意思
Doing it late is better than not.
文化背景
Norwegians value punctuality highly ('presis'), but they also have a strong sense of 'folkeskikk' (good manners) which involves being forgiving of others' minor mistakes. Across the Nordics, this phrase is a shared cultural anchor, appearing in Swedish as 'Bättre sent än aldrig' and Danish as 'Bedre sent end aldrig'. In the age of social media, this phrase is often used as a caption for a 'late' post, such as photos from a vacation that happened months ago. There is a famous saying 'Det er aldri for sent å snu' (It's never too late to turn back), which is a more serious cousin of this phrase used for safety.
Use with a smile
This phrase is 50% words and 50% body language. A smile makes it an apology; a flat face makes it an excuse.
Not for work emergencies
Don't use this if your boss is genuinely angry about a missed deadline.
意思
Doing it late is better than not.
Use with a smile
This phrase is 50% words and 50% body language. A smile makes it an apology; a flat face makes it an excuse.
Not for work emergencies
Don't use this if your boss is genuinely angry about a missed deadline.
The Nynorsk Switch
If you are in Western Norway, try saying 'Bedre seint enn aldri' to sound more like a local.
自我测试
Fill in the missing word to complete the proverb.
Bedre ____ enn aldri.
The standard form of the proverb uses 'sent'.
Which situation is most appropriate for this phrase?
You arrive 10 minutes late to a coffee date with a friend.
It's a perfect way to acknowledge minor lateness in a friendly way.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Her er rapporten, tre dager for sent.' B: 'Takk, ________.'
B is accepting the late report graciously.
Match the phrase to the context.
Context: A 70-year-old woman graduates from university.
It highlights that the achievement is valuable regardless of age.
🎉 得分： /4
视觉学习工具
When to use 'Bedre sent enn aldri'
Social
- • Parties
- • Coffee dates
- • Dinner
Life
- • New hobbies
- • Education
- • Marriage
Tasks
- • Emails
- • Returning books
- • Cleaning
练习题库
4 练习Bedre ____ enn aldri.
The standard form of the proverb uses 'sent'.
You arrive 10 minutes late to a coffee date with a friend.
It's a perfect way to acknowledge minor lateness in a friendly way.
A: 'Her er rapporten, tre dager for sent.' B: 'Takk, ________.'
B is accepting the late report graciously.
Context: A 70-year-old woman graduates from university.
It highlights that the achievement is valuable regardless of age.
🎉 得分： /4
常见问题
5 个问题No, it's generally considered polite and humble, as long as the situation isn't too serious.
Yes, it's common in semi-formal or informal emails to acknowledge a delay.
'Sent' is Bokmål, and 'seint' is Nynorsk. Both are widely understood and used.
No, that is incorrect. The fixed phrase is always 'aldri' (never).
Both! You can use it for a person arriving or a package being delivered.
相关表达
Det er aldri for sent
similarIt is never too late.
Den som venter på noe godt, venter ikke forgjeves
builds onHe who waits for something good does not wait in vain.
Tiden leger alle sår
similarTime heals all wounds.
Heller før enn siden
contrastRather sooner than later.
