Signification
to treat something with gravity
Contexte culturel
In Norwegian work culture, 'å ta saken alvorlig' is linked to the 'Internal Control' (Internkontroll) regulations. Employers are legally bound to take safety and environment issues seriously. There is a high level of trust in authorities. When a politician says they take a matter seriously, the public generally expects a formal report or investigation to follow. Norwegians value 'direkte tale' (direct speech). If you don't take a matter seriously, it's better to say why than to give a vague promise. The term 'sak' is used for everything from a small task to a supreme court case, making this phrase universally applicable in all levels of administration.
Use with 'svært'
To sound extra professional, add 'svært' (very/highly). 'Vi tar saken svært alvorlig' is the gold standard for official responses.
Don't say 'ta saken alvorlig på'
Remember: 'ta saken alvorlig' (no preposition) OR 'ta noe på alvor'. Mixing them is a common B1 error.
Signification
to treat something with gravity
Use with 'svært'
To sound extra professional, add 'svært' (very/highly). 'Vi tar saken svært alvorlig' is the gold standard for official responses.
Don't say 'ta saken alvorlig på'
Remember: 'ta saken alvorlig' (no preposition) OR 'ta noe på alvor'. Mixing them is a common B1 error.
The 'Saklig' approach
If you want to impress a Norwegian, use this phrase when discussing facts and data. It shows you value 'saklighet' (objectivity).
Teste-toi
Fyll ut med riktig form av verbet 'å ta'.
I fjor ___ de saken alvorlig.
'I fjor' (last year) requires the past tense 'tok'.
Hvilken setning er mest formell og korrekt?
Velg det beste alternativet for en e-post til sjefen.
'Alvorlig' is more formal than 'seriøst', and 'ta' is the correct verb.
Fullfør dialogen.
A: Det er mye søppel i parken. B: Ja, kommunen må ___.
The standard collocation for taking action/responsibility is 'ta saken alvorlig'.
Match situasjonen med riktig reaksjon.
En ansatt rapporterer om en farlig maskin.
Taking something seriously implies taking appropriate action.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Alvorlig vs. Seriøst
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesI fjor ___ de saken alvorlig.
'I fjor' (last year) requires the past tense 'tok'.
Velg det beste alternativet for en e-post til sjefen.
'Alvorlig' is more formal than 'seriøst', and 'ta' is the correct verb.
A: Det er mye søppel i parken. B: Ja, kommunen må ___.
The standard collocation for taking action/responsibility is 'ta saken alvorlig'.
En ansatt rapporterer om en farlig maskin.
Taking something seriously implies taking appropriate action.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, but only in informal speech. In writing or professional settings, 'alvorlig' is much better.
Usually, yes, because you are referring to a specific situation. You can say 'ta sakene alvorlig' if there are multiple different issues.
'Alvorlig' often implies gravity or danger (like a serious illness), while 'seriøs' often implies professional reliability (like a serious businessman).
In this context, yes. It can also mean 'thing' or 'object' in other contexts, but here it's a 'matter' or 'issue'.
Yes, but it becomes 'å ta saka alvorleg'.
It's better to say 'Jeg tar deg på alvor'. 'Ta saken alvorlig' is for the issue, not the person.
Jeg tar det ikke alvorlig.
'Alvorlig talt' means 'Seriously!' or 'Honestly!' as an exclamation. It's different from the phrase 'å ta saken alvorlig'.
Yes, you can say 'Du må ta saken alvorlig' if someone is laughing at something that is actually dangerous.
Å ta lett på saken (to take the matter lightly).
Expressions liées
å ta noe på alvor
similarTo take something seriously (general)
å se alvorlig på noe
similarTo view something with gravity
å spøke med noe
contrastTo joke about something
å bagatellisere
contrastTo downplay or trivialize
