Norwegian language

Why learn the Norwegian language?

There are plenty of good reasons to learn the Norwegian language. It may not be a global language like French, Spanish, or as important as Han Chinese, but Norwegian is a really useful and rewarding language to learn. If you take a few courses, you can master the basics quickly, and it could create openings for all sorts of experiences.

Experience Norway like a local

The most obvious motivation for learning Norwegian is travel. Norway is a very popular tourist destination, with its jaw-dropping fjords, attractive cities like Bergen, plentiful ski slopes, and the attractions of the Northern Lights in the country's Arctic region. But most visitors see Norway from cruise ships or hotels, and fail to really get under the skin of the nation. That's a shame though, because Norwegian culture has a lot to offer that tourists don't always see. For example, with a little Norwegian, you can really make the most of the Hanen accommodation scheme. Offering comfortable lodgings in rural retreats, Hanen operates across Norway and tries to link visitors with local experiences. So, you could spend time cross-country skiing, whale watching, or even helping out on organic farms. In any case, knowing the local language will help you get to know locals, and hear their stories.

Immerse yourself in Norwegian culture

Norway also hosts a galaxy of local events where English plays no role at all. In the Gundbrandsdalen Valley, visitors could attend the Peer Gynt Festival, which commemorates the legacy of Edvard Grieg - probably Norway's greatest composer. Then there are food events that English speakers could easily miss. The Fagernes Rakfisk festival is probably the most famous - and the most traditional. Based around a fermented trout and char dish with cult status in Norway, it takes place every November, and is unmissable for anyone with a taste for culinary adventure.

Improve your career prospects

Learning Norwegian could also provide a boost in the job sector. About 15,000 British people work in Norway, and anyone seeking to join them will benefit from expanding their vocabulary. Oslo isn't Wall Street or Frankfurt, but it is home to a thriving economy, with banking, insurance, shipping, industrial design, and marketing all playing major roles. The tourism sector always attracts people to mix work and play, while Norway's oil and gas sector is among the most innovative on the planet, attracting a stream of engineering talent from the UK. Norwegian is often a relatively easy language for English speakers to pick up, so you can achieve results within a month or two. And you can learn the language even more quickly by using the latest language learning techniques.

Babbel's mobile-based courses offer the ideal solution for novices and advanced Norwegian students. Each course is based around conversational learning, and conversations are tailored to the interests of each student. Actual Norwegian speakers deliver spoken content, ensuring that students are exposed to realistic accents and pronunciation. And Babbel's voice recognition systems also make sure that learners acquire an authentic accent of their own. This form of learning is fun, accessible, and can be built around a student's individual needs. The app can be used anywhere, at any time, and courses can last for 1-12 months. Add in easy to use grammar tools, and learners will soon have a working knowledge of how to speak, read, write, and understand Norwegian. In other words, they will be ready to arrive in Oslo or Stavanger - and ready to explore everything Norway has to offer.