Meaning
Asking about family status
Cultural Background
Asking about children is very common because of the 'Barnehage' culture. Most children attend state-subsidized daycare, which is a major topic of conversation among parents. In the US, asking 'Do you have kids?' is common but can sometimes be sensitive if the person is struggling with infertility. In Norway, it is generally seen as a more neutral, factual question. In Japan, asking about children can be seen as pressure to conform to social norms. In Norway, the question is usually just a way to find common social ground. In many Middle Eastern cultures, having a large family is a point of pride, and the question is often followed by a blessing like 'Mashallah'. In Norway, the response is usually more practical.
The Plural Secret
Don't worry about pluralizing 'barn'. It's the same word whether you're asking about one kid or ten!
Job Interview Taboo
In Norway, it's actually illegal for an employer to ask this. Keep it for social hours!
Meaning
Asking about family status
The Plural Secret
Don't worry about pluralizing 'barn'. It's the same word whether you're asking about one kid or ten!
Job Interview Taboo
In Norway, it's actually illegal for an employer to ask this. Keep it for social hours!
Unger vs. Barn
Use 'unger' if you want to sound more like a local in a casual setting, especially in Western or Northern Norway.
Follow up
If the answer is 'Ja', the most natural follow-up is 'Hvor gamle er de?' (How old are they?).
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing verb to complete the question.
___ du barn?
In Norwegian, we use the verb 'å ha' (to have) to ask about children.
Which of these is the most natural way to ask a couple if they have kids?
Asking a couple:
'Dere' is the plural form of 'you', used when talking to more than one person.
Complete the dialogue with the correct response.
A: Har du barn? B: Ja, jeg ___ tre barn.
The response mirrors the question verb 'har'.
Match the phrase to the correct social setting.
Phrase: 'Har du unger?'
'Unger' is an informal word for children, best used in casual settings.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Singular vs Plural
Practice Bank
4 exercises___ du barn?
In Norwegian, we use the verb 'å ha' (to have) to ask about children.
Asking a couple:
'Dere' is the plural form of 'you', used when talking to more than one person.
A: Har du barn? B: Ja, jeg ___ tre barn.
The response mirrors the question verb 'har'.
Phrase: 'Har du unger?'
'Unger' is an informal word for children, best used in casual settings.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsNo, it's a very standard social question, though usually asked after some initial small talk.
Because 'barn' is a neuter one-syllable noun, which doesn't take an ending in the indefinite plural.
No, for pets you would ask 'Har du hund?' or 'Har du katt?'. Calling pets 'barn' is rare in Norwegian.
You can say 'Jeg har bonusbarn' (I have bonus children), which is the common term in Norway.
Change 'du' to 'dere': 'Har dere barn?'.
Neither is 'better', but 'barn' is more neutral/formal, while 'unger' is more casual.
Usually 'Ja, jeg har [number] barn' or 'Nei, jeg har ikke barn'.
Yes, it's quite common in Norway to be direct about family status early on.
Yes, they share the same Germanic root!
Yes, but they might answer about their adult children or grandchildren.
It's a way to ask if someone is pregnant (literally: Do you have a child in the stomach?), but be careful with this one!
You say 'Jeg ønsker ikke barn'.
Related Phrases
Har du familie?
similarDo you have a family?
Er du gift?
similarAre you married?
Hvor mange barn har du?
builds onHow many children do you have?
Har du barnebarn?
specialized formDo you have grandchildren?
Jeg har ikke barn.
contrastI don't have children.
Barnet mitt
builds onMy child
