Markets & Souvenirs

1. Hva koster dette?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Basic phrase for asking the price at a market or souvenir shop

   Grammar Note

   "Hva koster dette?" is the most common Norwegian Bokmål phrase for asking the price

2. Kan man forhandle om prisen?

   Can I bargain on the price?

   Usage

   Asking whether price negotiation is possible

   Grammar Note

   "Man" is the impersonal subject. Norwegian shops have fixed prices, but flea markets (loppemarked) allow haggling

3. Jeg kan gi hundre kroner

   I'll offer one hundred kroner

   Usage

   Offering a counter-price during bargaining

   Grammar Note

   "Kan gi" = "kan" (can) + "gi" (give/pay), a common way to name your price; "Jeg byr ..." is also used. Adjust the amount as needed

4. Kan jeg få rabatt?

   Can I get a discount?

   Usage

   Requesting a discount

   Grammar Note

   "Rabatt" is a loanword via French "rabais". Norwegian flea markets (loppemarked) welcome bargaining

5. Er dette håndlaget?

   Is this handmade?

   Usage

   Checking whether an item is handmade

   Grammar Note

   "Hånd" (hand) + "laget" (made). Norwegian traditional crafts such as rosemaling and Hardanger embroidery are often handmade

6. Hva er det laget av?

   What material is this made of?

   Usage

   Asking about the material of an item

   Grammar Note

   "Av" is "of/from". Key Norwegian materials: ull (wool), tre (wood), skinn (leather)

7. Kan dere pakke det inn som en gave?

   Can you gift-wrap this?

   Usage

   Requesting gift wrapping

   Grammar Note

   "Dere" is the informal 2nd-person plural. "Gave" is the Norwegian word for gift

8. Hvor er nattmarkedet?

   Where is the night market?

   Usage

   Asking the location of a night market

   Grammar Note

   "Natt" (night) + "markedet" (the market, neuter definite). Norwegian summer markets run mainly June–August

9. Kan jeg få en kvittering?

   Can I have a receipt?

   Usage

   Asking for a receipt after a purchase

   Grammar Note

   "Kvittering" means receipt. Most Norwegian shops automatically issue a printed or digital receipt

10. Når har markedet åpent?

    When is the market open?

    Usage

    Checking when the market is open

    Grammar Note

    "Åpent" is the neuter form of "åpen" (open). "Markedet" has the neuter definite suffix "-et"

11. Jeg bare ser, takk

    I'm just looking, thank you

    Usage

    Politely declining a shopkeeper's approach

    Grammar Note

    "Bare" means "just/only". "Takk" means thank you in Norwegian

12. Tar dere kort?

    Do you accept card payment?

    Usage

    Checking whether card payment is accepted

    Grammar Note

    Norway is nearly cashless. BankAxept and Visa are widely used, even at small market stalls

13. Jeg kjøper det som suvenir til en venn

    I'm buying it as a souvenir for a friend

    Usage

    Telling the seller it is a souvenir gift

    Grammar Note

    "Til en venn" means "for a friend". "Suvenir" is borrowed from French "souvenir"

14. Kan dette sendes til utlandet?

    Can this be shipped internationally?

    Usage

    Asking about international shipping options

    Grammar Note

    "Utlandet" combines "ut" (out) + "landet" (the country), meaning abroad

15. Hva er deres beste vare?

    What is your best item?

    Usage

    Asking for the seller's top recommendation

    Grammar Note

    "Beste" is the superlative of "god/godt" (good). "Deres" is the formal/plural possessive

16. Er prisen forhandlingsbar?

    Is the price negotiable?

    Usage

    Checking whether the price can be negotiated

    Grammar Note

    "Forhandlingsbar" combines "forhandling" (negotiation) + "-bar" (capable of), meaning negotiable

17. Har dere en annen størrelse?

    Do you have a different size?

    Usage

    Looking for a different size

    Grammar Note

    "Størrelse" is size. Add "større" (bigger) or "mindre" (smaller) to be more specific

18. Dette er for dyrt

    This is too expensive

    Usage

    Expressing that the price is too high

    Grammar Note

    "For" as adverb means "too/overly". "Litt dyrt" (a little expensive) signals you are open to negotiation

19. frukt

    Fruit

    Usage

    Point to this when looking for the fruit section or asking for fruit

    Grammar Note

    An "en" noun, definite "frukten"; vegetables are a different word, "grønnsaker"

20. ost

    Cheese

    Usage

    For buying cheese or checking for dairy; the brown whey cheese is "brunost"

    Grammar Note

    An "en" noun, definite "osten"

21. yoghurt

    Yoghurt

    Usage

    For buying yoghurt; Norwegian shelves also carry "kefir" and "skyr" alongside it

    Grammar Note

    An "en" noun, definite "yoghurten"

22. hvitløk

    Garlic

    Usage

    For buying garlic or checking whether a dish contains it

    Grammar Note

    An "en" noun; the h in "hv-" is silent. A single clove is "et hvitløksfedd"

23. løk

    Onion

    Usage

    For buying onions or checking whether a dish contains them

    Grammar Note

    An "en" noun. On its own it means onion, but it also covers the allium family and flower bulbs; a leek is "purreløk" and a spring onion is "vårløk"

24. chili

    Chilli

    Usage

    For buying chilli or identifying what makes a dish hot; pair it with a request to leave it out

    Grammar Note

    An "en" noun, definite "chilien"; the powder is "chilipulver"

25. koriander

    Coriander

    Usage

    For buying coriander, or for asking that it be left out

    Grammar Note

    An "en" noun covering both the leaf and the seed; say "frisk koriander" for the fresh leaf and "korianderfrø" for the seed

26. ingefær

    Ginger

    Usage

    For buying ginger; fresh root ginger is "fersk ingefær"

    Grammar Note

    An "en" noun, definite "ingefæren"; also the main spice in the Christmas biscuit "pepperkaker"

Browse all TravelPhrases languages