Meaning
Having romantic feelings
Cultural Background
The 'Forelska i lærer'n' song is a national anthem of sorts. Singing it at karaoke is a rite of passage. Norwegians are often private about their feelings. Admitting you are 'forelsket' is a big deal and usually only done with close friends. On Norwegian Tinder, people often use the phrase 'ser etter en å bli forelsket i' to signal they want a serious relationship, not just a hookup. Knut Hamsun's 'Victoria' is the ultimate Norwegian novel about being 'forelsket' and the pain that comes with it.
The 'i' Rule
Always remember the preposition 'i'. If you say 'forelsket med', Norwegians will understand, but it sounds like a direct translation from English.
Don't over-elske
Reserving 'elsker' for serious moments makes 'forelsket' your best friend for daily romantic talk.
Meaning
Having romantic feelings
The 'i' Rule
Always remember the preposition 'i'. If you say 'forelsket med', Norwegians will understand, but it sounds like a direct translation from English.
Don't over-elske
Reserving 'elsker' for serious moments makes 'forelsket' your best friend for daily romantic talk.
Use 'stupforelsket'
If you want to sound like a native and show high emotion, use 'stupforelsket'. It's a very 'Norwegian' sounding word.
Dialect variation
You will often hear 'forelska' (ending in A). This is perfectly fine to use in speech and informal writing.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct preposition.
Jeg er forelsket ___ deg.
In Norwegian, you are always forelsket 'i' someone.
Which sentence is most natural for a new crush?
How do you tell a friend you have a crush on Per?
'Forelsket' is the standard word for a romantic crush.
Match the Norwegian and English phrases.
Match the intensity.
These represent different levels of romantic feeling.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Er du ___? B: Ja, jeg har møtt en fantastisk jente.
The context of meeting someone fantastic points to being in love.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Levels of Affection in Norwegian
Who can you be forelsket in?
People
- • Kjæreste
- • Crush
- • Kjendis
Places
- • Norge
- • Paris
- • Fjellene
Art
- • Sanger
- • Bøker
- • Filmer
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJeg er forelsket ___ deg.
In Norwegian, you are always forelsket 'i' someone.
How do you tell a friend you have a crush on Per?
'Forelsket' is the standard word for a romantic crush.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These represent different levels of romantic feeling.
A: Er du ___? B: Ja, jeg har møtt en fantastisk jente.
The context of meeting someone fantastic points to being in love.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt's better to use 'Jeg er veldig glad i hunden min'. 'Forelsket' is strictly romantic.
'Betatt' is like being smitten or charmed, while 'forelsket' is a stronger emotional state of being in love.
No, it's an adjective (past participle). You use it with the verb 'å være' (to be).
Use 'Jeg ble forelsket'.
It's possible but sounds very dramatic. Better to say 'Jeg brenner for denne hobbyen'.
In modern speech, 'forelsket' is used for both singular and plural. 'Forelskede' is very formal.
It means 'head over heels in love'.
Yes, but usually in the beginning. Later, you might say 'Jeg er så glad i deg' or 'Jeg elsker deg'.
Yes, 'Jeg er forelsket i [kjendis]' is very common.
Yes, 'ulykkelig forelsket' means being in love with someone who doesn't love you back.
Related Phrases
å bli forelsket
builds onto fall in love
stupforelsket
specialized formhead over heels in love
ulykkelig forelsket
specialized formunrequited love
å være betatt
similarto be smitten
gjensidig forelskelse
builds onmutual love
