§ What does 'sjelden' mean and when do people use it?
Alright, let's talk about the Norwegian word sjelden. This is an adverb, and it means 'rarely' or 'seldom' in English. It's one of those words you'll use a lot to describe how often something happens, or rather, how infrequently something happens. If you're an A2 learner, mastering adverbs like this is key to expressing yourself more clearly in Norwegian.
- DEFINITION
- not often
Think of sjelden as the opposite of words like 'often' (ofte) or 'always' (alltid). When you use sjelden, you're emphasizing that an event or action doesn't occur frequently. It's common in everyday conversations, just like in English. You'll hear native speakers use it when talking about their habits, routines, or even things that don't happen very often in the world around them.
Jeg spiser pizza sjelden.
- Jeg (I)
- spiser (eat)
- pizza (pizza)
- sjelden (rarely)
This sentence means: "I rarely eat pizza." Simple, right? You put sjelden after the verb or after the object if the object is indefinite. We'll get more into word order later, but for now, just know that it usually fits in pretty naturally where you'd expect 'rarely' to go in an English sentence.
You can use sjelden when discussing:
-
Your personal habits: Do you rarely go to the gym? Do you rarely read books? These are perfect situations for sjelden.
Han besøker besteforeldrene sine sjelden.
- Han (He)
- besøker (visits)
- besteforeldrene sine (his grandparents)
- sjelden (rarely)
Meaning: "He rarely visits his grandparents."
-
General observations: You can use it to talk about things that don't happen often in a broader sense.
Det regner sjelden i ørkenen.
- Det (It)
- regner (rains)
- sjelden (rarely)
- i ørkenen (in the desert)
Meaning: "It rarely rains in the desert."
-
To emphasize infrequency: Sometimes you want to really drive home the point that something almost never occurs.
Vi ser sjelden slike filmer.
- Vi (We)
- ser (see/watch)
- sjelden (rarely)
- slike filmer (such movies)
Meaning: "We rarely watch such movies."
The key is to use sjelden when the frequency of an action is low. It's a precise word that will make your Norwegian sound more natural and sophisticated. Don't overthink it too much for now; just try to swap out 'rarely' from your English sentences and see where sjelden fits. Practice makes perfect, and the more you hear and use it, the more natural it will become.
Remember, building your vocabulary isn't just about memorizing words, it's about understanding how and when to use them in real conversation. So, next time you want to say something doesn't happen often, reach for sjelden. It's a solid choice for any A2 learner.
§ What does 'sjelden' mean?
'Sjelden' is a Norwegian adverb that means 'seldom' or 'rarely'. It's used to describe actions or events that do not happen often. Think of it as the opposite of 'ofte' (often).
- Norwegian Word
- sjelden
- Part of Speech
- adverb
- CEFR Level
- A2
- Definition
- not often, rarely, seldom
§ How to use 'sjelden' in a sentence
Using 'sjelden' is straightforward. As an adverb, it typically modifies verbs, telling you how often an action happens. It usually comes after the verb in main clauses and before the verb in subordinate clauses. Let's look at some examples.
Jeg går sjelden på kino. (I go seldom to the cinema. / I rarely go to the cinema.)
In this example, 'sjelden' comes after the verb 'går' (go).
Hun spiser sjelden kjøtt. (She eats seldom meat. / She rarely eats meat.)
Again, 'sjelden' follows the verb 'spiser' (eats).
§ 'Sjelden' in questions and negative sentences
You can also use 'sjelden' in questions and negative statements to ask about or emphasize infrequency.
Spiser du sjelden frokost? (Do you seldom eat breakfast? / Do you rarely eat breakfast?)
Han besøker oss sjelden. (He seldom visits us. / He rarely visits us.)
§ Using 'sjelden' with 'er' (is/are)
When using 'sjelden' with forms of 'å være' (to be), such as 'er' (is/are), it follows the verb.
Det er sjelden sol her om vinteren. (It is seldom sunny here in the winter. / It's rarely sunny here in the winter.)
Slike muligheter er sjelden. (Such opportunities are rare.)
§ 'Sjelden' in subordinate clauses
In subordinate clauses (clauses introduced by words like 'at' (that), 'fordi' (because), 'når' (when)), 'sjelden' typically comes before the verb.
Jeg blir glad når jeg sjelden ser deg. (I get happy when I rarely see you.)
Han sa at han sjelden reiser alene. (He said that he rarely travels alone.)
§ Common phrases with 'sjelden'
Here are a few common phrases where 'sjelden' is used:
'Sjelden gang': This phrase means 'once in a while' or 'on rare occasions'.
En sjelden gang går vi ut og spiser. (Once in a while we go out and eat.)
'Det er en sjeldenhet': This means 'it's a rarity'. Here, 'sjeldenhet' is a noun derived from 'sjelden'.
Snø i mai er en sjeldenhet. (Snow in May is a rarity.)
Keep practicing with 'sjelden' in different sentence structures, and you'll master it in no time!
§ Don't confuse 'sjelden' with 'sjelden gang'
Many learners mix up sjelden (seldom/rarely) and en sjelden gang (once in a blue moon/very rarely). While they are related, their usage is different.
- DEFINITION
- Sjelden is an adverb and directly modifies a verb or an adjective. It means 'not often'.
Jeg spiser pizza sjelden. (I eat pizza rarely.)
- DEFINITION
- En sjelden gang is a phrase that functions like an adverbial phrase, meaning 'very rarely' or 'on rare occasions'. It often implies a more emphatic 'not often' than just 'sjelden'.
Han besøker oss en sjelden gang. (He visits us once in a blue moon.)
§ Placement of 'sjelden' in sentences
The placement of adverbs in Norwegian can be tricky. For 'sjelden', remember its usual position in different sentence structures.
In main clauses (hovedsetninger), 'sjelden' typically comes after the first verb if the subject is first, or after the subject if the sentence starts with something else.
Jeg drikker sjelden kaffe. (I rarely drink coffee.)
Kaffe drikker jeg sjelden. (Coffee, I rarely drink.)
In sub-clauses (leddsetninger), 'sjelden' usually comes before the verb.
Jeg vet at han sjelden kommer for sent. (I know that he rarely comes late.)
§ Using 'sjelden' as an adjective
While 'sjelden' is primarily an adverb, it can also function as an adjective meaning 'rare' or 'uncommon'. This often trips up learners because the form changes.
- DEFINITION
- When 'sjelden' is used as an adjective, it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. This means forms like sjelden (masculine/feminine singular), sjeldent (neuter singular), and sjeldne (plural).
En sjelden
Et sjeldent
Sjeldne
§ Overusing 'sjelden' when other options are better
Sometimes learners default to 'sjelden' because it's familiar. However, Norwegian has other words and phrases that can express similar ideas with more nuance.
- Alternatives
- Consider using words like nesten aldri (almost never) for a stronger emphasis on infrequency, or simply rephrasing for clarity.
Jeg går nesten aldri på kino. (I almost never go to the cinema.)
While 'sjelden' is perfectly correct here, 'nesten aldri' conveys a slightly stronger degree of not happening.
Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing the 'j' as in English 'judge' (it's like 'y' in 'yes').
- Failing to pronounce the 'd' (it's usually silent or very soft after 'l' in this position, but here it's pronounced like a soft 'd' or 'th' in 'this' in some dialects, but generally just a soft 'd'). The 'd' is often swallowed.
Examples by Level
Jeg spiser sjelden fisk.
I rarely eat fish.
Han er sjelden sint.
He is seldom angry.
Vi ser dem sjelden nå.
We rarely see them now.
Det regner sjelden her om sommeren.
It rarely rains here in the summer.
Hun leser sjelden bøker på norsk.
She seldom reads books in Norwegian.
De besøker oss sjelden.
They rarely visit us.
Jeg går sjelden på kino.
I seldom go to the cinema.
Han trener sjelden.
He rarely exercises.
Idioms & Expressions
"å være på en prikk"
to be spot on / exactly right
Du traff det på en prikk! (You hit it spot on!)
neutral"å ta beina fatt"
to leave / to take to one's heels
Vi måtte ta beina fatt for å rekke toget. (We had to take to our heels to catch the train.)
neutral"å ha det travelt"
to be busy
Jeg har det travelt i dag. (I am busy today.)
neutral"å være i vinden"
to be popular / in fashion
Den sangen er veldig i vinden nå. (That song is very popular right now.)
neutral"å bite tennene sammen"
to bite the bullet / to grin and bear it
Vi må bare bite tennene sammen og fullføre prosjektet. (We just have to bite the bullet and finish the project.)
neutral"å ha en finger med i spillet"
to have a hand in it / to be involved
Jeg tror han har en finger med i spillet. (I think he has a hand in it.)
neutral"å stå på egne ben"
to stand on one's own two feet / be independent
Det er på tide at du står på egne ben. (It's time you stood on your own two feet.)
neutral"å kaste inn håndkleet"
to throw in the towel / to give up
Han kastet inn håndkleet etter ti runder. (He threw in the towel after ten rounds.)
neutral"å være helt på jordet"
to be completely off base / totally wrong
Det du sier er helt på jordet. (What you're saying is completely off base.)
informal"å slå to fluer i ett smekk"
to kill two birds with one stone
Jeg skal handle mat og besøke moren min; slå to fluer i ett smekk. (I'll buy groceries and visit my mom; kill two birds with one stone.)
neutralHow to Use It
When you want to express that something happens infrequently, sjelden is your go-to word. It's a versatile adverb that can be placed before or after the verb, depending on the emphasis and flow of the sentence. For instance, you can say Jeg sjelden spiser kjøtt (I rarely eat meat) or Jeg spiser sjelden kjøtt, both are correct and commonly used.
A common mistake is confusing sjelden with skjelden. Remember, the correct spelling is with an 's', not 'sk'. Another point of confusion can be its placement in a sentence. While flexible, placing it directly after the verb is often the most natural-sounding option for many common phrases. For example, Vi reiser sjelden dit (We rarely travel there) sounds a bit more natural than Vi sjelden reiser dit, though both are grammatically correct.
Test Yourself 72 questions
Jeg ser deg ___.
'Sjelden' means 'not often', which fits the context of seeing someone infrequently.
Han spiser fisk ___.
'Sjelden' means 'not often', indicating he doesn't eat fish frequently.
Vi går på kino ___.
'Sjelden' means 'not often', implying they don't go to the cinema frequently.
Hun leser bøker ___.
'Sjelden' means 'not often', indicating she doesn't read books frequently.
Det regner ___ her om sommeren.
'Sjelden' means 'not often', suggesting it doesn't rain much in the summer.
De besøker familien sin ___.
'Sjelden' means 'not often', implying they don't visit their family frequently.
Which word means 'not often'?
'Sjelden' means not often. 'Alltid' means always. 'Ofte' means often. 'Aldri' means never.
Choose the best word to complete the sentence: Jeg ___ spiser fisk. (I ___ eat fish.)
If you don't eat fish often, 'sjelden' (rarely/seldom) is the best fit. 'Ofte' (often) and 'alltid' (always) would mean you eat it a lot. 'Aldri' (never) is too strong if you eat it sometimes.
Which sentence uses 'sjelden' correctly?
'Sjelden' is an adverb and usually comes after the verb in a main clause, like in 'Jeg leser sjelden en bok' (I rarely read a book). The other options use 'sjelden' incorrectly.
If something happens 'sjelden', it happens very often.
'Sjelden' means 'not often' or 'rarely'.
You can use 'sjelden' to describe how frequently you do an activity.
'Sjelden' is an adverb of frequency, used to describe how often something happens.
The word 'sjelden' means the same as 'always'.
'Sjelden' means 'not often' or 'rarely', while 'always' in Norwegian is 'alltid'.
What do I rarely eat?
When do I see him?
What is the weather usually like?
Read this aloud:
Jeg drikker sjelden kaffe.
Focus: sjelden
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Han er sjelden sent ute.
Focus: sent ute
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Vi reiser sjelden.
Focus: reiser sjelden
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The adverb 'sjelden' usually comes after the verb in Norwegian.
The adverb 'sjelden' usually comes after the verb in Norwegian.
The adverb 'sjelden' usually comes after the verb in Norwegian.
Han besøker oss ___.
The sentence means 'He visits us rarely.' 'Sjelden' means rarely/not often.
Det skjer så ___, kanskje en gang i året.
The phrase 'en gang i året' (once a year) indicates something that doesn't happen often, so 'sjelden' (rarely) is the correct fit.
Vi spiser ute ___.
If you don't eat out often, 'sjelden' (rarely) is the word to use.
Hun reiser til utlandet ___.
If she doesn't travel abroad often, 'sjelden' (rarely) is the correct choice.
De leser bøker ___.
If they don't read books often, 'sjelden' (rarely) describes their habit.
Jeg ser filmer på kino ___.
The sentence implies that going to the cinema is not a frequent activity, thus 'sjelden' (rarely) is appropriate.
The correct word order for this sentence is Subject + Verb + Adverb + Adjective/Noun.
In Norwegian, adverbs like 'sjelden' often come after the verb in a main clause.
The adverb 'sjelden' is placed after the verb 'ser' (sees).
Which of these words is a synonym for 'sjelden'?
While 'sjelden' means 'not often', 'aldri' means 'never', which implies an even lower frequency. 'Ofte' means 'often', and 'noen ganger' means 'sometimes'.
Choose the best Norwegian translation for 'I rarely eat fast food.'
'Sjelden' directly translates to 'rarely' or 'seldom'. 'Ofte' means 'often', 'aldri' means 'never', and 'alltid' means 'always'.
Which sentence correctly uses 'sjelden'?
In Norwegian, adverbs of frequency like 'sjelden' usually come after the verb in a simple declarative sentence.
The word 'sjelden' indicates a high frequency of an action.
'Sjelden' means 'not often' or 'rarely', which indicates a low frequency, not a high one.
You can use 'sjelden' to describe something that happens almost every day.
'Sjelden' means 'rarely' or 'seldom', so it's used for things that do not happen often, certainly not almost every day.
The opposite of 'sjelden' is 'ofte'.
'Sjelden' means 'rarely' or 'not often', while 'ofte' means 'often'. They are antonyms.
In Norwegian, adverbs like 'sjelden' often come after the verb in a main clause.
The adverb 'sjelden' typically follows the verb 'er' (is) in this type of sentence structure.
'Sjelden' modifies the verb 'byr seg' (presents itself) and is placed after it.
Det er ___ at en slik mulighet dukker opp igjen.
The sentence implies that such an opportunity doesn't come around often, so 'sjelden' (rarely) is the correct fit.
Han besøker familien sin så ___ at de nesten har glemt hvordan han ser ut.
The latter part of the sentence, 'they have almost forgotten what he looks like', indicates infrequent visits, making 'sjelden' (rarely) the appropriate choice.
Slike feil er ___ å finne i profesjonelt arbeid, men kan forekomme.
The phrase 'but can occur' suggests that these errors are not common, therefore 'sjelden' (rarely) fits best.
Jeg har ___ opplevd en så intens glede som den gangen.
The sentence implies that this kind of intense joy is not a frequent experience, thus 'sjelden' (rarely) is the most suitable word.
På denne avsidesliggende øya er det ___ at turister finner veien hit.
Given that it's a 'remote island', it's logical that tourists 'rarely' find their way there, making 'sjelden' the correct answer.
En slik kombinasjon av talent og hardt arbeid er ___ å se.
The sentence describes an exceptional combination, which implies it is not commonly seen, hence 'sjelden' (rarely) is the correct choice.
Which of the following best conveys a situation that occurs infrequently?
«Sjeldent» means rarely or seldom, indicating an infrequent action.
If something is 'sjeldent', it implies that it is:
The word 'sjeldent' directly translates to rarely, seldom, or uncommonly.
Choose the sentence where 'sjeldent' is used correctly to describe a rare event:
Bergen is known for rain, so 'det regner sjeldent' is incorrect. 'Solen skinner sjeldent i juli' is also generally untrue in many places. Eating breakfast every day is common. Therefore, 'Hun er sjeldent sint' suggests it's unusual for her to be angry, which aligns with 'sjeldent'.
If you do something 'sjeldent', you do it almost every day.
'Sjeldent' means rarely, which is the opposite of almost every day.
The sentence 'Jeg reiser sjeldent til utlandet' means that the speaker travels abroad frequently.
'Sjeldent' means rarely, so the sentence means the speaker rarely travels abroad.
A 'sjelden blomst' refers to a common type of flower.
'Sjelden blomst' literally means 'rare flower', implying it is not common.
The speaker is talking about how often they see someone.
The speaker is describing an unusual experience.
The speaker is commenting on someone's character.
Read this aloud:
Prøv å si: Sjelden kommer slike muligheter.
Focus: sj-
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Si: Det er sjelden vi møter på sånne utfordringer.
Focus: -den
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Gjenta: Sjelden er det stille i dette huset.
Focus: Sjelden
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The adverb 'sjelden' usually comes after the verb in Norwegian main clauses.
Similar to the previous example, 'sjelden' follows the verb.
The structure 'subject + verb + sjelden + object' is common.
/ 72 correct
Perfect score!
