litt
The English phrase "a little bit" is translated into Norwegian as litt.
litt is used to express a small amount or degree of something. It can be used to quantify uncountable nouns, such as litt vann (a little water) or as an adverb to modify adjectives, such as litt kald (a little cold).
Which one should you use?
While litt expresses a small amount, you can combine it with other words to be more specific: use litt mer for "a little more" and litt mindre for "a little less".
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adverb, litt does not change its form based on the gender or number of the noun it modifies.
Did you know?
- Norwegians often use litt as a linguistic hedge to soften a request or criticism, making a statement sound less aggressive. For example, saying something is litt dyrt (a little expensive) can actually mean it is far too expensive.
- The word litt is a direct descendant of the Old Norse word lítt, which also meant 'small' or 'few'.
- In certain Norwegian dialects, litt can be used as a filler word in conversation, similar to how English speakers use 'like' or 'kind of' to bridge gaps in a sentence.
Examples in context
- Jeg må løsne beltet litt.I need to loosen my belt a little bit.This sentence shows how to use litt to modify a verb phrase regarding a belt.Tatoeba #14047615 by Mayk, translation #13625944 by CK
- Sausen er litt for sterk.The sauce is a little bit too spicy.This sentence shows how to use litt to modify an adjective describing the strength of a sauce.Tatoeba #14047624 by Mayk, translation #13625873 by CK
- Jeg kan snakke litt norsk.I can speak a little bit of Norwegian.
- Har du en smule kaffe igjen?Do you have a little bit of coffee left?
- Kunne du hjelpe meg litt?Could you help me a little bit?
- Jeg trenger bare å vente bittelitt lenger.I just need to wait a little bit longer.
- Kan du hjelpe meg litt?Can you help me a little bit?
Example conversation
Emma and Andreas are in the kitchen.
- EmmaAndreas, er du litt sulten?Andreas, are you a little bit hungry?
- AndreasJa, jeg er litt sulten nå.Yes, I am a little bit hungry now.
- EmmaVil du ha litt mat?Do you want a little bit of food?
- AndreasJa, takk.Yes, thanks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry litt, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries litt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
