jeg
/jæɪ̯/
The English phrase "I" is translated into Norwegian as jeg. Wiktionary also lists eg.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA |
|---|---|
| jeg | /jæɪ̯/ |
| eg | /ɛː(ɡ)/ /eː(ɡ)/ |
jeg is the personal pronoun used by a speaker to refer to themselves. In informal settings, the pronoun is often omitted entirely, such as in the phrase Er sulten (Am hungry) instead of Jeg er sulten.
Which one should you use?
jeg is the standard written form used in Bokmål, which is the most common written standard in Norway.
Is it said differently in some regions?
eg is commonly used in the Bergen dialect (Vestlandsk). In the Trøndersk dialect, the pronoun Æ is often used instead of jeg.
How do you pronounce it?
/jæɪ̯/
Did you know?
- The pronoun jeg is practically never used in the Nynorsk written standard, which favors eg to remain closer to spoken dialects.
- The word jeg is a linguistic bridge to the Proto-Indo-European root *eǵh₂óm, which is the same root that gave rise to the Latin 'ego'.
- The written standard 'Bokmål' uses jeg, but this form was heavily influenced by the written Danish language during the centuries of union between the two countries.
Examples in context
- Eg må ta to.I have to take two.This sentence shows how to use eg to express necessity.Tatoeba #12620199 by Barend, translation #12620198 by Barend
- Kor er eg no?Where am I now?This sentence shows how to use eg to ask about one's current location.Tatoeba #12476180 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #873612 by CK
- Eg vil ha is.I want ice cream.This sentence shows how to use eg to express a desire for ice cream.Tatoeba #12485307 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #2422751 by CM
- Jeg er veldig glad i å reise.I really enjoy traveling.
- Kan eg vera med dykk?Can I join you?
- Æ syns det va en bra film.I think it was a good movie.
- Har Æ lov til å bli med?Can I come along?
- 4882 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Magnus and Ingrid are talking about their plans for the day.
- MagnusJeg er veldig sulten nå.I am very hungry now.
- IngridJeg skal lage mat til oss.I will make food for us.
- MagnusKan jeg hjelpe deg?Can I help you?
- IngridNei, jeg klarer det selv.No, I can manage it myself.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries jeg, eg, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eg, jeg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
