Signification
Asking about a profession
Contexte culturel
Norwegians have a very flat hierarchy. You can ask this question to anyone, regardless of their status, using the informal 'du'. In the US, 'What do you do?' is often the very first question. In Norway, it's common but usually follows 'Where do you live?' or 'How do you know the host?'. In Japan, asking about work often involves an exchange of business cards (Meishi). In Norway, it's just verbal and much less formal. In France, asking 'What do you do for a living?' can sometimes be seen as too personal or status-oriented in early conversation. Norwegians are more direct.
Use 'i' or 'på'
Use 'i' for companies (i Google) and 'på' for institutions/locations (på sykehuset, på skolen).
Word Order
Never say 'Hvor du jobber?'. The verb MUST come second.
Signification
Asking about a profession
Use 'i' or 'på'
Use 'i' for companies (i Google) and 'på' for institutions/locations (på sykehuset, på skolen).
Word Order
Never say 'Hvor du jobber?'. The verb MUST come second.
Add 'hen'
Adding 'hen' at the end (Hvor jobber du hen?) makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word to complete the question.
Hvor ______ du?
You need the present tense 'jobber' for a general question about current work.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
A: Hvor du jobber? B: Hvor jobber du?
Norwegian requires the verb in the second position (V2 rule) in questions.
Match the Norwegian word to its English meaning.
1. Hvor, 2. Jobber, 3. Du
Hvor = Where, Jobber = Work, Du = You.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hei! Jeg heter Ola. Hvor jobber du? B: Hei Ola! Jeg ______ i en bank.
The answer to 'Hvor jobber du?' usually starts with 'Jeg jobber...'.
In which situation would you say 'Hvor jobber du?'
1. Meeting a new friend, 2. Buying milk, 3. Sleeping
It is a social question used when getting to know someone.
🎉 Score : /5
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesHvor ______ du?
You need the present tense 'jobber' for a general question about current work.
A: Hvor du jobber? B: Hvor jobber du?
Norwegian requires the verb in the second position (V2 rule) in questions.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
Hvor = Where, Jobber = Work, Du = You.
A: Hei! Jeg heter Ola. Hvor jobber du? B: Hei Ola! Jeg ______ i en bank.
The answer to 'Hvor jobber du?' usually starts with 'Jeg jobber...'.
1. Meeting a new friend, 2. Buying milk, 3. Sleeping
It is a social question used when getting to know someone.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, but it sounds more formal and slightly old-fashioned in casual conversation.
No, it is a very standard and polite question in Norway.
In modern Norway, 'Hvor jobber du?' is used even in formal settings. The old 'De' form is dead.
'Hvor' asks for the place (Where), 'Hva' asks for the thing/role (What).
It's a historical remnant. All 'Hv-' words in Norwegian have a silent 'H'.
No, ask 'Hvor går du på skole?' instead.
Say 'Jeg er student' or 'Jeg studerer ved [Universitet]'.
You can say 'Jeg er mellom jobber' (I am between jobs) or 'Jeg er arbeidsledig'.
Yes, Norwegian present tense covers both 'I work' and 'I am working'.
In most of Norway, yes, but in the south/west, they use a 'guttural r'.
Expressions liées
Hva jobber du med?
similarWhat do you work with?
Hva driver du med?
similarWhat are you up to?
Hvor bor du?
builds onWhere do you live?
Er du i jobb?
specialized formAre you currently employed?
Jeg er arbeidsledig
contrastI am unemployed
