gå og legg deg
/ɡoː ɔ lɛɡ dæj/word by word
To go to sleep in Norwegian is gå og legg deg.
Gå og legg deg is a common way to tell someone to go to sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'go and lay yourself down'.
Which one should you use?
While gå og legg deg includes the action of walking/going, the shorter phrase legge seg is often used to mean the same thing (to go to bed).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the imperative form of the verb 'legge' (to lay/put) combined with the reflexive pronoun 'deg' (yourself).
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡoː ɔ lɛɡ dæj/
Did you know?
- Norwegian uses a reflexive pronoun deg because the act of going to sleep is viewed as doing something to yourself.
- Depending on the tone, gå og legg deg can sound like a stern command from a parent or a dismissive remark in an argument.
- The word og meaning 'and' comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to increase' or 'to enlarge'.
Examples in context
- Gå og legg deg nå, det er sent.Go to sleep now, it's late.
- Gå og legg deg nå, lille venn.Go to sleep now, little friend.
- Legg deg til å sove nå, kjære.Go to sleep now, dear.
- Skal vi legge oss tidlig i kveld?Should we go to sleep early tonight?
- Gå og legg deg hvis du er trøtt.Go to sleep if you are tired.
Example conversation
Nora tells Andreas it is time for bed.
- NoraKlokka er tolv, gå og legg deg.It is twelve o'clock, go to sleep.
- AndreasBare fem minutter til, Nora.Just five more minutes, Nora.
- NoraNei, gå og legg deg med en gang.No, go to sleep right away.
- AndreasGreit, jeg gjør det nå.Alright, I'm doing it now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (gå, og, legg, deg) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gå, gå og legg deg, legg, og, CC BY-SA 4.0.
