When you're learning Norwegian at a B1 level, you're moving beyond basic survival phrases and starting to have more detailed conversations. The verb "tjene" is a great example of a word that becomes very useful here because it has a couple of important meanings.
Firstly, it means 'to earn', especially when talking about money. So, if you're discussing work or finances, you'll definitely encounter it.
Secondly, it can mean 'to serve', in the sense of providing a service or serving a purpose, like a business serving its customers. Understanding these nuances helps you express yourself more precisely in everyday situations.
When you're discussing making a living or the idea of something being profitable, tjene is the go-to verb. It's often used when talking about how much money someone makes from their job or a business venture.
You'll also hear it in contexts where someone is serving a purpose or a function. Think of it as 'serving a need' or 'being useful' rather than serving food.
Understanding this nuance is important because it goes beyond just monetary gain; it touches on the utility or benefit of actions or things.
tjene em 30 segundos
- earn money
- serve
- gain
§ What 'Tjene' Means
Let's talk about the Norwegian verb 'tjene'. It's a common word, and it has a couple of main meanings that are good to know. We'll break them down.
- Definition
- To earn money or to serve.
That's the core of it. You'll hear 'tjene' used frequently in conversations about work, finances, and even in more abstract ways like 'serving a purpose'.
§ 'Tjene' as 'To Earn'
This is probably the most common way you'll encounter 'tjene'. It refers to earning money from a job, business, or investment.
Han tjener
Hvor mye tjener du i måneden? (How much do you earn a month?)
You'll often hear this in:
- Workplaces: Discussing salaries, income, or how profitable a business is.
- News: Reports on economic trends, company profits, or individual incomes.
- Everyday talk: When people talk about their jobs and how they make a living.
§ 'Tjene' as 'To Serve'
This usage is a bit broader. 'Tjene' can mean to perform a duty, to be useful, or to fulfill a purpose.
Dette prosjektet skal tjene
Han har tjent
You might hear this in:
- News and politics: When talking about public service, government roles, or military service.
- Formal contexts: Describing something's function or benefit.
- Literature or speeches: When discussing duty or purpose.
§ Common Phrases with 'Tjene'
Here are a few common phrases where 'tjene' appears:
- Tjene penger: To earn money. (This is very direct and common.)
- Tjene til livets opphold: To earn a living.
- Tjene på noe: To benefit from something (literally 'to earn on something').
De tjener
Hun prøver å tjene
Pay attention to these uses. They will help you understand 'tjene' in different situations.
Gramática essencial
When 'tjene' means 'to earn' it is followed by the amount earned or the object of earning.
Jeg tjener 300 kroner i timen. (I earn 300 kroner an hour.)
When 'tjene' means 'to serve' in the sense of providing a service or benefiting someone, it often takes an indirect object (dativ in older Norwegian, but now commonly marked by preposition 'for' or context).
Han tjener landet sitt. (He serves his country.)
'Tjene' can be used reflexively with 'seg' to mean 'to make a profit' or 'to benefit oneself'.
Han tjente seg rik på aksjer. (He got rich from stocks.)
In certain contexts, 'tjene' can also mean 'to deserve' or 'to merit', especially in the passive voice.
Denne handlingen tjener ros. (This action deserves praise.)
When discussing the past, 'tjene' uses 'har tjent' for the present perfect (har + past participle) and 'tjente' for the simple past (preteritum).
Jeg har tjent mye penger i år. (I have earned a lot of money this year.) / Han tjente godt i fjor. (He earned well last year.)
Expressões idiomáticas
"å tjene penger"
to earn money
Jeg vil tjene penger for å kjøpe en ny bil. (I want to earn money to buy a new car.)
neutral"å tjene til livets opphold"
to make a living
Han jobber hardt for å tjene til livets opphold. (He works hard to make a living.)
neutral"å tjene på noe"
to profit from something, to benefit from something
Vi vil alle tjene på et bedre miljø. (We will all benefit from a better environment.)
neutral"å tjene en hensikt"
to serve a purpose
Denne gaten tjener en viktig hensikt. (This street serves an important purpose.)
neutral"å tjene sin straff"
to serve one's sentence
Han må tjene sin straff for forbrytelsen. (He must serve his sentence for the crime.)
formal"å tjene Gud"
to serve God
Mange mennesker velger å tjene Gud. (Many people choose to serve God.)
formal"å tjene som eksempel"
to serve as an example
Hennes innsats kan tjene som et godt eksempel. (Her effort can serve as a good example.)
neutral"å tjene en formue"
to make a fortune
Han tjente en formue på aksjer. (He made a fortune on stocks.)
neutral"å tjene opp ferie"
to accrue vacation days
Jeg må tjene opp mer ferie før jeg kan reise. (I need to accrue more vacation before I can travel.)
neutral"å tjene inn utgiftene"
to recoup expenses
Det tar tid å tjene inn utgiftene til prosjektet. (It takes time to recoup the expenses for the project.)
neutralPerguntas frequentes
10 perguntasThe primary meanings of 'tjene' are to earn money (like from a job) and to serve (like serving a customer or a country). It's quite versatile.
Not typically. 'Tjene' is almost exclusively used for earning money. For points or rewards, you'd likely use verbs like 'få' (to get) or 'samle' (to collect).
You'd say 'å tjene penger' (to earn money) or specify what you earn. For example, 'Jeg tjener godt' (I earn well) or 'Hvor mye tjener du?' (How much do you earn?).
A common example is 'å tjene landet sitt' (to serve one's country) or 'Han tjener som kelner' (He serves as a waiter). It implies providing a service.
Yes, 'tjene' directly translates to 'to earn' in many contexts, especially when talking about money. It's a good direct equivalent there.
Not directly. While serving can be useful, 'tjene' itself doesn't mean 'to be useful.' For 'to benefit from,' you'd use 'dra nytte av' or 'profitere på'.
Absolutely. 'Tjene til livets opphold' means 'to earn a living.' Also, 'tjene penger på noe' means 'to make money from something'.
The past tense of 'tjene' is tjente. For example, 'Jeg tjente mye i fjor' (I earned a lot last year).
You would say, 'Han tjener mye.' (He earns much/a lot). Simple and direct.
No, 'tjene' is not used for getting a discount or a good deal. You'd use verbs like 'få rabatt' (to get a discount) or 'gjøre et kupp' (to get a bargain).
Teste-se 60 perguntas
Which of these means 'to earn'?
'Tjene' means to earn money or to serve. The other options mean to eat, to drink, and to sleep.
Which sentence uses 'tjene' correctly?
'Jeg tjener penger' means 'I earn money.' The other options do not make sense in Norwegian as 'tjene' is used for earning or serving, not for water, books, or cars.
If someone 'tjener godt', what are they doing?
'Tjene godt' means to earn well. It refers to earning money.
The word 'tjene' can mean 'to earn money'.
'Tjene' has two main meanings: to earn money and to serve.
If you say 'Jeg tjener', it always means 'I serve'.
'Jeg tjener' can mean 'I earn' or 'I serve', depending on the context. Without more information, we can't be sure.
You can use 'tjene' when talking about buying something.
'Tjene' is about earning money or serving, not about buying things. For buying, you would use 'kjøpe'.
What does the speaker do to earn money?
What kind of service is mentioned?
How do they earn a lot of money?
Read this aloud:
Jeg tjener som kokk.
Focus: tjener
Você disse:
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Read this aloud:
Han tjener penger hver dag.
Focus: penger
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Read this aloud:
Hvor mye tjener du?
Focus: hvor mye
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Han jobber hardt for å ___ nok penger til å kjøpe et hus.
In this context, 'tjene' means to earn money through work. The other options do not fit the meaning.
Hvor mye kan du ___ på en slik jobb per måned?
Here, 'tjene' refers to the income one can receive from a job. The other options are not about receiving income.
En god leder vet hvordan man skal ___ tillit fra sine ansatte.
When talking about 'tillit' (trust), 'tjene' means to gain or earn it through actions or behavior.
Hun prøver å ___ sin vei til toppen i selskapet.
In this idiomatic expression, 'tjene sin vei' means to work one's way up or earn one's position.
Det er viktig å ___ respekt gjennom hardt arbeid og integritet.
Similar to trust, respect ('respekt') is something one earns or gains, hence 'tjene respekt'.
For å lykkes må man ___ kundene sine godt.
In a business context, 'tjene kundene' means to serve or provide good service to customers.
Which of these best completes the sentence: 'Hun ______ som servitør for å spare penger til reisen.'
'Tjener' is the present tense form of 'å tjene' and correctly fits the context of earning money.
What is the best translation for 'He serves his country with honor'?
'Tjener' in the present tense is the most direct translation for 'serves' in this context.
In which sentence is 'tjene' used to mean 'earn money'?
This sentence clearly refers to the company making a profit, indicating earning money.
The sentence 'Jeg tjener godt på denne investeringen' means 'I serve well with this investment.'
No, 'jeg tjener godt' means 'I earn well'. The sentence means 'I earn good money on this investment'.
If someone says 'Han tjente meg en tjeneste', it means 'He earned me a service'.
No, 'å tjene noen en tjeneste' would mean 'to do someone a favor' or 'to perform a service for someone'. This phrase uses 'tjene' in the sense of serving or doing something for someone, not earning money.
The past tense of 'tjene' is 'tjente'.
Yes, 'tjente' is the simple past tense of 'å tjene'.
You are applying for a job as a barista. Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) explaining why you are a good candidate and what you hope to 'tjene' (earn, serve) from this role, both financially and in terms of experience. Use the word 'tjene' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Jeg er en entusiastisk og serviceinnstilt person som elsker å jobbe med mennesker. Jeg har erfaring fra kafebransjen og er dyktig til å tilberede kaffe. I denne rollen håper jeg å tjene verdifull erfaring i en dynamisk atmosfære, samtidig som jeg bidrar positivt til teamet og kundene.
Imagine you are discussing your career goals with a friend. Write 3-4 sentences about what you want to 'tjene' (earn) in your future job, focusing on both monetary and non-monetary benefits.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Min karriereplan er å finne en jobb hvor jeg kan tjene en god lønn, men også hvor jeg kan utvikle meg faglig. Jeg vil at arbeidet skal være utfordrende og gi meg muligheter til å lære nye ting. For meg er det viktig å tjene på jobben både økonomisk og personlig.
You are writing a short social media post about volunteering. Explain how volunteering allows you to 'tjene' (serve) your community without earning money. (2-3 sentences)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Å være frivillig er en fantastisk måte å tjene lokalsamfunnet på. Selv om jeg ikke tjener penger, får jeg så mye tilbake i form av glede og meningsfullhet. Det handler om å bidra og gjøre en forskjell for andre.
Hva var entreprenørens hovedmål med å tjene penger?
Read this passage:
En ung entreprenør fortalte om sine visjoner for fremtiden. Han ønsket å tjene nok penger til å finansiere et sosialt prosjekt i hjembyen sin. For ham var det ikke bare om personlig gevinst, men også om å tjene samfunnet med innovative løsninger.
Hva var entreprenørens hovedmål med å tjene penger?
Teksten sier klart at han ønsket å tjene nok penger til å finansiere et sosialt prosjekt i hjembyen sin.
Teksten sier klart at han ønsket å tjene nok penger til å finansiere et sosialt prosjekt i hjembyen sin.
Hvilken type belønning var viktigst for læreren i hennes nye karriere?
Read this passage:
Etter mange år som lærer bestemte hun seg for å skifte karriere. Hun ville tjene mer, men også finne en jobb hvor hun følte at hun virkelig kunne tjene en større hensikt. Det var ikke bare den økonomiske belønningen som drev henne, men også ønsket om å bidra på en meningsfull måte.
Hvilken type belønning var viktigst for læreren i hennes nye karriere?
Teksten nevner at hun ville tjene mer, men også 'tjene en større hensikt' og 'bidra på en meningsfull måte', noe som indikerer begge deler.
Teksten nevner at hun ville tjene mer, men også 'tjene en større hensikt' og 'bidra på en meningsfull måte', noe som indikerer begge deler.
Hva var bedriftens strategi for å oppnå økonomisk suksess?
Read this passage:
Bedriften hadde en klar filosofi: de ønsket å tjene sine kunder best mulig ved å levere produkter av høy kvalitet. Dette ville i sin tur føre til at de ville tjene godt økonomisk. De forsto at god service og kvalitet var nøkkelen til langsiktig suksess og lønnsomhet.
Hva var bedriftens strategi for å oppnå økonomisk suksess?
Passasjen sier at de ønsket å 'tjene sine kunder best mulig ved å levere produkter av høy kvalitet', noe som ville føre til at de 'tjene godt økonomisk'.
Passasjen sier at de ønsket å 'tjene sine kunder best mulig ved å levere produkter av høy kvalitet', noe som ville føre til at de 'tjene godt økonomisk'.
Etter mange år i bransjen har hun klart å ___ en betydelig formue.
In this context, 'tjene' means to earn money, which fits with accumulating a significant fortune.
Det er en ære å ___ samfunnet som frivillig.
Here, 'tjene' is used in the sense of serving, which aligns with volunteering for the community.
Selv med lange arbeidsdager klarer han akkurat å ___ til livets opphold.
'Tjene til livets opphold' is a common idiom meaning to earn a living, making 'tjene' the correct verb.
Prosjektet forventes å ___ selskapet millioner i overskudd.
If a project brings in millions in profit, it 'tjener' (earns) the company money.
En god leder vet hvordan man skal ___ tillit hos sine ansatte.
'Tjene tillit' means to earn trust, a figurative use of 'tjene' that is appropriate here.
Gjennom dedikert arbeid har han vist at han kan ___ sin plass i toppledelsen.
'Tjene sin plass' means to earn one's place, indicating that hard work has merited his position.
He earns well as an engineer in the oil industry.
How much do you earn per month after tax?
It serves no purpose to argue about this now.
Read this aloud:
Jeg tjener mitt eget brød som frilanser.
Focus: tjener, brød, frilanser
Você disse:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Denne politikken vil tjene samfunnet på lang sikt.
Focus: politikken, tjene, samfunnet, sikt
Você disse:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Jeg har tjent mange års erfaring i denne rollen.
Focus: tjent, mange, års, erfaring, rollen
Você disse:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence structure (subject-verb-object-prepositional phrase) is common in Norwegian. 'For hardt' modifies 'tjene'.
Here, 'tjener til å' means 'serves to' or 'helps to'. The infinitive 'hjelpe' follows 'å'.
This sentence indicates a lack of earnings for a specific purpose. 'Ikke nok' is a common negative construction.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: Hun har jobbet hardt for å _____ en respektabel sum penger til pensjonisttilværelsen.
The context implies accumulating money through work, which 'tjene' (to earn) fits perfectly.
Hvilken setning bruker 'tjene' i betydningen 'å være til nytte' eller 'å ha en funksjon'?
Here, 'tjene' means 'to serve' or 'to function as', rather than earning money.
I hvilken situasjon ville man vanligvis bruke 'tjene på'?
'Tjene på' specifically refers to profiting or gaining an advantage from something.
Setningen 'Han tjener landet sitt med stor dedikasjon' betyr at han arbeider for en god lønn i regjeringen.
While he might be working for the government, 'tjener landet sitt' in this context emphasizes serving his country, not necessarily earning a high salary. It's about duty and dedication.
Hvis en bedrift 'tjener penger', betyr det at den går med overskudd.
To 'tjene penger' (earn money) for a business directly implies making a profit or having a surplus.
Uttrykket 'tjene en bot' betyr at man har betalt en bot.
One does not 'tjene en bot' (earn a fine). One 'får en bot' (gets a fine) or 'betaler en bot' (pays a fine).
This sentence uses 'tjener seg' to mean 'to earn oneself' or 'to gain'.
'Tjene til' in this context means 'to provide for' or 'to earn a living for'.
'Tjene på' means 'to profit from' or 'to make money on'.
/ 60 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
"Tjene" is a versatile verb meaning both to earn money and to serve a purpose or person.
- earn money
- serve
- gain
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B1Regarding or concerning.
anmodning
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avklaringsprosess
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avtale
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avvikle
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bank
A2a financial institution
bedrift
B1A business or company
behovsanalyse
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betale
A1To give money for goods/services.
betingelse
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