dø
/døː/
To die in Norwegian is dø. Wiktionary also lists dævve and døy.
Meaning: to stop living (verb)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dø | /døː/ | |
| dævve | informal | |
| døy | /dœʏ̯ː/ |
The verb is used to describe the process of stopping living.
Which one should you use?
The form dø is the standard term, while dævve is an informal or colloquial variation used for the same meaning of dying or perishing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
dø is the standard form, whereas dævve is considered informal.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of dø is døydde.
How do you pronounce it?
/døː/
Did you know?
- To describe someone who has passed away in a gentle way, Norwegians often avoid dø and use gå bort, which means 'to go away'.
- The word dø shares the same ancient root as the English word 'die', tracing back to the Proto-Germanic *dawjaną.
- The form døy is not just a variation but is the standard form in Nynorsk, one of Norway's two official written languages.
Examples in context
- Eg vil ikkje døy.I don't wanna die.This sentence shows how to express a desire not to die using dø.Tatoeba #12482347 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #12482305 by cost_
- Ikke la meg dø her.Don't let me die here.This sentence is useful for a request to not be left to die using dø.Tatoeba #2935375 by eirik174, translation #2275247 by CK
- Mange kjem til å døy.Many will die.This sentence demonstrates the future use of the verb dø.Tatoeba #12479955 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #1047876 by Mofli
- Dessverre må vi bekrefte at pasienten døde i går.Unfortunately, we have to confirm that the patient died yesterday.
- Hun gikk bort i søvnen.She passed away in her sleep.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ingrid and Andreas are watching a sad movie together.
- IngridÅ nei, kommer hunden til å dø?Oh no, is the dog going to die?
- AndreasJeg tror ikke den kommer til å dø.I don't think it is going to die.
- IngridJeg hater når kjæledyr må dø i filmer.I hate it when pets have to die in movies.
- AndreasDet er sant, det er veldig trist.That's true, it is very sad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “die” translations and entries dø, døy, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dø, døy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
