Signification
Asking for an opinion on a meal.
Contexte culturel
The 'Takk for maten' (Thanks for the food) ritual is sacred. Even if you didn't like the food, you say it to show respect to the host. Waiters will ask 'How is everything?' multiple times. In Norway, a waiter might only ask once, or not at all, to avoid interrupting your 'kos'. Food is a serious topic of intellectual debate. Asking this might lead to a 20-minute discussion on the sauce's consistency. Directly criticizing food can be seen as very rude. People often use 'Oishii' (delicious) even if it's just okay to maintain harmony.
The 'Synes' Rule
If you can replace 'think' with 'find' in English (e.g., 'I find the food good'), use 'synes' in Norwegian.
Don't forget 'om'!
Leaving out 'om' is the most common error. Think of it as 'What do you think *about* the food?'
Signification
Asking for an opinion on a meal.
The 'Synes' Rule
If you can replace 'think' with 'find' in English (e.g., 'I find the food good'), use 'synes' in Norwegian.
Don't forget 'om'!
Leaving out 'om' is the most common error. Think of it as 'What do you think *about* the food?'
Be Honest-ish
Norwegians value honesty, but if you're a guest, 'Det smaker godt' is the safest answer even if it's just okay.
Past Tense
If you ask the next day, remember to say 'Hva *syntes* du om maten i går?'
Teste-toi
Choose the correct verb for a personal opinion about food you are eating.
Hva ____ du om maten?
We use 'synes' for subjective opinions based on experience.
Fill in the missing preposition.
Hva synes du ___ maten?
The verb 'synes' is almost always paired with 'om' when referring to an object.
Complete the dialogue.
Vert: Vær så god! Hva synes du om maten? Gjest: Den smaker ____!
'Kjempegodt' (very good) is a perfect response to an opinion about food.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Hva syntes du om maten?
'Syntes' is the past tense, so it is used after the meal is finished.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Synes vs. Tror
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesHva ____ du om maten?
We use 'synes' for subjective opinions based on experience.
Hva synes du ___ maten?
The verb 'synes' is almost always paired with 'om' when referring to an object.
Vert: Vær så god! Hva synes du om maten? Gjest: Den smaker ____!
'Kjempegodt' (very good) is a perfect response to an opinion about food.
Hva syntes du om maten?
'Syntes' is the past tense, so it is used after the meal is finished.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, but 'Hva synes du om maten?' is more open-ended and encourages a more detailed answer.
'Synes' is for sensory opinions (taste, look). 'Mener' is for logical opinions or points of view.
Yes, because you are almost always asking about the specific meal in front of you.
You can say 'Den var ikke helt min smak' (It wasn't quite my taste) to be polite.
Yes, but you would say 'Hva synes du om vinen?' or 'Hva synes du om kaffen?'.
It is neutral. You can use it with anyone.
It's a deponent verb. It's just how the word is built; it doesn't mean it's passive or plural.
It's possible, but sounds a bit like you're asking for a deep philosophical analysis of the food.
Then you'd ask 'Hva synes du om oppskriften?'.
'Synes' is present tense (now). 'Syntes' is past tense (yesterday).
Expressions liées
Smaker det godt?
similarDoes it taste good?
Er du mett?
builds onAre you full?
Liker du det?
similarDo you like it?
Hva mener du?
contrastWhat do you mean / What is your opinion?
Vel bekomme!
relatedYou're welcome (after a meal).
