Signification
Having knowledge of something.
Contexte culturel
Norwegians often use 'kjenne til' to avoid sounding like an 'expert' (bedreviter). It's a way to stay humble in conversation. In flat hierarchies, 'Kjenner du til...' is a polite way for a manager to check if an employee is informed without being accusatory. In Norwegian universities, students are expected to 'kjenne til' a wide range of theories, even if they only specialize in one. When discussing mutual friends, using 'kjenne til' clarifies that you aren't claiming a closeness that doesn't exist.
The 'Vague' Power
Use 'kjenne til' when you want to be polite but don't want to be asked follow-up questions you can't answer.
No 'om'!
Never say 'kjenne om'. It's a classic English-speaker mistake. Always 'til'.
Signification
Having knowledge of something.
The 'Vague' Power
Use 'kjenne til' when you want to be polite but don't want to be asked follow-up questions you can't answer.
No 'om'!
Never say 'kjenne om'. It's a classic English-speaker mistake. Always 'til'.
Modesty is Key
Even if you are an expert, starting with 'Jeg kjenner jo litt til...' makes you sound more likeable in Norway.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form to complete the sentence.
Jeg ______ ikke til den nye læreren ennå.
Since you are talking about knowing *of* the teacher (awareness), 'kjenner til' is the correct choice.
Fill in the missing preposition.
Kjenner du ____ denne sangen?
The fixed collocation is 'å kjenne til'.
Match the sentence to the correct situation.
1. Jeg kjenner ham. 2. Jeg kjenner til ham.
'Kjenne' is for personal relationships; 'kjenne til' is for awareness.
Complete the dialogue with the correct past tense form.
A: Visste du om møtet? B: Ja, jeg ______ til det.
The past tense of 'kjenne' is 'kjente'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Kjenne vs. Kjenne Til
When to use 'Kjenne Til'
Media
- • Books
- • Movies
- • News
Work
- • Projects
- • Rules
- • Companies
Social
- • Celebrities
- • Friends of friends
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesJeg ______ ikke til den nye læreren ennå.
Since you are talking about knowing *of* the teacher (awareness), 'kjenner til' is the correct choice.
Kjenner du ____ denne sangen?
The fixed collocation is 'å kjenne til'.
1. Jeg kjenner ham. 2. Jeg kjenner til ham.
'Kjenne' is for personal relationships; 'kjenne til' is for awareness.
A: Visste du om møtet? B: Ja, jeg ______ til det.
The past tense of 'kjenne' is 'kjente'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes! 'Jeg kjenner til Oslo' means you know of the city. 'Jeg kjenner Oslo' means you know the streets and the vibe well.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your friends.
'Vite om' is more about knowing a fact exists. 'Kjenne til' implies a slightly deeper familiarity with the context.
Use 'Jeg kjenner ikke til det'.
Yes, 'Jeg kjenner til ham' is perfect if you've met once but aren't friends.
Yes, but it's a noun phrase and much more formal. Use it in reports.
No, for physical sensations use just 'kjenne'. 'Jeg kjenner lukten av kaffe'.
No, use 'Jeg kan svømme' for skills.
The past tense is 'kjente til'.
Yes, it is used across all of Norway, though the pronunciation of 'kjenne' varies.
Yes, if you've heard of it, you 'kjenner til' it.
It is two separate words.
Prepositions are often arbitrary, but 'til' suggests a direction of your knowledge toward the object.
Absolutely. 'Jeg kjenner til deres arbeid innenfor...' is a great opening.
Expressions liées
ha kjennskap til
specialized formTo have knowledge of
vite om
similarTo know about
være klar over
similarTo be aware of
bli kjent med
builds onTo get to know
kjenne
contrastTo know (personally) / To feel
