Meaning
Expressing positive feelings about a place
Cultural Background
Norwegians value their proximity to nature even within cities. If you say you like a city, they will often assume you like the nearby forests or fjords. People from Bergen are known for their intense local patriotism. Praising Bergen is the fastest way to make a friend there. Oslo is often criticized by people from other parts of Norway for being 'too big' or 'stressful'. Saying you like it can be a refreshing take for locals. As a student city, Trondheim has a youthful energy. Liking the city often implies liking the 'studentfrivillighet' (student volunteering) culture.
Add 'veldig godt'
To sound more natural, add 'veldig godt' at the end. Norwegians rarely just 'like' something; they like it 'very well'.
Watch the 'y'
The 'y' in 'byen' is not like the English 'y'. Round your lips as if to whistle, but say 'ee'.
Meaning
Expressing positive feelings about a place
Add 'veldig godt'
To sound more natural, add 'veldig godt' at the end. Norwegians rarely just 'like' something; they like it 'very well'.
Watch the 'y'
The 'y' in 'byen' is not like the English 'y'. Round your lips as if to whistle, but say 'ee'.
Be specific
If you say you like the city, be prepared to say WHY. Norwegians love discussing specific neighborhoods or hiking trails.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to say 'I like this city'.
Jeg ______ denne byen.
'Liker' is the present tense of 'to like'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the correct form:
You need 'denne' (masculine) and the definite form 'byen'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hvordan er Bergen? B: Den er fantastisk! Jeg ______ ______ ______.
This fits the context of praising a city.
Match the Norwegian phrase to its English translation.
Match the following:
Simple translation matching.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJeg ______ denne byen.
'Liker' is the present tense of 'to like'.
Choose the correct form:
You need 'denne' (masculine) and the definite form 'byen'.
A: Hvordan er Bergen? B: Den er fantastisk! Jeg ______ ______ ______.
This fits the context of praising a city.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Simple translation matching.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, that is grammatically incorrect. After 'denne', the noun must be in the definite form: 'denne byen'.
'Liker' is 'like', 'elsker' is 'love'. Use 'elsker' if you are truly passionate about the city.
Yes, 'by' covers everything from a small town to a large metropolis. For a very small village, use 'landsby'.
Simply add 'ikke' after the verb: 'Jeg liker ikke denne byen'.
Yes, 'by' is used for both cities and towns in Norway.
Because 'by' is a masculine noun (en by). 'Dette' is for neuter nouns (et hus).
It is neutral. You can use it with anyone, from a friend to a boss.
Say 'Jeg liker denne byen kjempegodt' or 'veldig godt'.
Yes, adding 'her' (here) at the end is very common in spoken Norwegian for emphasis.
Then use 'den' instead of 'denne': 'Jeg liker den byen' (I like that city).
Related Phrases
Jeg trives her
similarI am thriving/happy here
Jeg elsker denne byen
builds onI love this city
Dette er en fin by
similarThis is a nice city
Jeg hater denne byen
contrastI hate this city
