helps with the other.
Practice Norwegian Numbers
Reading about numbers is one thing — understanding them spoken at natural speed is another. Test your Norwegian number skills with our free listening game.
Play the Number Game