ku
feminine, masculine
The Norwegian word for cow is ku.
ku refers to the adult female of the species Bos taurus. In a formal context, the term Boskap may be used to denote livestock or cattle in general.
Meaning: adult female of species Bos taurus (noun)
Which one should you use?
While ku specifically refers to the female, the word okse is used to refer to the male of the species, such as a bull or ox.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The indefinite form is ku. To specify 'the cow', use the definite form kua. For the plural 'cows', use kuer and for 'the cows', use the definite plural form kuene.
Did you know?
- In traditional Norwegian folklore, the kyr were often believed to be sensitive to the supernatural, and certain rituals involved cows to ward off trolls or spirits.
- The word ku is a very close relative of the English word 'cow', as both descend from the same Proto-Germanic root *kōz.
- If you are talking about 'cow milk' specifically, you wouldn't just say 'ku-melk', but rather 'kumelk' as a single compound word, which is a common feature in Norwegian.
Examples in context
- «Mø, mø!» sa kua."Moo, moo," said the cow.This sentence demonstrates the use of the definite form kua.Tatoeba #8138923 by vikvaering, translation #2216498 by Hybrid
- Kalven lærer av kua.The calf learns from the cow.This example shows how the definite form kua is used to describe an action involving the animal.Tatoeba #8138926 by vikvaering, translation #12576501 by elithyia
- Spis gress som en ku!Eat grass like a cow!This sentence uses the word ku within a comparative expression.Tatoeba #10982072 by Mayk, translation #6585412 by Eccles17
- Jeg så en vakker ku på gården.I saw a beautiful cow at the farm.
- Vi så mange kyr på beitet.We saw many cows in the pasture.
- Har du noen melkekyr?Do you have any milk cows?
- Ho laga gode oster av mjølka frå kuene sine.She made delicious cheese from her cows' milk.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Jakob are visiting a farm.
- EmmaSe på den store kua!Look at that big cow!
- JakobDen er veldig snill.It is very kind.
- EmmaGir kua oss melk?Does the cow give us milk?
- JakobJa, det gjør den.Yes, it does.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cow” translations and entries ku, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ku, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
