jeg elsker deg
/jæɪ̯ ˈɛlskər dæj/word by wordBokmål, Riksmål
In Norwegian, 'I love you' is said as jeg elsker deg. Wiktionary also lists eg elskar deg.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| jeg elsker deg | /jæɪ̯ ˈɛlskər dæj/ (word by word) | Bokmål, Riksmål |
| eg elskar deg | Nynorsk |
Jeg elsker deg is the most common and general way to express 'I love you' in Norwegian, specifically as an affirmation of intense romantic feeling.
Which one should you use?
While jeg elsker deg is used for intense romantic love, you may encounter Jeg er glad i deg, which is a very common way to say 'I love you' or 'I am fond of you' to friends and family in a more platonic context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form jeg elsker deg is used in Bokmål and Riksmål, while eg elskar deg is the Nynorsk form.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, deg is the object form of du (you), which is used because it serves as the object of the verb elsker.
How do you pronounce it?
/jæɪ̯ ˈɛlskər dæj/
Did you know?
- To say 'I love you' to a child or a parent, Norwegians typically use the phrase jeg er glad i deg, which literally translates to 'I am happy in you'.
- Because Norwegian culture often values emotional restraint, using the high-intensity jeg elsker deg is a significant milestone in a relationship.
- The word deg comes from the Old Norse þik, which utilized the 'thorn' character (þ) that has since vanished from the modern Norwegian alphabet.
Examples in context
- Jeg tror jeg elsker deg.I think I love you.This sentence shows how to use the phrase within a thought.Tatoeba #10940981 by Mayk, translation #2407810 by CK
- Ikke vær dum. Du vet at jeg Elsker deg.Don't be silly. You know that I love you.This sentence shows the phrase used in a conversational context.Tatoeba #10297816 by Lehon, translation #7522201 by CK
- Jeg tror ikke han vet at jeg elsker deg.I don't think he knows I love you.This sentence shows the phrase being used in a third-person context.Tatoeba #2916758 by eirik174, translation #2895083 by AlanF_US
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nora and Kristoffer are saying goodbye before work.
- NoraHa en fin dag, Kristoffer!Have a nice day, Kristoffer!
- KristofferTakk, det skal du også.Thanks, you too.
- NoraJeg elsker deg.I love you.
- KristofferJeg elsker deg også, Nora.I love you too, Nora.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries jeg elsker deg, eg elskar deg, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (jeg, elsker, deg) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deg, eg, elsker, jeg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
