When you bekymre deg, it means you are feeling worried. It's used when something is on your mind and you're not sure how it will turn out. You can say 'Jeg bekymrer meg for...' (I worry about...). It's a common feeling, so it's a good word to know.
When you're at the B1 level in Norwegian, you're moving beyond basic survival phrases and starting to express more complex emotions and concerns. The verb «bekymre» is a great example of this. It means 'to worry' or 'to be concerned about' something. You'll often see it used reflexively as «bekymre seg», meaning 'to worry oneself' or 'to worry (about something)'. This distinction is important for sounding natural. Pay attention to the prepositions used with it, especially «for» (for/about) or «seg over» (over/about) to specify what the worry is about.
bekymre en 30 secondes
- Feeling uneasy
- Being concerned
- Experiencing anxiety
Let's get straight to it. Today, we're looking at the Norwegian verb bekymre. This is an important word for expressing a common human emotion: worry. If you want to talk about being worried, or making someone else worried, this is the verb you need.
§ What 'bekymre' means
- DEFINITION
- To worry about something, or to cause someone else to worry.
The verb bekymre is used when you are feeling concern or anxiety about something. It can also be used transitively, meaning you can bekymre someone else. This is similar to how 'to worry' works in English. You can 'worry about' something, or something can 'worry' you.
§ Common uses of 'bekymre'
Most often, you'll see bekymre used in one of two main ways:
- Reflexive: å bekymre seg (to worry oneself, to be worried)
- Transitive: å bekymre noen (to worry someone, to make someone worried)
Let's break these down with examples.
§ Using 'bekymre seg' (to worry oneself)
When you are personally feeling worried, you use the reflexive form bekymre seg. The 'seg' changes depending on the subject of the sentence (meg, deg, seg, oss, dere, seg). This is very important. You almost always need this reflexive pronoun when talking about yourself worrying.
Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen.
(I worry myself for the exam / I am worried about the exam.)
Hun bekymrer seg mye.
(She worries herself a lot / She worries a lot.)
Ikke bekymre deg!
(Don't worry yourself! / Don't worry!)
§ Using 'bekymre noen' (to worry someone)
When something or someone causes another person to worry, you use bekymre transitively. No reflexive pronoun is needed here. The object of the verb is the person who is being worried.
Nyhetene bekymrer mange.
(The news worries many.)
Hans fravær bekymret meg.
(His absence worried me.)
§ Related words: 'bekymring' and 'bekymret'
You'll also encounter the noun bekymring (worry/concern) and the adjective bekymret (worried).
- DEFINITION
- Bekymring: A feeling of worry or anxiety.
Han har mange bekymringer.
(He has many worries/concerns.)
- DEFINITION
- Bekymret: Adjective meaning 'worried'.
Jeg er bekymret for ham.
(I am worried for him / I am worried about him.)
So, while bekymre is the verb 'to worry', bekymret (as an adjective) is 'worried'. This is similar to how we use 'interested' (adjective) versus 'to interest' (verb) in English.
§ What "bekymre" means
- Norwegian Word
- bekymre (verb)
- CEFR Level
- A2
- Definition
- to worry about something
The verb "bekymre" means to worry. It can be used reflexively as "å bekymre seg for noe" (to worry about something) or transitively as "å bekymre noen" (to worry someone). It's a common and practical word to know.
§ Examples of "bekymre" in sentences
Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen. (I worry about the exam.)
Ikke bekymre deg! Alt blir bra. (Don't worry! Everything will be fine.)
Været bekymrer meg litt. (The weather worries me a bit.)
Hvorfor bekymrer du deg så mye? (Why do you worry so much?)
§ Common phrases with "bekymre"
å bekymre seg for: to worry about (something/someone)
Hun bekymrer seg for barna sine. (She worries about her children.)
ikke bekymre deg: don't worry
Det er ingen grunn til å bekymre seg. (There is no reason to worry.)
§ Conjugation of "bekymre"
Here's a quick look at how "bekymre" changes with different tenses:
- Infinitive
- å bekymre
- Present Tense
- bekymrer
- Past Tense
- bekymret
- Present Perfect
- har bekymret
§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives
You might encounter a few words that seem similar to "bekymre." Let's clear up any confusion.
uroe: This also means to worry or to disturb. It's often used when something *causes* a feeling of unease or restlessness. While similar, "bekymre" is more focused on the internal state of worrying.
Nyhetene uroer meg. (The news disturbs/worries me.)
You can sometimes use them interchangeably, but "uroe" can also refer to external disturbances, not just emotional ones. For example, "Bråket uroer naboene" (The noise disturbs the neighbors). You wouldn't typically use "bekymrer" there.
engste seg: This is very close to "bekymre seg" and also means to be anxious or to worry. "Engste seg" often carries a slightly stronger nuance of anxiety or apprehension, perhaps a more persistent or deeper feeling of dread, whereas "bekymre seg" can be a more general worry.
Hun engster seg for fremtiden. (She is anxious about the future.)
In many everyday contexts, you can use either "bekymre seg" or "engste seg" without a major difference in meaning, especially when talking about general worries. However, if you want to emphasize a feeling of distress or deep anxiety, "engste seg" might be a slightly better fit.
frykte: This means to fear. It's stronger than "bekymre" and implies a definite sense of dread or being afraid of something specific.
Han frykter mørket. (He fears the dark.)
You wouldn't typically use "bekymre seg for mørket" if you mean you are afraid of it. "Bekymre" is about concern, "frykte" is about fear.
When to use "bekymre": Use "bekymre" (and especially "bekymre seg") for general worries, concerns, or anxieties about situations, people, or future events that cause you to feel unease. It's your go-to word for saying "I worry." It's versatile and commonly used in everyday conversations.
Guide de prononciation
- pronouncing the 'y' like an English 'y' instead of a Norwegian 'y' (which is like the 'u' in 'lunar' but with rounded lips)
- not rolling the 'r' if you are aiming for a more traditional pronunciation
Grammaire à connaître
When using 'bekymre' reflexively, it becomes 'bekymre seg' (to worry oneself). This is common for expressing personal worry.
Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen. (I worry myself about the exam.)
'Bekymre' can be followed by the preposition 'for' when indicating what one is worrying about.
Hun bekymrer seg for fremtiden. (She worries herself for the future.)
The past tense of 'bekymre' is 'bekymret'.
Han bekymret seg for barna sine. (He worried himself for his children.)
In perfect tense, 'har bekymret' is used.
De har bekymret seg mye. (They have worried themselves a lot.)
As an imperative, 'Ikke bekymre deg!' means 'Don't worry!'
Ikke bekymre deg, alt ordner seg! (Don't worry, everything will work out!)
Exemples par niveau
Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen.
I worry about the exam.
Hun bekymrer seg alltid for barna sine.
She always worries about her children.
Ikke bekymre deg for det; alt ordner seg.
Don't worry about it; everything will be fine.
De bekymret seg over fremtiden etter nyhetene.
They worried about the future after the news.
Vi bekymrer oss for klimaendringene.
We worry about climate change.
Hvorfor bekymrer du deg så mye for småting?
Why do you worry so much about small things?
Han bekymret seg for om han hadde gjort en god jobb.
He worried about whether he had done a good job.
Det er ingen grunn til å bekymre seg.
There is no reason to worry.
Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen.
I worry about the exam.
Here, 'bekymrer meg' is reflexive, meaning 'to worry oneself'.
Du bør ikke bekymre deg så mye for det.
You shouldn't worry so much about it.
Another example of the reflexive form 'bekymre seg'.
Han bekymrer seg alltid for fremtiden.
He always worries about the future.
'seg' refers back to 'han'.
Vi bekymrer oss for forurensningen i byen.
We worry about the pollution in the city.
'oss' refers back to 'vi'.
Bekymre deg ikke! Alt kommer til å gå bra.
Don't worry! Everything will be fine.
Imperative form, without the reflexive pronoun here, often used for reassurance.
De bekymret seg over den dårlige nyheten.
They worried about the bad news.
Past tense of 'bekymre seg'.
Jeg bekymrer meg for å ikke rekke toget.
I worry about not catching the train.
Used with 'for å + infinitive' to express the reason for worrying.
Hun bekymrer seg over at han ikke har ringt.
She worries that he hasn't called.
Used with 'over at + clause' to express the cause of worry.
Jeg vil ikke bekymre meg unødvendig for fremtiden, men heller fokusere på nåtiden.
I don't want to worry unnecessarily about the future, but rather focus on the present.
Here 'bekymre meg' is used reflexively, meaning 'to worry myself'.
Det bekymrer meg at klimaendringene skjer så raskt, og jeg lurer på hva vi kan gjøre.
It worries me that climate change is happening so fast, and I wonder what we can do.
Here 'bekymrer meg' is used impersonally with 'det' as the subject.
Foreldrene mine bekymret seg alltid for mine akademiske prestasjoner, selv når jeg gjorde det bra.
My parents always worried about my academic achievements, even when I did well.
Past tense 'bekymret seg' is used for a repeated action in the past.
Man bør ikke bekymre seg over ting man ikke kan kontrollere; det er bortkastet energi.
One should not worry about things one cannot control; it is wasted energy.
'Man' is an impersonal pronoun meaning 'one' or 'you' in a general sense.
Hun bekymrer seg for at hun ikke vil rekke flyet, selv om hun har god tid.
She worries that she won't make the flight, even though she has plenty of time.
'For at' introduces a subordinate clause explaining the reason for worrying.
Vi bekymrer oss alle for økonomien i disse usikre tidene, men vi må holde hodet kaldt.
We all worry about the economy in these uncertain times, but we must keep a cool head.
'Holde hodet kaldt' is an idiom meaning 'to keep a cool head'.
La oss ikke bekymre oss for detaljene nå; vi kan ta det når vi kommer dit.
Let's not worry about the details now; we can deal with that when we get there.
'La oss' is a common way to say 'let's'.
Han bekymrer seg for hvordan han skal betale regningene sine etter at han mistet jobben.
He worries about how he will pay his bills after he lost his job.
'Etter at' introduces a subordinate clause indicating a past event.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen.
I worry about the exam.
Du trenger ikke å bekymre deg.
You don't need to worry.
Han bekymrer seg alltid over små ting.
He always worries about small things.
Ikke bekymre deg for meg.
Don't worry about me.
Jeg bekymrer meg for deg.
I worry about you.
Det er ingen grunn til å bekymre seg.
There is no reason to worry.
Slutt å bekymre deg!
Stop worrying!
Vi bekymrer oss for været.
We worry about the weather.
Jeg kan ikke la være å bekymre meg.
I can't help but worry.
Bekymrer du deg mye?
Do you worry a lot?
Famille de mots
Noms
Verbes
Adjectifs
Astuces
Learn the basic meaning
The verb "bekymre" means to worry or to be concerned about something. It's often used reflexively.
Reflexive use: 'å bekymre seg'
Most often, you'll see it as "å bekymre seg". This literally means 'to worry oneself'. For example: 'Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen.' (I worry myself about the exam.)
Preposition 'for'
When you worry about something, the preposition used in Norwegian is usually "for". 'Hun bekymrer seg for fremtiden.' (She worries about the future.)
Common phrases: 'Ikke bekymre deg!'
A very common phrase is 'Ikke bekymre deg!' which means 'Don't worry!' or 'Don't worry yourself!'
Use with 'om'
Sometimes "bekymre" can be used with "om" (about/if), especially when talking about uncertainty. 'Jeg bekymrer meg om han kommer.' (I worry if he will come.)
Past tense of 'bekymre'
The past tense of 'bekymre' is 'bekymret'. 'Jeg bekymret meg ikke.' (I didn't worry.)
Present perfect 'har bekymret'
The present perfect is 'har bekymret'. 'Han har bekymret seg mye.' (He has worried a lot.)
Don't confuse with 'uroe'
While similar, 'uroe' can mean to disturb or make uneasy, and might not always imply personal worry in the same way 'bekymre seg' does. 'Lyden uroet meg.' (The sound disturbed me.)
Related noun: 'en bekymring'
The related noun is 'en bekymring' (a worry/concern). 'Han har mange bekymringer.' (He has many worries.)
Adjective: 'bekymret'
The adjective is 'bekymret' (worried). 'Hun ser bekymret ut.' (She looks worried.)
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYou can use 'bekymre' to mean 'to worry about something'. For example, 'Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen' means 'I worry about the exam'. The reflexive pronoun 'meg' (myself) is often used with 'bekymre'.
Yes, 'bekymre' is a verb, so it will conjugate like other verbs. For example, 'Jeg bekymrer', 'Du bekymrer', 'Han/Hun/Den/Det bekymrer', 'Vi bekymrer', 'Dere bekymrer', 'De bekymrer'. However, when used reflexively, the reflexive pronoun also changes: 'Jeg bekymrer meg', 'Du bekymrer deg', 'Han bekymrer seg', etc.
Bekymre is the verb 'to worry'. Være bekymret means 'to be worried'. So, 'Jeg bekymrer meg' (I worry myself) and 'Jeg er bekymret' (I am worried) are very similar in meaning and often interchangeable, but the first is an action and the second is a state.
Yes. You can say 'Det bekymrer meg' (It worries me). This means that something is causing you to worry. For example, 'Været bekymrer meg' (The weather worries me).
When talking about oneself worrying, 'bekymre seg' (to worry oneself) is very common and often the most natural way to express it. For example, 'Ikke bekymre deg!' (Don't worry!).
The past tense of 'bekymre' is 'bekymret'. For example, 'Jeg bekymret meg for deg i går' (I worried about you yesterday).
You can say 'Ikke bekymre deg!' or 'Ikke bekymre deg for det!' The 'deg' is the reflexive pronoun for 'you'.
Yes, 'engste seg' also means 'to worry' or 'to be anxious'. 'Bekymre' is a bit more general for worrying about things, while 'engste seg' can sometimes imply a stronger feeling of anxiety.
Often, you use the preposition 'for'. For example, 'Jeg bekymrer meg for fremtiden' (I worry about the future).
'Bekymre' is a weak verb. This means its past tense and past participle are formed with a -t or -et ending. (bekymrer - bekymret - har bekymret).
Teste-toi 42 questions
Listen to the sentence and understand the core meaning.
Pay attention to the question form.
Notice how 'mye' (much/a lot) is used.
Read this aloud:
Jeg bekymrer meg for deg.
Focus: bekymrer
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
De bekymrer seg ikke.
Focus: ikke
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Bekymrer han seg?
Focus: Bekymrer
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This is a common phrase meaning 'Don't worry!'
This means 'I am not worrying.' The reflexive pronoun 'meg' is important here.
This translates to 'Why are you worrying?' Again, notice the reflexive pronoun 'deg'.
The speaker is talking about an upcoming test.
Someone is asking if there's a need to worry.
A reassuring phrase.
Read this aloud:
Du bør ikke bekymre deg for små ting.
Focus: bekymre
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Hvorfor bekymrer du deg så mye?
Focus: bekymrer
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Jeg bekymrer meg for fremtiden.
Focus: fremtiden
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Write a short paragraph about something that you tend to worry about. Use 'bekymre' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Jeg pleier å bekymre meg for fremtiden, spesielt jobb og økonomi. Det er vanskelig å ikke tenke på det.
Your friend is worried about an exam. Write a short message to them using 'bekymre' to tell them not to worry too much.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Hei! Ikke bekymre deg så mye for eksamen. Jeg er sikker på at det kommer til å gå bra!
Describe a situation where someone might bekymre seg (worry) about their children. Use at least two sentences.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Foreldre kan bekymre seg når barna ikke kommer hjem til avtalt tid. De kan tenke på om noe har skjedd.
Hva bekymrer Lise seg for?
Read this passage:
Lise har en viktig jobbintervju i morgen. Hun har forberedt seg grundig, men hun bekymrer seg likevel for om hun vil få jobben. Hennes venninne sa: 'Du trenger ikke å bekymre deg, du er veldig dyktig!'
Hva bekymrer Lise seg for?
Teksten sier at Lise 'bekymrer seg likevel for om hun vil få jobben'.
Teksten sier at Lise 'bekymrer seg likevel for om hun vil få jobben'.
Hvorfor bekymrer studenter seg ofte for eksamen?
Read this passage:
Mange studenter bekymrer seg for eksamenene sine, spesielt når det er mange fag å lese til. De føler ofte press og stress. Det er viktig å finne måter å håndtere denne bekymringen på, som for eksempel å ta pauser eller snakke med venner.
Hvorfor bekymrer studenter seg ofte for eksamen?
Passasjen nevner at de 'føler ofte press og stress' når det er mange fag å lese til.
Passasjen nevner at de 'føler ofte press og stress' når det er mange fag å lese til.
Hva er grunnen til at personen bekymrer seg?
Read this passage:
Jeg pleier ikke å bekymre meg mye, men i går kveld klarte jeg ikke å sove. Jeg tenkte på den lange reisen jeg skal ta neste uke. Det er en ny opplevelse for meg, og jeg er litt nervøs.
Hva er grunnen til at personen bekymrer seg?
Teksten sier: 'Jeg tenkte på den lange reisen jeg skal ta neste uke. Det er en ny opplevelse for meg, og jeg er litt nervøs.'
Teksten sier: 'Jeg tenkte på den lange reisen jeg skal ta neste uke. Det er en ny opplevelse for meg, og jeg er litt nervøs.'
Hva er den mest passende måten å si 'don't worry about it' på norsk?
Dette er den mest direkte og vanlige oversettelsen av uttrykket, og 'deg' er refleksivpronomenet som hører til verbet 'bekymre'.
Hvilket ord er et synonym for 'å bekymre seg'?
«Å grue seg» betyr å frykte eller føle angst for noe som skal skje, noe som er veldig likt 'å bekymre seg'.
Velg setningen der 'bekymre' er brukt korrekt.
Verbet 'bekymre' er refleksivt når det betyr 'to worry', og krever derfor et refleksivt pronomen ('seg'). Preposisjonen 'for' brukes vanligvis til å indikere årsaken til bekymringen.
Du kan si 'Jeg bekymrer ham' for å uttrykke at 'I worry him'.
Ja, 'å bekymre' kan også brukes transitivt med betydningen 'to cause someone to worry' eller 'to make someone worried'.
Ordet 'bekymring' (substantiv) betyr 'worry' eller 'concern'.
Ja, 'bekymring' er substantivet som tilsvarer verbet 'å bekymre (seg)', og refererer til følelsen av uro eller engstelse.
Setningen 'Hun bekymrer seg over fremtiden' er grammatisk feil.
Nei, setningen er grammatisk korrekt. Selv om 'for' er veldig vanlig, kan 'over' også brukes i denne konteksten for å uttrykke bekymring for noe.
The speaker is worried about an exam despite studying.
The question is about worrying over small mistakes when writing Norwegian.
She wasn't worried about the outcome because she knew she did her best.
Read this aloud:
Bekymre deg ikke, alt ordner seg til slutt.
Focus: bekymre deg
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Jeg har en tendens til å bekymre meg for mye over fremtiden.
Focus: bekymre meg for mye
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Er det noe du bekymrer deg for akkurat nå?
Focus: bekymrer deg for
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This phrase means 'to worry about the election result.' The reflexive pronoun 'seg' is necessary with 'bekymre' in this context.
This means 'Why are you worrying so much about that insignificant problem?' The reflexive pronoun 'deg' is essential here.
This translates to 'I must admit that I started to worry about the increasing debt.' 'Bekymre seg over' indicates worrying about something specific.
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Bekymre means to worry or be concerned about something, expressing a feeling of unease.
- Feeling uneasy
- Being concerned
- Experiencing anxiety
Learn the basic meaning
The verb "bekymre" means to worry or to be concerned about something. It's often used reflexively.
Reflexive use: 'å bekymre seg'
Most often, you'll see it as "å bekymre seg". This literally means 'to worry oneself'. For example: 'Jeg bekymrer meg for eksamen.' (I worry myself about the exam.)
Preposition 'for'
When you worry about something, the preposition used in Norwegian is usually "for". 'Hun bekymrer seg for fremtiden.' (She worries about the future.)
Common phrases: 'Ikke bekymre deg!'
A very common phrase is 'Ikke bekymre deg!' which means 'Don't worry!' or 'Don't worry yourself!'
Contenu associé
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
Expressions liées
Plus de mots sur emotions
ambivalent
C1having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas
angre
B1To feel regret or remorse
avsky
B2A feeling of strong dislike or disgust
bebreide
C1to reproach or blame someone
begeistring
C1enthusiasm
bekymret
B1Worried
bekymring
B1Worry or concern
betryggende
C1reassuring
beundre
B1To regard with respect or warm approval
bevisst
B1Knowing and perceiving
