alle

§ What does "alle" mean and when do people use it?

The Norwegian word alle is a common pronoun that you will hear and use a lot. It means 'everyone' or 'everything' depending on the context. Think of it as a way to refer to a whole group of people or a collection of things. It's similar to how you might use 'all' or 'everybody' in English.

When you're talking about people, alle directly translates to 'everyone' or 'everybody'. It's used when you want to include every single person in a group you're discussing. For example, if you're in a classroom and the teacher wants to address the whole class, they might use alle.

Translation Hint

Good morning, everyone!

Here, sammen is often added to emphasize 'together' or 'all of us', but alle alone would also be understood as 'everyone'.

You also use alle when you're talking about things, meaning 'everything' or 'all of it'. This applies when you're referring to a group of objects or concepts. It's a way to summarize and include all components of a given set.

Translation Hint

Have you eaten all the cakes?

In this case, alle refers to 'all the cakes', emphasizing that every single one is included. It’s not just some of them, but the entire quantity.

The use of alle is quite straightforward once you get the hang of it. The key is to understand that it's a plural form. You wouldn't use alle for a single item or person. For single items, you'd use different words like 'hver' (each) or 'enhver' (any/every).

Think of these scenarios where you would definitely use alle:

• When addressing a group: You want to make sure your message reaches everyone present.
• When talking about completion: You've finished all tasks, eaten all the food, or read all the books.
• When referring to universal truths: 'Everyone knows that...'

Let's look at a few more examples to solidify your understanding:

Translation Hint

All the students must hand in their assignment.

Here, alle refers to the entire group of students, not just a select few.

Translation Hint

I have seen all the episodes of that series.

In this example, alle indicates that every episode of the series has been watched.

Learning alle correctly will significantly improve your ability to express comprehensive statements in Norwegian. It's a fundamental word for including everyone and everything in your conversations and writings.

§ Understanding 'Alle' (All/Every)

The Norwegian word alle means 'all' or 'every'. It's a pronoun. You'll hear it a lot, so it's good to get it right early on. While it seems straightforward, English speakers often make a few common mistakes. Let's look at them so you can avoid them.

§ Mistake 1: Using 'Alle' for Singular Nouns

In English, you might say 'every student' or 'every car'. In Norwegian, alle is used with plural nouns. You cannot use it directly with a singular noun in the same way you would 'every' in English. This is a very common error.

Wrong

Alle studenten forstår. (Incorrect: 'Every student understands' - literally 'All the student understands')

Correct

Alle studentene forstår. (Correct: 'All the students understand')

If you want to express 'every single' for a singular item, you need a different construction, often using 'hver' (each/every) or rephrasing.

Example

Hver student har en bok. (Every student has a book.)

§ Mistake 2: Forgetting the Definite Form with 'Alle'

When alle refers to specific people or things (i.e., 'all the' [something]), the noun that follows must be in its definite plural form. This is a common point of confusion because English doesn't have this grammatical rule in the same way.

Wrong

Alle folk kommer. (Incorrect: 'All people are coming')

Correct

Alle folkene kommer. (Correct: 'All the people are coming')

This applies whether alle is referring to people or objects.

§ Mistake 3: Confusing 'Alle' with 'Alt' and 'All'

Norwegian has three forms that mean 'all' or 'everything', and they depend on gender and number:

• Alle: Used for plural nouns (masculine, feminine, neuter) and when referring to people in general.
• All: Used for masculine and feminine singular nouns.
• Alt: Used for neuter singular nouns, and when referring to 'everything' in an abstract sense.

A common mistake is to use alle when all or alt is required.

Wrong

Alle maten er god. (Incorrect: 'All the food is good' - 'mat' is masculine singular)

Correct

All maten er god. (Correct: 'All the food is good')

Wrong

Alle er bra. (Incorrect: 'Everything is good' - referring to an abstract 'everything')

Correct

Alt er bra. (Correct: 'Everything is good')

§ Summary of 'Alle' Usage

To sum up, when using alle, keep these points in mind:

• It's for plural nouns.
• The noun following it is usually in the definite plural.
• Don't confuse it with all (masculine/feminine singular) or alt (neuter singular/abstract 'everything').

By being mindful of these distinctions, you'll use alle much more accurately and sound more natural in Norwegian. Practice these different forms, and they will become second nature.