hode
Head
Usage
Show it at a clinic and point to your head. A headache is one compound word, "hodepine"
Grammar Note
Neuter: et hode, definite hodet. Norwegian builds pain words with "-pine" or "-verk"
hår
Hair
Usage
Used at a salon or barber: "kan du klippe håret mitt?" — could you cut my hair?
Grammar Note
Neuter, et hår, and the singular stands even for a whole head of hair
ansikt
Face
Usage
For a beauty salon or a dermatologist. A facial massage is "ansiktsmassasje"
Grammar Note
Neuter, et ansikt. Note Swedish adds a final -e: "ansikte"
øye
Eye
Usage
At an optician or pharmacy. For both eyes use the plural "øyne"; eye drops are "øyedråper"
Grammar Note
Neuter, et øye, with the irregular plural "øyne"
øre
Ear
Usage
Earache is "øreverk". Useful when your ears block up on a flight
Grammar Note
Neuter, et øre, plural "ører". Spelled like the coin unit "øre", a hundredth of a krone
nese
Nose
Usage
A nosebleed is "neseblod" and a blocked nose is "tett nese" — both come up with hay fever
Grammar Note
Common gender, en nese. Swedish has "näsa" and Danish "næse"
munn
Mouth
Usage
At the dentist, "åpne munnen" means open your mouth. Mouthwash is "munnskyll"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en munn. Danish inserts a d: "mund"
tann
Tooth
Usage
A dentist is a "tannlege" and toothache is "tannverk". Point at the tooth that hurts
Grammar Note
Common gender, en tann, plural "tenner". Swedish and Danish both spell it "tand"
tunge
Tongue
Usage
At an examination, "rekk ut tunga" means stick out your tongue. Also for a burnt tongue
Grammar Note
Feminine, ei tunge, with the definite form "tunga" or "tungen"
hals
Neck / Throat
Usage
Norwegian uses one word for the neck and the throat. "Jeg har vondt i halsen" — my throat hurts — is the standard line at a cold clinic. For the back of the neck specifically, use "nakke"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hals. Norwegian phrases pain as "ha vondt i ..."
nakke
Nape / Back of the neck
Usage
For a stiff or cricked neck. "Jeg har vondt i nakken" is pain at the back of the neck, as opposed to "i halsen" for a sore throat
Grammar Note
Common gender, en nakke — the same form used in the Health & Hospital category
skulder
Shoulder
Usage
Handy for showing a masseur where to work. The plural is "skuldre"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en skulder. Swedish uses a completely different word, "axel"
arm
Arm
Usage
Point here for a blood test or blood pressure cuff. "Jeg har brukket armen" — I broke my arm
Grammar Note
Common gender, en arm. Swedish and Danish happen to spell it the same way
albue
Elbow
Usage
Point here after a fall. Tennis elbow is "tennisalbue"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en albue. Danish spells it the same; Swedish uses the unrelated "armbåge"
hånd
Hand
Usage
Hand sanitiser is "håndsprit", a sign you will see in every pharmacy
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hånd, plural "hender". Swedish writes it without the å: "hand"
finger
Finger
Usage
For a cut or a split nail. A toe is a different word, "tå", plural "tær"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en finger, plural "fingre"
negl
Nail
Usage
A nail salon is a "neglesalong". Use it for a broken or ingrown nail
Grammar Note
Common gender, en negl; the g is silent. Swedish spells it "nagel"
brystkasse
Chest
Usage
Use this for chest pain. Plain "bryst" can also mean a breast, so "brystkasse" is the unambiguous choice in a medical setting
Grammar Note
Common gender, literally "chest box" — the rib cage. Same form as in the Basic Nouns category
mage
Belly / Stomach area
Usage
The belly as a whole. "Jeg har vondt i magen" is the standard line, and also appears in the Health & Hospital category. For the organ itself, say "magesekk"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en mage. Swedish also has "mage"; Danish writes it with a v, "mave"
magesekk
Stomach (the organ)
Usage
The organ itself, for talking about stomach medicine or a gastroscopy. Everyday tummy ache uses "magen"; show this word when the doctor needs the organ
Grammar Note
Common gender, literally "belly sack"
rygg
Back
Usage
For a massage or physio. "Jeg har vondt i ryggen" — my back hurts
Grammar Note
Common gender, en rygg. Swedish matches; Danish has a single g, "ryg"
korsrygg
Lower back
Usage
Norwegian has no single word for the Japanese "koshi"; lower-back pain is described with "korsrygg". A sudden lumbago is a "hekseskudd" — literally a witch's shot
Grammar Note
Common gender, "kors" (cross, the sacrum) plus "rygg". Same form as in the Basic Nouns category
rumpe
Bottom
Usage
An everyday word that is perfectly usable at a clinic and not crude — for a fall, or for where an injection goes
Grammar Note
Common gender, en rumpe. Swedish ends it in -a: "rumpa"
bein
Leg / Bone
Usage
Norwegian "bein" covers both a leg and a bone, and context decides — "jeg har brukket beinet" is normally "I broke my leg". A fracture is "beinbrudd", as in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Neuter, et bein. It can also be spelled "ben", but "bein" is widely used in Bokmål
knokkel
Bone (a single bone)
Usage
Use it when "bein" would be ambiguous and you mean the bone, not the leg. Plural "knokler"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en knokkel. The whole skeleton is a "skjelett"
kne
Knee
Usage
The most common ski and hiking injury word. "Jeg har vridd kneet" — I twisted my knee
Grammar Note
Neuter, et kne, definite "kneet", plural "knær". Swedish writes "knä" and Danish "knæ"
fot
Foot
Usage
Distinct from "bein" (the whole leg) — this is only from the ankle down. Use it for blisters or a foot massage
Grammar Note
Common gender, en fot, plural "føtter". Swedish also has "fot"; Danish has "fod"
ankel
Ankle
Usage
A sprain is a "forstuet ankel" — a very common winter accident on icy Norwegian pavements, which is why shops sell "brodder", strap-on shoe spikes
Grammar Note
Common gender, en ankel. Danish matches; standard Swedish prefers "fotled"
hud
Skin
Usage
A dermatologist is a "hudlege" and a rash is "utslett", as in the Health & Hospital category. Also for dry winter skin
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hud. Swedish and Danish spell it identically
blod
Blood
Usage
A blood test is a "blodprøve" and blood pressure is "blodtrykk". Pairs with "blødning" (bleeding) in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Neuter, et blod. Swedish and Danish spell it identically
hjerte
Heart
Usage
Use it with "hjertesykdom" (heart disease) from the Health & Hospital category when declaring a condition. An ECG is an "EKG"
Grammar Note
Neuter, et hjerte. Danish matches; Swedish has "hjärta"
lunge
Lung
Usage
Pneumonia is "lungebetennelse". Use it with "astma" and "pustevansker" from the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Common gender, en lunge, plural "lunger". Swedish has "lunga"
tarm
Intestine / Bowel
Usage
A stomach bug is "omgangssyke". Pairs with "forstoppelse" (constipation) in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Common gender, en tarm. Swedish and Danish spell it identically
lever
Liver
Usage
For liver tests and medication questions. It is also the food word — "leverpostei" is liver pâté
Grammar Note
Common gender, en lever. It is spelled like the present tense of "leve" (to live), so context decides
nyre
Kidney
Usage
A kidney stone is a "nyrestein". Also the word to use if you are on dialysis
Grammar Note
Common gender, en nyre. Danish matches; Swedish has "njure"
More Norwegian phrases
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