§ What 'sur' means
The Norwegian adjective 'sur' means having a sharp, acidic taste. Think of something sour, like a lemon or unripe berries. It describes a flavor that makes you pucker!
- DEFINITION
- having a sharp, acidic taste
§ How to use 'sur' in a sentence
'Sur' is an adjective, so it will describe a noun. Like many adjectives in Norwegian, its form might change depending on the gender and number of the noun it modifies, and whether it's in a definite or indefinite construction. However, for A2 level, you'll most often see it in its basic form when describing food or drinks.
Let's look at some examples:
Denne sitronen er veldig sur. (This lemon is very sour.)
Here, 'sur' describes 'sitronen' (the lemon), which is a common singular noun. No change needed.
Jeg liker ikke sur
In this example, 'sur' describes 'melk' (milk), which is an indefinite common noun.
Bærene er litt sure i dag. (The berries are a bit sour today.)
Notice here that 'sure' has an -e ending. This is because it is describing 'bærene' (the berries), which is a plural definite noun. When an adjective describes a plural noun in a definite construction, it often takes an -e ending.
§ Common phrases with 'sur'
You'll often hear 'sur' used in a few common contexts:
- Surmelk: This literally means 'sour milk' and refers to a type of fermented milk product, similar to buttermilk.
- Sursøt: This compound word means 'sweet and sour', just like in English.
- Sure kirsebær: Sour cherries.
Jeg kjøpte surmelk til frokost. (I bought sour milk for breakfast.)
Dette er en sursøt saus. (This is a sweet and sour sauce.)
§ Practice using 'sur'
Now it's your turn to practice. Think about things you've tasted recently that were sour. How would you describe them using 'sur'?
- Is that apple sur?
- Do you like sure
The more you use it, the easier it becomes. Don't be afraid to make mistakes – that's how you learn!
स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण
Eplet er surt.
The apple is sour.
Here 'surt' is the neuter singular form to agree with 'eplet'.
Sitronen er veldig sur.
The lemon is very sour.
Here 'sur' is the common gender singular form to agree with 'sitronen'.
Jeg liker ikke sur melk.
I don't like sour milk.
Here 'sur' is the common gender singular form modifying 'melk'.
Tomatene er litt sure i dag.
The tomatoes are a little sour today.
Here 'sure' is the plural form to agree with 'tomatene'.
Denne vinen er for sur.
This wine is too sour.
Here 'sur' is the common gender singular form modifying 'vin'.
Har du smakt den sure sausen?
Have you tasted the sour sauce?
Here 'sure' is the definite singular form, used with the definite article 'den'.
Noen bær er søte, andre er sure.
Some berries are sweet, others are sour.
Here 'sure' is the plural form to agree with 'bær' (which is both singular and plural for 'berry').
Jeg foretrekker søte smaker, ikke sure.
I prefer sweet flavors, not sour ones.
Here 'sure' is the plural form, referring to 'smaker' (flavors).
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालThe most common way to use sur is to describe food or drinks that have a sharp, acidic taste, like sour milk or lemons.
Yes, sur can also describe someone's mood, meaning 'grumpy' or 'sullen'. For example, 'Han er sur i dag' means 'He is grumpy today'.
To say 'sour cream' in Norwegian, you would use 'rømme', not a direct translation using sur.
Not always. While it can describe a negative taste or mood, 'surdeig' (sourdough) uses sur in a positive context.
The opposite of sur for taste would typically be 'søt' (sweet) or 'mild' (mild).
No, sur is not typically used to describe weather. You would use words like 'kald' (cold) or 'dårlig' (bad) for unpleasant weather.
Sur is the adjective form. 'Surt' is the neuter singular form of the adjective, used with neuter nouns (e.g., 'et surt eple' - a sour apple).
Yes, one common idiom is 'å bli sur' which means 'to get angry' or 'to get grumpy'.
Unlike some Norwegian adjectives, sur does not have a separate feminine form. The plural form is 'sure' (e.g., 'sure epler' - sour apples).
Sur refers to an acidic taste, like lemon. 'Bitter' refers to a bitter taste, like black coffee or dark chocolate. They are distinct tastes.
