Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA |
|---|---|
| fordi | /fɔɾˈdiː/ |
| ettersom | |
| da | |
| av di | |
| då | /doː/ |
These words are used to express a reason, meaning 'by or for the cause that', 'on this account that' or 'for the reason that'.
Which one should you use?
fordi is the most common and neutral way to provide a reason. ettersom is used to mean 'since' or 'as'. It is more formal and is often used when providing background context or when the reason is already known to the listener. da can mean 'since' or 'as' in a causal sense, often implying a known circumstance or a specific point in time.
Is it said differently in some regions?
då is the Nynorsk form used to mean 'since' or 'as' in a causal context, functioning similarly to the Bokmål form da.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
fordi is a subordinating conjunction, which means it is used to introduce a subordinate clause.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɔɾˈdiː/
Did you know?
- The modern word fordi evolved from the Old Norse phrase fyrir því, which literally translates to 'before that' or 'for that'.
- The word da is a 'chameleon' word in Norwegian, functioning as 'because', 'when', and an adverb all at once depending on context.
- The phrase av di is a more archaic or dialectal way to say 'because' and literally translates to 'of that'.
Examples in context
- Fordi han inviterte meg.Because he invited me.This example shows how to use fordi to start a sentence.Tatoeba #13016055 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #36424 by espamatics
- Det er fordi du er jente.That's because you're a girl.This example demonstrates using fordi to explain a reason.Tatoeba #2881915 by eirik174, translation #1348 by CK
- Fordi ho kjende seg sjuk.Because she felt sick.This example shows the use of fordi to express a reason.Tatoeba #13016054 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #20296 by Dreamk33
- Jeg valgte å gå hjem tidlig fordi jeg var sliten.I chose to go home early because I was tired.
- 63 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kristoffer and Emma are walking in the park during a rainstorm.
- KristofferVi må gå nå fordi det regner.We must go now because it is raining.
- EmmaEr det fordi du er våt?Is it because you are wet?
- KristofferNei, det er fordi jeg er kald.No, it is because I am cold.
- EmmaDa går vi inn i huset.Then we will go inside the house.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “because” translations and entries fordi, ettersom, da, av di, då, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries av, av di, da, ettersom, fordi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
