📖 Bokmål vs Nynorsk: how to navigate the two Norwegian standards

ℹ️ Why read

In the land of fjords, there are two official written standards: bokmål and nynorsk. This affects letters from municipalities, school materials, websites, and business correspondence. Below is a short, practical guide: where you will encounter each standard, what to understand in documents, how to read the ‘second’ version without stress, and how families choose the language of schooling.

Note: this is an overview, not legal advice. Check the current rules with your municipality/school.

📜 Two standards: a brief overview of Bokmål and Nynorsk

• Both are official and equal. This is enshrined in the language law (språklova): Bokmål and Nynorsk are equal written forms, applicable in all areas, and have equal status in government bodies.
• Both are taught in schools. Students learn to write in their ‘first choice’ and ‘second’ languages in different genres — this is stipulated in the Udir curriculum.
• Dialects are spoken in everyday life. Bokmål/nynorsk are written norms; spoken language is local dialects (useful to remember when comparing ‘how they write’ and ‘how they speak’).

🏛️ Where you will encounter it in everyday life and at work

• Letters and websites of municipalities. The city has a language policy: the main written language (or neutral status) sets the ‘tone’ for official letters/pages. Decisions on ‘språkvedtak’ are published by the municipalities.
• School. All children are taught to write in both standards; the municipality determines the language policy, and the school informs parents which standard is used in teaching materials.
• Regional differences. On the west coast (Vestland, Møre og Romsdal, part of Rogaland), the proportion of nynorsk in schools is higher; in other regions, bokmål is more common.
• Government communications and documents. Central government agencies are required to observe equality between the standards; style and spelling guidelines are published by Språkrådet.

🧩 Reading and the ‘switch’ in your head

Most of the time, the differences are predictable — your brain needs a ‘correspondence table’. Here is a mini cheat sheet (not absolute rules, but common pairs):

• Pronouns: jeg → eg, hun → ho, vi → vi/me, de → dei
• Negation/time: ikke → ikkje, nå → no, har vært → har vore, heter → heiter
• Verbs (present tense): -er ↔ -ar (snakker → snakkar, jobber → jobbar)
• Feminine gender, definite form: -en/-a (jenta/boka; both variants are acceptable in Bokmål, in Nynorsk it is usually -a)
• Vocabulary: kanskje → kanskje/kanskje? (same), fordi → fordi, mulig → mogleg, by → by, kirke → kyrkje

💡 To ‘switch’ faster:

• Read short paragraphs aloud (nynorsk is closer to spoken intonation).
• Mark repeating endings (-ar, -a, -leik/-heit, etc.).
• Use the official dictionaries Bokmålsordboka / Nynorskordboka (both in the same window).
• See the Nynorskhjelp section at Språkrådet for grammar/style tips. Språkrådet

👨‍👩‍👧 Families and school: choosing a language of instruction

• What parents need to know. In primary and secondary school, children learn both standards; the specific ‘main form’ of the school follows municipal policy. Check with the school: målfom, in which classes the materials are taught, how the ‘second’ standard is supported.
• When moving/choosing a neighbourhood. Look at the languages spoken in schools in the area (this is indicated on school/municipality websites) and the convenience of the route ‘home ↔ school ↔ work’.
• Communication. If the class has a mixed background, schools usually provide materials in the ‘main form’ and explain how to support the ‘second’ (including through online resources Udir/Språkrådet).

📚 Reading resources and dictionaries

• Ordbøkene.no — official online dictionaries for Bokmål and Nynorsk (there is an offline version for exams).
• Språkrådet → Nynorskhjelp — cheat sheets for words/forms/style, administrative equivalents.
• Udir — lesson plans and explanations of what students learn to write in both standards.

✅ Quick checklists

😌 The ‘second standard’ without stress

• Bookmark ordbøkene.no (search both at once).
• Read short texts in the ‘second’ standard for 5–10 minutes a day.
• Mark recurring endings: -ar, -a, -lege/-leg.
• Make ‘mini-replacements’ in your head: ikke→ikkje, vært→vore, heter→heiter.

👨‍👩‍👧 Family and school

• Find the section on språkvedtak / målform on the municipality's website.
• Check with the school: what is the målfom of the class, how do they support the ‘second’ standard.
• Plan 2–3 ‘home’ readings per week in the other standard (short texts).

💼 Work and documents

• If you receive letters in Nynorsk, keep a ‘translation’ cheat sheet (a few words).
• Keep internal guides/minutes neutral (icons, diagrams), and duplicate key decisions in the standard used in your department.