hvordan
/ʋʊɾdɑn/
The English word 'how' can be translated into Norwegian as hvordan. Wiktionary also lists hvorledes and korleis.
Meaning: in what manner (adv)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hvordan | /ʋʊɾdɑn/ | |
| hvorledes | formal | |
| korleis | /ˈkurlɛɪːs/ /ˈkulːɛɪːs/ |
|
| korso | [ˈkʰu̞r̥.su̞] (narrow) [ˈkʰu̞s.su̞] (narrow) |
|
| åssen | dialectal |
Which one should you use?
The standard Bokmål form is hvordan, while korleis is the common form used in written Nynorsk and many Nynorsk-based dialects. Åssen serves as a colloquial, dialectal shortening of hvordan.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Hvorledes is a formal version of the word.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bergen, people often use koss instead of hvordan when speaking informally. Korleis is common in many Nynorsk-based dialects, and åssen is a dialectal form used in various spoken Norwegian varieties.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʋʊɾdɑn/
Did you know?
- While hvordan is the standard in Bokmål, the choice between using hvordan or korleis can signal a speaker's regional identity or political leaning toward different written standards.
- The colloquial form åssen is not just a modern slang term but is cognate with the Old Norse words hosso and hvorsu.
- The formal word hvorledes is rarely used in spoken conversation today and is mostly encountered in legal documents or very old literature.
Examples in context
- Korso såg du det?How did you see that?This sentence shows how to use korso to ask about the manner of seeing something.Tatoeba #12475673 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #42944 by CM
- Hvordan ser Ziri ut?How does Ziri look?This sentence demonstrates how to use hvordan to ask about appearance.Tatoeba #10941024 by Mayk, translation #10221752 by Amastan
- Hvordan kan det være?How can that be?This sentence illustrates how to use hvordan to ask about the possibility of a situation.Tatoeba #2916742 by eirik174, translation #2903017 by Hybrid
- Hvordan går det?How are you?
- Hvordan lager jeg mat?How do I cook?
- På hvilken måte kan jeg hjelpe deg?In what way can I assist you?
- På hva slags måte skal vi organisere arrangementet?In what way should we organize the event?
- Hvordan kan jeg komme meg til nærmeste togstasjon?How can I get to the nearest train station?
- Korleis lager du den fantastiske kaken?How do you make that amazing cake?
- På hva slags måte kan vi forbedre samarbeidet?In what way can we enhance collaboration?
- 188 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Magnus and Nora are discussing a broken lamp in the living room.
- MagnusHvordan skal vi fikse denne lampen?How shall we fix this lamp?
- NoraJeg vet ikke helt.I don't really know.
- MagnusKan vi kjøpe en ny?Can we buy a new one?
- NoraJa, det er nok best.Yes, that is probably best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how” translations and entries hvordan, hvorledes, korleis, korso, åssen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hvordan, korleis, åssen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
