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B1 verb 8 min read

felle

Examples Notes & Tips felle in 30 Seconds
Explanation felle in your Level:
At the A1 level, you should focus on the most basic and literal meaning of 'felle': cutting down a tree. Think of it as an action word for the garden or the forest. You might also see it in very simple stories about animals shedding hair or children losing teeth. At this stage, just remember that it is something a person or an animal does to something else. It is a 'doing' word that results in something falling or being lost naturally. Don't worry about the legal or political meanings yet. Just remember: I fell a tree = Jeg feller et tre. It is a regular verb in its behavior, following the standard pattern for many Norwegian verbs ending in -e.
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At the A2 level, you can start using 'felle' in more common biological and emotional contexts. You should be able to say 'Hunden feller mye hår' (The dog sheds a lot of hair) or 'Barnet feller tenner' (The child is losing teeth). You might also encounter the phrase 'å felle tårer' (to shed tears) in simple literature or songs. The key at this level is distinguishing 'felle' from 'falle.' Remember that 'felle' always has an object. You felle *something*. This is a great time to practice the past tense 'felte,' as in 'Vi felte treet i går' (We felled the tree yesterday).
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At the B1 level, you should be comfortable with the metaphorical uses of 'felle.' This includes the legal context 'å felle en dom' (to pass a judgment) and the political context 'å felle en regjering' (to topple a government). You will see these in news reports and articles. You should also understand the use of 'felle' in hunting, which is a significant part of Norwegian culture. If you hear someone say 'Jeg felte en elg,' they are not saying they tripped an elk, but that they successfully hunted one. You should also start noticing the adjective 'fellende,' as in 'fellende bevis' (incriminating evidence).
At the B2 level, you should master the nuances of 'felle' in professional and academic contexts. You should understand the difference between 'felle' and more specific verbs like 'avsi' (for judgments) or 'styrte' (for governments). You should be able to use 'felle' in complex sentences involving passive voice, such as 'Regjeringen ble felt av et mistillitsforslag' (The government was toppled by a motion of no confidence). You should also be aware of how 'felle' is used in sports and competitions to describe a decisive defeat or an opponent being 'tripped up' by a clever strategy.
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At the C1 level, you should have a deep appreciation for the stylistic impact of 'felle.' You can use 'å felle tårer' to add a poetic or formal tone to your writing. You should understand the historical and etymological connection between 'felle' and 'falle,' and how this causative relationship mirrors other Norwegian verb pairs (like ligge/legge or sitte/sette). You should be able to discuss complex legal cases using terms like 'fellende dom' and 'fellelse' (conviction). Your use of the word should reflect an understanding of its weight—whether it's the gravity of a legal verdict or the finality of a tree being brought down.
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At the C2 level, 'felle' is a tool for precision and rhetorical flair. You can use it to describe abstract concepts, such as 'felle en dom over sin egen fortid' (passing judgment on one's own past). You are comfortable with its most technical biological applications (molting cycles, botanical shedding patterns) and its most nuanced political applications. You can distinguish between the subtle connotations of 'felle' versus its synonyms in high-level literature and legal documents. You understand the word not just as a verb, but as a core part of the Norwegian linguistic landscape that connects the physical world of the forest to the abstract world of law and morality.
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Examples Notes & Tips

felle in 30 Seconds

  • Felle means to bring something down, like a tree, or to shed parts like teeth/hair.
  • It is a transitive verb, meaning you need an object that is being felled.
  • Commonly used in law for passing verdicts and in hunting for killing game.
  • Often confused with 'falle' (to fall); remember that 'felle' is the action of making it fall.
The Norwegian verb felle is a multifaceted term that primarily describes the act of causing something to fall or bringing something down. At its most literal level, it is the standard term used in forestry and gardening when one cuts down a tree. However, its utility extends far beyond the woods. In a biological sense, it refers to the natural shedding of body parts, such as milk teeth in children, feathers in birds, or leaves in autumn. For English speakers, the closest direct cognate is 'to fell,' as in felling a tree, but 'felle' encompasses a much wider semantic range including 'to trap,' 'to drop,' and 'to defeat.'
Forestry and Physical Action
When a lumberjack cuts down timber, they are 'felling' the trees. This implies a controlled, intentional action of bringing a tall object to the ground. In everyday life, this might apply to clearing a garden or managing a forest. This usage is transitive, meaning it always requires an object.

Skogvokteren måtte felle den gamle furua før den blåste overende i stormen.

Emotional and Biological Shedding
In emotional contexts, 'å felle tårer' means to shed tears. It is more formal and poetic than just saying 'å gråte' (to cry). Biologically, it describes the process of losing something that will be replaced or is no longer needed, like 'å felle melketenner' (to lose baby teeth) or 'å felle fjær' (to molt feathers). This reflects a transition or a natural cycle of growth and renewal.
Legal and Political Impact
In the courtroom, a judge will 'felle en dom,' which means to pass or deliver a verdict. If the verdict is 'fellende,' it means the person was found guilty. Politically, 'å felle en regjering' means to topple or bring down a government, often through a vote of no confidence. This metaphorical 'felling' shows the power of the word in describing the removal of authority or the conclusion of a significant process.

Opposisjonen klarte til slutt å felle ministeren etter den store skandalen.

Using felle correctly requires understanding its transitive nature. Unlike 'falle' (to fall), which describes an uncontrolled movement, 'felle' requires an agent—someone or something doing the felling—and an object—the thing being brought down. In the present tense, we say 'feller,' in the past 'felte,' and in the perfect 'har felt.'
The Tree-Cutting Context
When using the word for forestry, it is often paired with 'ned' (down) to emphasize the direction, though 'felle' alone is sufficient. For example, 'Vi må felle de trærne som står for nær huset.' This indicates a planned action for safety or landscaping. It is a technical term used by professionals and homeowners alike.

Bonden feller tømmer hver vinter for å selge det til sagbruket.

Legal and Abstract Verdicts
In legal contexts, 'felle' is the verb of choice for delivering a judgment. 'Å felle en dom' is the standard phrase. Interestingly, if evidence is strong enough to convict someone, we say the evidence is 'fellende' (condemning/convicting). You can also 'felle' someone in an argument or a competition, meaning you prove them wrong or defeat them decisively.

Dommeren skal felle sin dom i saken i morgen formiddag klokken ti.

Biological Processes
When describing animals or humans losing parts of themselves naturally, 'felle' is used. 'Hunden feller hår' (The dog is shedding hair). 'Barnet feller tenner' (The child is losing teeth). This use of the verb implies a natural, involuntary but systemic process. It is distinct from 'miste' (to lose), as 'felle' implies the shedding is part of a natural cycle.

Om høsten begynner løvtrærne å felle bladene sine for å spare energi.

You will encounter felle in a variety of specific domains in Norway. In the news, it is ubiquitous during political crises. When a government falls, the headlines will read 'Regjeringen ble felt' (The government was toppled). This conveys a sense of dramatic political shift. In the sports pages, you might see it used when a favorite is knocked out of a tournament: 'Favoritten ble felt i kvartfinalen' (The favorite was knocked out/tripped up in the quarter-final).
The Courtroom and Crime
In crime dramas and real-life legal reporting, 'fellende bevis' is a term you must know. It refers to 'incriminating evidence' or 'smoking gun' evidence that is so strong it will lead to a conviction. If a prosecutor manages to 'felle' a criminal, it means they have successfully secured a guilty verdict. This usage highlights the word's association with truth and consequences.

DNA-analysen ble det fellende beviset som avgjorde hele rettssaken.

Nature and the Outdoors
Norway is a nation of hikers and hunters. During the hunting season (jaktsesongen), the news often reports on how many moose (elg) or reindeer (rein) have been 'felt.' This is the official and respectful way to describe the harvest of game. Similarly, in discussions about climate change or urban development, you will hear debates about whether it is necessary to 'felle' certain areas of forest.

Jeg hørte at de har felt over ti tusen elg i år, noe som er rekord.

Everyday Biology
Parents will frequently use 'felle' when talking about their children's milestones. 'Har han begynt å felle tenner?' is a common question among parents of six-year-olds. Pet owners also use it constantly during the spring and autumn when their cats and dogs shed their winter or summer coats.
The most frequent error for English speakers is confusing felle with falle. This is identical to the English confusion between 'to fell' and 'to fall.' Remember: 'Falle' is what the tree does (it falls), while 'felle' is what the lumberjack does (he fells the tree). If you say 'Jeg falt et tre,' you are saying 'I fell a tree' (as in, you tripped over it or fell while being a tree), which is nonsensical.
Transitive vs. Intransitive
Always check if there is an object. If you are dropping something, you are 'felling' it (felle). If you are the one falling, you are 'falling' (falle). Example: 'Tårene faller' (The tears fall - focus on the tears) vs 'Hun feller tårer' (She sheds tears - focus on her action).

Feil: Han falt bjørnen med ett skudd. Riktig: Han felte bjørnen med ett skudd.

Confusion with 'Miste'
While 'felle' and 'miste' both mean 'to lose' in certain contexts, they are not interchangeable. 'Miste' is for accidental loss (losing keys) or general loss (losing a job). 'Felle' is specifically for biological shedding (teeth, hair) or intentional bringing down (trees, enemies). You wouldn't 'felle' your keys unless you were using them to build a tiny trap!

Feil: Jeg felte lommeboken min. Riktig: Jeg mistet lommeboken min.

Preposition Pitfalls
Sometimes learners try to add 'ned' (down) to every instance of 'felle.' While 'felle ned' works for trees or physical objects, you never 'felle ned' tårer or 'felle ned' en dom. In those cases, 'felle' stands alone as the complete action.
To sound more like a native, you should know the nuances between felle and its synonyms. Depending on the context—whether you are in a forest, a courtroom, or a nursery—different words might be more appropriate.
Felle vs. Hogge
'Felle' refers to the result (the tree coming down). 'Hogge' refers to the action of using an axe (chopping). You can 'hogge' wood for hours without 'felling' a tree, but to 'felle' a tree with an axe, you must 'hogge' it. 'Felle' is the more technical term for the whole process of bringing it down.

Han hogger ved til peisen, men han skal ikke felle flere trær i dag.

Felle vs. Avsi
In legal terms, both 'felle en dom' and 'avsi en dom' mean to deliver a judgment. However, 'avsi' is more formal and specific to the official announcement of the verdict. 'Felle' carries a slightly heavier connotation of the weight of the decision reaching its conclusion.
Felle vs. Styrte
When talking about governments or leaders, 'å styrte' (to overthrow/topple) is more aggressive than 'å felle.' 'Felle' usually implies a democratic or procedural removal (like a vote), whereas 'styrte' often implies a revolution or a sudden, forceful removal from power.
Felle vs. Overvinne
In a contest, 'overvinne' means to overcome or defeat an opponent. 'Felle' is more specific—it suggests you caused them to 'fall' from their position or you caught them in a mistake that led to their defeat.

Fun Fact

The word is a perfect example of a 'causative' verb. In old Germanic languages, you could often create a 'make it happen' version of a verb by changing the vowel. Falle (fall) became Felle (make fall).

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˈfɛlːə/
US /ˈfɛlːə/
The stress is on the first syllable 'fel-'.
Rhymes With
telle snille spille ville skille stille felle (noun) helle
Common Errors
  • Pronouncing it like 'fale' (long a).
  • Confusing it with 'føle' (to feel).
  • Using a hard English 'r' if added by mistake.
  • Mixing up with the noun pronunciation (which is identical, but context differs).
  • Not doubling the 'l' sound.
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Examples by Level

1

Jeg må felle dette treet.

I must fell this tree.

Present tense of 'felle'.

2

Hunden feller mye hår nå.

The dog is shedding a lot of hair now.

Biological use for shedding.

3

Kan du felle treet i hagen?

Can you fell the tree in the garden?

Infinitive after 'kan'.

4

Barnet feller sin første tann.

The child is losing their first tooth.

Natural shedding process.

5

Vi feller trær for å få ved.

We fell trees to get firewood.

Present tense plural context.

6

Katten feller pels om våren.

The cat sheds fur in the spring.

Cyclical biological action.

7

De skal felle den gamle eika.

They are going to fell the old oak.

Future construction with 'skal'.

8

Han felte et tre i går.

He felled a tree yesterday.

Past tense 'felte'.

1

Hun felte noen tårer da hun hørte nyheten.

She shed some tears when she heard the news.

Past tense, emotional context.

2

Det er ikke lov å felle trær her.

It is not allowed to fell trees here.

Infinitive after 'lov å'.

3

Fuglene feller fjær en gang i året.

The birds molt feathers once a year.

General truth in present tense.

4

Han felte viltet med et godt skudd.

He felled the game with a good shot.

Hunting terminology.

5

Hvorfor feller du alle disse tårene?

Why are you shedding all these tears?

Question form with present tense.

6

Trærne feller bladene om høsten.

The trees shed their leaves in the autumn.

Natural seasonal process.

7

Vi har felt tre store grantrær.

We have felled three large spruce trees.

Present perfect tense.

8

Barnet har felt fire melketenner.

The child has lost four baby teeth.

Present perfect for completed action.

1

Dommeren skal felle dommen på mandag.

The judge will pass the sentence on Monday.

Legal context for delivering a verdict.

2

Opposisjonen håper å felle regjeringen.

The opposition hopes to topple the government.

Political context for removal from power.

3

De fant fellende bevis mot den mistenkte.

They found incriminating evidence against the suspect.

Adjective 'fellende' meaning convicting.

4

Han felte bjørnen under fjorårets jakt.

He felled the bear during last year's hunt.

Past tense in a hunting context.

5

Retten felte en streng dom over tyven.

The court passed a strict sentence on the thief.

Abstract 'felling' of a judgment.

6

Han ble felt av sine egne løgner.

He was brought down by his own lies.

Passive voice 'ble felt'.

7

Selskapet måtte felle flere ansatte.

The company had to lay off several employees (metaphorical/rare but used for 'cutting').

Metaphorical use for reduction.

8

Hvor mange elg felte dere i år?

How many moose did you fell this year?

Direct question in past tense.

1

Mistillitsforslaget klarte å felle statsråden.

The motion of no confidence managed to topple the minister.

Formal political terminology.

2

Det er vanskelig å felle en rettferdig dom.

It is difficult to pass a fair judgment.

Infinitive as subject complement.

3

Han ble felt på målstreken i finalen.

He was tripped up/defeated at the finish line in the final.

Sports context, metaphorical.

4

Bevisene var så sterke at de felte ham.

The evidence was so strong that it convicted him.

Verb used to mean 'to cause conviction'.

5

Hun felte en tåre for de som led.

She shed a tear for those who suffered.

Literary use of the verb.

6

De felte dommen uten å høre hans versjon.

They passed judgment without hearing his version.

Past tense with a subordinate clause.

7

Skogen ble tynnet ut ved å felle de syke trærne.

The forest was thinned out by felling the sick trees.

Gerund-like use in Norwegian.

8

Det ble felt harde ord i debatten.

Harsh words were 'dropped' (spoken) in the debate.

Passive metaphorical use.

1

Å felle en dom over andre krever stor visdom.

Passing judgment on others requires great wisdom.

Substantivized infinitive phrase.

2

Han felte sin motstander med et genialt sjakktrekk.

He defeated his opponent with a brilliant chess move.

Metaphorical use in strategy.

3

Rapporten felte en knusende dom over prosjektet.

The report passed a crushing judgment on the project.

Metaphorical judgment by an inanimate object.

4

Ved å felle den dommen, skapte de presedens.

By passing that judgment, they created a precedent.

Prepositional phrase with infinitive.

5

Arten feller huden flere ganger i løpet av livet.

The species sheds its skin several times during its life.

Scientific/biological context.

6

Hans manglende dømmekraft kom til å felle ham.

His lack of judgment came to be his undoing.

Future meaning with 'kom til å'.

7

De felte dommen i samråd med ekspertene.

They passed the judgment in consultation with the experts.

Formal prepositional phrase.

8

Hun felte bitre tårer over det tapte vennskapet.

She shed bitter tears over the lost friendship.

Expressive literary style.

1

Det er en hårfin balanse mellom å felle og å bevare.

There is a fine balance between felling and preserving.

Philosophical/abstract usage.

2

Hvorvidt man kan felle en moralsk dom, er omdiskutert.

Whether one can pass a moral judgment is debated.

Complex conditional structure.

3

Skandalen felte ikke bare ministeren, men hele partiet.

The scandal toppled not only the minister, but the whole party.

Correlative conjunction structure.

4

Hun felte en dom over samtiden i sitt siste essay.

She passed a judgment on contemporary times in her last essay.

High-level literary analysis.

5

Naturens evne til å felle det gamle for å gi plass til det nye.

Nature's ability to shed the old to make room for the new.

Abstract biological personification.

6

Rettsvesenets oppgave er å felle upartiske dommer.

The task of the judiciary is to pass impartial judgments.

Formal institutional context.

7

Han felte sin dom med en kjølig distanse.

He passed his judgment with a cool distance.

Adverbial description of the action.

8

Man må ikke felle dommen før alle fakta er på bordet.

One must not pass judgment before all facts are on the table.

Modal verb with negative construction.

Common Collocations

felle trær
felle tårer
felle en dom
felle tenner
felle vilt
fellende bevis
felle en regjering
felle hår
felle blader
felle en mistenkt

Common Phrases

å felle dommen

— To pass the final judgment on something or someone.

Nå er det på tide å felle dommen over filmen.

å felle noen i en felle

— To catch someone in a trap (uses the noun and verb).

Han prøvde å felle meg i en felle under debatten.

å felle dom over seg selv

— To judge oneself or admit one's own failure.

Han felte dommen over seg selv ved å slutte.

felle ned

— To fold down or bring down physically.

Du kan felle ned seteryggen.

felle inn

— To insert or fit something into something else (technical).

Vi må felle inn en ny del i maskinen.

å felle tårer for

— To mourn or feel deep sympathy for someone.

Hele nasjonen felte tårer for ofrene.

felle dom

— To act as a judge in a situation.

Hvem er jeg til å felle dom over deg?

felle fjær

— When birds molt.

Papegøyen feller fjær nå.

felle melketenner

— The specific process of losing baby teeth.

Når begynner barn å felle melketenner?

felle hår/pels

— The process of animals shedding their coat.

Katten min feller pels overalt.

Idioms & Expressions

"å felle dommen over noe"

— To finalize an opinion or decision about something.

Publikum felte en hard dom over teaterstykket.

neutral
"å felle noen på målstreken"

— To defeat someone just as they are about to succeed.

Han ble felt på målstreken i kampen om jobben.

informal
"å felle en tåre"

— To show a small amount of emotion or sadness.

Han felte en tåre da han sa farvel.

neutral
"å bli felt av sine egne ord"

— To be proven wrong or guilty by what one has said previously.

Politikeren ble felt av sine egne ord fra i fjor.

neutral
"å felle en bauta"

— To bring down a very important or influential person (lit. a monolith).

Journalisten klarte å felle en bauta i næringslivet.

literary
"å felle en kjempe"

— To defeat a much larger or more powerful opponent.

Det lille laget felte en kjempe i cupen.

informal
"å felle saken"

— To cause a case or proposal to fail.

Den nye informasjonen kom til å felle hele saken.

formal
"å felle dom over fortiden"

— To re-evaluate history critically.

Vi må ikke felle for hard dom over fortiden.

academic
"å felle masker"

— To drop stitches in knitting (very specific use).

Pass på så du ikke feller masker.

technical
"å felle ned i"

— To merge or sink into something (metaphorical).

Han felte seg ned i stolen.

informal

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

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Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'feller' (lumberjack) who 'fells' a tree. If you 'felle' something, you are the one making it fall.

Visual Association

Imagine an axe hitting a tree (felle trær) or a child holding a tiny tooth in their hand (felle tenner).

Word Origin

Derived from the Old Norse verb 'fella', which is the causative form of 'falla' (to fall).

Original meaning: To cause to fall.

Germanic (North Germanic branch).
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Learn it in Context

🇫🇷 Aubusson Tapestry
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