Science is a part of our everyday lives, in the form of the plants and trees around us, the sun that shines, the ground beneath our feet, the chemicals we use to clean with, the electricity we use, etc. In this lesson, we’re going to learn about some famous Norwegian scientists and the discoveries they have made, as well as learn some science related vocabulary in Norwegian.
Grammar Review
Sentence structure
While most Norwegian sentences use the subject-verb-object (SVO) word order, like English does, Norwegian does have the V2 (verb second) rule. If an adverbial phrase or subordinate clause is at the front of the sentence, the subject and the verb have to switch places (this is called “inversion”) so that the verb stays in the second position.
| Eksempel | English | |
|---|---|---|
SVO |
Markus jobbet i laboratoriet i går. |
Markus worked in the laboratory yesterday. |
Sofia studerte biologi da hun gikk på universitetet. |
Sofia studied biology when she was at university. |
|
V2 |
I går jobbet Markus i laboratoriet. |
Yesterday, Markus worked in the laboratory. |
Da Sofia gikk på universitetet, studerte hun biologi. |
When Sofia was at university, she studied biology. |
Verb Conjugation
Conjugating present tense of verbs in Norwegian is fairly simple. Most present tense verbs just add an -r to the end of the infinitive.
| Infinitive | Present | English | Infinitive | Present | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Å studere |
Studerer |
Studying / Studies |
Å måle |
Måler |
Measuring / Measures |
Å lese |
Leser |
Reading / Reads |
Å jobbe |
Jobber |
Working / Works |
There are some exceptions / irregulars:
Infinitive |
Present |
English |
Infinitive |
Present |
English |
Å kunne |
Kan |
To be able to |
Å måtte |
Må |
To have to |
Å skulle |
Skal |
To have to; to be going to |
Å ville |
Vil |
To want |
Å være |
Er |
To be |
Å vite |
Vet |
To know |
Past tense conjugation is a bit more difficult, however there are some guidelines (but keep in mind there are exceptions).
-
If the verb ends with a double consonant, consonant cluster, or voiced plosive (b / d), past tense will end in -et.
-
If the verb ends in a single consonant (except v / b / d), past tense ends in -te.
-
If the verb ends with v or diphthong, the past tense ends in -de.
-
If the verb has only one syllable with a long vowel, past tense ends in -dde.
Rule Number |
Infinitive |
Past Tense |
English |
1 |
Å snakke |
Snakket |
Talked |
Å ønske |
Ønsket |
Wished |
|
2 |
Å lære |
Lærte |
Learned |
Å kjøpe |
Kjøpte |
Bought |
|
3 |
Å leve |
Levde |
Lived |
Å pleie |
Pleide |
Used |
|
4 |
Å bo |
Bodde |
Lived |
For future tense, typically the present tense verb is used with a time adverbial to clarify it is a future action. (Future can also be expressed with modal verbs, but this is just a brief overview).
Eksempel |
English |
Eksamenen er på onsdag. |
The exam is on Wednesday. |
Konferansen er neste måned. |
The conference is next month. |
Adjective Basics
Adjectives typically have to agree with the gender and the number of the noun.
| Singular Indefinite | Plural Indefinite | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Norwegian |
English |
Norwegian |
English |
|
Masculine |
En fjern planet |
A distant planet |
Fjerne planeter |
Distant planets |
En ren kopp |
A clean cup |
Rene kopper |
Clean cups |
|
Feminine |
Ei fjern stjerne |
A distant star |
Fjerne stjerner |
Distant stars |
Ei ren væske |
A clean liquid |
Rene væsker |
Clean liquids |
|
Neuter |
Et fjernt lys |
A distant light |
Fjerne lys |
Distant lights |
Et rent speil |
A clean mirror |
Rene speil |
Clean mirrors |
|
When the noun is in the definite form, the adjective takes an -e ending (like in the plural indefinite above).
| Singular Definite | Plural Definite | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Norwegian |
English |
Norwegian |
English |
|
Masculine |
Den fjerne planeten |
The distant planet |
De fjerne planetene |
The distant planets |
Denne rene koppen |
This clean cup |
Disse rene koppene |
These clean scups |
|
Feminine |
Den fjerne stjerna |
The distant star |
De fjerne stjernene |
The distant stars |
Denne rene væska |
This clean liquid |
Disse rene væskene |
These clean liquids |
|
Neuter |
Det fjerne lyset |
The distant star |
De fjerne lysene / lysa |
The distant stars |
Dette rene speilet |
This clean mirror |
Disse rene speilene / speila |
These clean mirrors |
|
Science in Norway
There have been a number of Norwegians who have made major discoveries and advancements in varying scientific fields. For this lesson, let’s look at a few of them.
One of the most famous Norwegian scientists is Kristian Birkeland, born in 1867 in what is now called Oslo. He went on several trips to the northern parts of Norway, setting up a number of observatories to obtain magnetic field information. During his research, he noticed that an electron beam, focused on a magnetized ball, was guided toward the “poles” and produced rings of light. He realized that this could be the reason for the aurora borealis (northern lights). His theory, that polar electric currents were connected to other currents that were along the geometric field lines (now known as Birkeland currents) that led into and away from the polar region, was heavily debated for decades. Many dismissed his ideas long after his death. It wasn’t until 1967 that his theory was proven true after a probe was sent into space. Birkeland was featured on the 200 kr bank note, along with his diagram of field-aligned currents (the Birkeland currents).
Odd Hassel was born in 1897 in what is now known as Oslo. He was a physical chemist and focused much of his work on inorganic chemistry and later on molecular structures. From 1925 until 1964, he worked at the University of Oslo. In 1943, he and other university staff members were arrested by the Nasjonal Samling (the Norwegian far-right party active during the time of occupation by Nazi forces). He spent time in a number of detention camps until 1944 when he was released. In 1969, he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery that molecules existed on more than one plane.
Physical chemist and theoretical physicist Lars Onsager was born in 1903 in Oslo. As part of his research, he determined that the Debye-Hückel theory of electrolyte solutions had an error. He published his findings in 1926 and traveled to Zürich to confront Peter Debye, telling the scientist that he was wrong. A few years later, during his time conducting research at Brown University, Onsager produced the Onsager reciprocal relations which is a set of equations used in thermodynamics. This work earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1968.
Nobel Laureates May-Britt Moser (born 1963 in Fosnavåg) and Edvard Moser (born 1962 in Ålesund) are both neuroscientists who worked together to better understand how the brain works with regards to spatial location. May-Britt and Edvard met in university and married in 1985 (divorced in 2016). Over the course of their careers, they founded the Centre for Neural Computation as well as the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience. In 2014, the Mosers received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering a type of cell (called a grid cell), located in the hippocampus, which is important in determining one’s location.
Science Vocab
Nouns & Adjectives
| English | Norwegian | English | Norwegian |
|---|---|---|---|
Acid |
Syre |
Air |
Luft (ei) |
Alkaline |
Alkalisk |
Asteroid |
Asteroide (en) |
Astronomy |
Astronomi |
Atmosphere |
Atmosfære (en) |
Atom |
Atom (et) |
Axis |
Akse (en) |
Beaker |
Begerglass (et) |
Bias (i.e. statistical bias) |
Systematisk feil / Statistisk avvik |
Biochemistry |
Biokjemi |
Biology |
Biologi |
Botany |
Botanikk |
Cell |
Celle (ei) |
Chemical |
Kjemisk stoff (et) |
Chemistry |
Kjemi |
Climate |
Klima |
Climate change |
Klimaendringer |
Comet |
Komet (en) |
Condensation |
Kondensasjon |
Constellation |
Konstellasjon (en) |
Data |
Data |
Dirt |
Skitt / jord |
Earth |
Jord |
Ecology |
Økologi |
Electrical |
Elektrisk |
Electricity |
Elektrisitet |
Electron |
Elektron (et) |
Element |
Element (et) |
Energy
|
Energi
|
Entomology |
Entomologi |
Erosion |
Erosjon |
Evolution |
Evolusjon |
Experiment |
Eksperiment (et) |
Extinct |
Utryddet |
Fact |
Faktum |
Flask |
Kolbe (en) |
Food chain |
Næringskjede |
Fossil |
Fossil (et) |
Frequency |
Frekvens |
Friction |
Friksjon |
Funnel |
Trakt (ei) |
Galaxy |
Galakse (en) |
Genetics |
Genetikk |
Geology |
Geologi |
Graduated cylinder |
Målesylinder (en) |
Gravitational pull |
Gravitasjonskraft |
Gravity |
Tyngdekraft / Gravitasjon |
Habitat |
Habitat (et) |
Hypothesis |
Hypotese (en) |
Laboratory |
Laboratorium (et) |
Liquid |
Væske (ei) |
Light year |
Lysår (et) |
Magnetic field |
Magnetfelt (et) |
Magnifying glass |
Forstørrelsesglass (et) |
Mass |
Masse |
Matter |
Materie |
Measurement |
Måling (ei) |
Meteor |
Meteor (en) |
Meteorology |
Meteorologi |
Microbiology |
Mikrobiologi |
Microscope |
Mikroskop (et) |
Mineral |
Mineral (et) |
Mitosis |
Mitose |
Molecule |
Molekyl (et) |
Motion |
Bevegelse |
Neutron |
Nøytron (et) |
Nucleus |
Kjerne (en) |
Observatory |
Observatorium (et) |
Orbit |
Bane (en) |
Organism |
Organisme (en) |
Ozone layer |
Ozonlag |
Paleontology |
Palæontologi |
Particle |
Partikkel (en) |
Periodic table / chart |
Periodesystemet / Periodetabellen |
Petri dish |
Petriskål (ei) |
Phase |
Fase (en) |
Photosynthesis |
Fotosyntese |
Physics |
Fysikk |
Planet |
Planet (en) |
Plant |
Plante (ei) |
Pipette |
Pipette (en) |
Pollution |
Forurensning |
Proton |
Proton (et) |
Quantum physics |
Kvantefysikk |
Radiation |
Stråling |
Renewable resource |
Fornybar ressurs (en) |
Research |
Forskning |
Researcher |
Forsker (en) |
Rock |
Stein (en) |
Satellite |
Satellitt (en) |
Scale |
Skala (en) |
Science |
Vitenskap |
Scientific method |
Vitenskapelig metode |
Scientist |
Vitenskapsmann (en) |
Solar system |
Solsystem (et) |
Solid |
Faststoff (et) |
Sound |
Lyd (en) |
Sound wave |
Lydbølge (ei) |
Space (i.e. outer space) |
(Verdens)rom (et) / Det ytre rom |
Species |
Art (en) |
Specimen |
Eksemplar (et) |
Speed |
Fart |
Star |
Stjerne (ei) |
Symbiosis |
Symbiose |
Telescope |
Teleskop (et) |
Temperature |
Temperatur |
Test tube |
Reagensrør (et) / Reagensglass (et) |
Theory |
Teori (en) |
Thermometer |
Termometer (et) |
Tissue |
Vev (et) |
Trait |
Egenskap (en) |
Universe |
Univers (et) |
Variable |
Variabel (en) |
Velocity |
Hastighet |
Volume |
Volum |
Weather |
Vær |
Weight |
Vekt (ei) |
Verbs
English |
Norwegian |
English |
Norwegian |
To accelerate |
Å akselerere |
To add |
Å legge til |
To alter |
Å endre |
To boil |
Å koke |
To burn |
Å brenne |
To combine |
Å kombinere |
To condense |
Å kondensere |
To consume |
Å forbruke |
To dilute |
Å fortynne |
To dissect |
Å dissekere |
To divide |
Å dele |
To erode |
Å erodere |
To evaporate |
Å fordampe |
To evolve |
Å utvikle |
To experiment |
Å eksperimentere |
To freeze |
Å fryse |
To grow |
Å vokse |
To hibernate |
Å gå i dvale |
To grow (i.e. plants) |
Å gro |
||
To measure |
Å måle |
To melt |
Å smelte |
To orbit |
Å gå i bane |
To plant |
Å plante |
To recycle |
Å resirkulere |
To reproduce |
Å reprodusere |
To research |
Å forske |
To separate |
Å skille |
To weigh |
Å veie |
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References:
Reading Practice: