Signification
At the very last possible moment.
Contexte culturel
In Norwegian politics, 'ellevte time' is almost a standard part of the process. Major labor disputes are often settled by the 'Riksmekler' (National Mediator) long after midnight, leading to the phrase appearing in almost every major news cycle. The phrase is a 'Europeanism'—an idiom shared across many European languages due to the common influence of the Latin Vulgate Bible. In the startup world in Oslo, this phrase is often used during funding rounds ('fundingrunder') when money is about to run out. Norwegian climate activists use this phrase to create a sense of 'urgency' (hastverk), framing the current decade as the 11th hour for the planet.
Use it in Writing
This is a fantastic phrase to use in B2/C1 level essays to describe a turning point in a story or a critical political event.
Don't overdo it
If you use this for every small delay, you will sound like a drama queen. Save it for the big moments!
Signification
At the very last possible moment.
Use it in Writing
This is a fantastic phrase to use in B2/C1 level essays to describe a turning point in a story or a critical political event.
Don't overdo it
If you use this for every small delay, you will sound like a drama queen. Save it for the big moments!
News context
When you see 'ellevte time' in a Norwegian newspaper, look for words like 'mekling' (mediation) or 'frist' (deadline) nearby.
Teste-toi
Velg riktig preposisjon for uttrykket.
Avtalen ble signert ___ ellevte time.
Vi bruker alltid preposisjonen 'i' med dette uttrykket.
Fyll inn det manglende ordet (et ordenstall).
De fant en løsning i _________ time.
Uttrykket krever ordenstallet 'ellevte' (11.).
I hvilken situasjon er det mest naturlig å bruke 'i ellevte time'?
Velg situasjonen som passer best.
Dette er en formell, høydramatisk situasjon som passer uttrykkets valør.
Fullfør dialogen med riktig uttrykk.
A: Rak rakk du toget? B: Ja, men det var _________.
Dette er den korrekte faste vendingen.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesAvtalen ble signert ___ ellevte time.
Vi bruker alltid preposisjonen 'i' med dette uttrykket.
De fant en løsning i _________ time.
Uttrykket krever ordenstallet 'ellevte' (11.).
Velg situasjonen som passer best.
Dette er en formell, høydramatisk situasjon som passer uttrykkets valør.
A: Rak rakk du toget? B: Ja, men det var _________.
Dette er den korrekte faste vendingen.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsThe fixed idiom is 'i ellevte time' (without the definite -n). While 'timen' is grammatically correct, it sounds less idiomatic in this specific phrase.
Yes! It just means 'at the last moment'. If you win the lottery just before you go broke, that's a positive 'ellevte time' event.
No, it's purely symbolic. It can happen at any time of day.
It is very common in both, but it's particularly popular in journalism and formal speech.
'I siste liten' is more casual. 'I ellevte time' is more formal and often implies higher stakes.
No, that doesn't exist as an idiom. By the 12th hour, it's already too late!
Yes, it is a standard idiom understood and used across all of Norway.
Only if you arrive *just before* it starts. If you arrive after it starts, you are just 'for sent'.
It has old roots, but it is very much alive and used daily in modern Norwegian.
It's pronounced 'ELV-teh'. The 'v' is quite short.
Expressions liées
i siste liten
synonymIn the last minute.
på hengende håret
similarBy a hanging hair.
i grevens tid
similarIn the Count's time.
fem på tolv
similarFive to twelve.
