Ways to say it
| Norwegian |
|---|
| jeg liker deg |
| eg likar deg |
The phrase jeg liker deg is the standard way to say "I like you" in Norwegian. It is typically used to express platonic or general liking, such as enjoying someone's company or finding them pleasing.
Which one should you use?
While jeg liker deg is used for general liking, the phrase jeg er glad i deg is the standard way to express affection or love for friends and family, translating more closely to "I'm fond of you".
Is it said differently in some regions?
Eg likar deg is a regional variation of jeg liker deg used in some parts of Norway.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, deg is the object form of du (you), which is used because "you" is the recipient of the action.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use jeg liker deg to mean "I love you" in a romantic sense, but in Norwegian, this can sound more like "I find you pleasing" or "I enjoy your company" rather than a deep romantic declaration.
Did you know?
- While jeg liker deg is standard, the regional eg likar deg is a hallmark of Nynorsk, one of Norway's two official written standards based on rural dialects.
- In Norway, saying jeg liker deg to a romantic partner can be perceived as overly clinical or distant, as if you are praising their attributes rather than their soul.
- The word eg used in some dialects is a direct descendant of the Old Norse ek, making it a very close relative to the English word 'I'.
Examples in context
- Eg likar deg veldig godt.I like you very much.This sentence shows how to say you like someone very much using eg likar deg.Tatoeba #12595494 by Barend, translation #257095 by CK
- Jeg liker deg.I like you.This sentence provides a simple example of jeg liker deg.Tatoeba #12259529 by augine, translation #410751 by CK
- Hjertet mitt liker degMy heart likes you
Example conversation
Two people are sitting on a bench in a park.
- KristofferJeg liker deg, Ingrid.I like you, Ingrid.
- IngridTakk, Kristoffer, det er hyggelig å høre.Thanks, Kristoffer, that's nice to hear.
- KristofferJeg mener det virkelig.I really mean it.
- IngridJeg liker deg også.I like you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I like you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deg, eg, jeg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
