kjæreste
gender neutral, masculine
The Norwegian word for girlfriend is kjæreste. Wiktionary also lists kjærast and kjæraste.
Meaning: a female partner in a romantic relationship (noun)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | Note |
|---|---|
| kjæreste | gender neutral, masculine |
| kjærast | gender neutral, masculine |
| kjæraste | gender neutral, masculine |
In Norwegian, kjæreste refers to a romantic partner and is a gender-neutral term used for both a girlfriend and a boyfriend.
Which one should you use?
The spelling kjæraste is a common colloquial variation of kjæreste used in speech and informal writing. kjærast and kjæraste are also encountered in different contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify 'the girlfriend', use the definite form kjæresten. For 'the girlfriends', use the definite plural form kjærestene.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use venninne to mean girlfriend. venninne specifically means a platonic female friend.
Did you know?
- The word kjæreste is actually the superlative form of the adjective kjær, meaning 'dearest' or 'most dear'.
- In Norway, the word kjæreste is used for everything from a first date to a lifelong partner who is not yet married.
- The term kjære can be used as a term of endearment similar to 'darling' or 'honey' but is distinct from the noun kjæreste.
Examples in context
- Ho er kjærasten min.She is my girlfriend.This sentence is useful for showing how to use the form kjærast.Tatoeba #12492648 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #312168 by CK
- Eg møtte kjærasten din.I met your girlfriend.Tatoeba #12492646 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #257094 by CK
- Han har ingen kjæraste.He has no girlfriend.Tatoeba #12492647 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #284658 by CK
- Jeg vil gjerne presentere deg for kjæresten min.I would like to introduce you to my girlfriend.
- Jeg og dama mi skal på kino i kveld.Me and my girlfriend are going to the movies tonight.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofie and Magnus are talking about Sofie's weekend plans.
- SofieJeg skal reise bort med min kjæreste.I am going away with my girlfriend.
- MagnusSå koselig! Hvor skal dere dra?How lovely! Where are you going?
- SofieVi skal til Bergen i helgen.We are going to Bergen this weekend.
- MagnusHils kjæreste din fra meg!Say hello to your girlfriend for me!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girlfriend” translations and entries kjæreste, kjærast, kjæraste, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kjæreste, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
