Meaning
Asking for someone's age
Cultural Background
Asking age is common among children but should be done with tact among adults. It's not a taboo, but privacy is valued. In traditional Sami culture, age is respected, but asking direct personal questions can sometimes be seen as blunt. Context matters. In Norwegian workplaces, age is rarely discussed in a way that implies hierarchy. Everyone is 'du'. Young Norwegians often identify by their birth year (e.g., '98-er') rather than their current age.
The 'Be' Rule
Always remember: in Norwegian, you ARE old, you don't HAVE years. Use 'er', not 'har'.
Asking Kids
Asking a child 'Hvor gammel er du?' is the fastest way to make friends with a Norwegian family.
Meaning
Asking for someone's age
The 'Be' Rule
Always remember: in Norwegian, you ARE old, you don't HAVE years. Use 'er', not 'har'.
Asking Kids
Asking a child 'Hvor gammel er du?' is the fastest way to make friends with a Norwegian family.
Adjective Agreement
Don't forget to change 'gammel' to 'gammelt' if you are asking about a neuter object like a house (hus).
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to ask someone's age.
Hvor ______ er du?
Since 'du' is singular and refers to a person, we use the standard masculine/feminine form 'gammel'.
Which of these is the correct way to say 'I am 25 years old'?
Choose the correct sentence:
In Norwegian, we use 'er' (are) and 'gammel' (old) for people.
Match the question to the correct subject.
Match the adjective form to the subject:
Adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the noun.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hvor gammel er du? B: ___________.
The question asks for age, so the answer must provide a number of years.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesHvor ______ er du?
Since 'du' is singular and refers to a person, we use the standard masculine/feminine form 'gammel'.
Choose the correct sentence:
In Norwegian, we use 'er' (are) and 'gammel' (old) for people.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the noun.
A: Hvor gammel er du? B: ___________.
The question asks for age, so the answer must provide a number of years.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsIt is generally less rude than in the US or UK, but still requires a level of familiarity. It's best to wait until the topic of birthdays or history comes up.
No, this is a literal translation from Spanish/French and sounds very wrong in Norwegian. Use 'Hvor gammel er du?'.
'Gammel' is the standard Bokmål form. 'Gammal' is used in Nynorsk and many dialects. Both are understood everywhere.
You say 'Jeg er [number] år' or 'Jeg er [number] år gammel'. Both are correct.
Related Phrases
Hva er alderen din?
similarWhat is your age?
Når har du bursdag?
builds onWhen is your birthday?
Hvor gammel blir du?
similarHow old will you be?
I sin beste alder
specialized formIn one's prime.
