jeg elsker deg
/jæɪ̯ ˈɛlskər dæj/word by wordBokmål, Riksmål
To say "i love you" in Norwegian, you say 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 |
This phrase is an affirmation of romantic feeling. While it expresses deep romantic love, for everyday affection toward friends, family or partners, Norwegian speakers more commonly use jeg er glad i deg or du betyr så mye for meg.
Which one should you use?
jeg elsker deg is specifically used for deep romantic love. In contrast, jeg er glad i deg is a much more common way to express affection for friends, family and partners in everyday Norwegian.
Is it said differently in some regions?
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), used because it is the recipient of the action.
How do you pronounce it?
/jæɪ̯ ˈɛlskər dæj/
Did you know?
- While jeg elsker deg is the translation for 'I love you', the verb elske can also be used for objects, such as jeg elsker kaffe for 'I love coffee'.
- Because jeg er glad i deg is so much more common for daily affection, a person who only uses jeg elsker deg might sound like a character in a dramatic opera.
- The Nynorsk form eg elskar deg reflects a written standard based on rural dialects rather than the urban, Danish-influenced Bokmål.
Examples in context
- Jeg tror jeg elsker deg.I think I love you.This sentence is useful for expressing a thought about your feelings using jeg elsker deg.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 is useful for emphasizing a known feeling using jeg elsker deg.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 is useful for discussing someone else's knowledge of your feelings using jeg elsker deg.Tatoeba #2916758 by eirik174, translation #2895083 by AlanF_US
- Hei, jeg må bare si at du betyr mye for meg!Hey, I just have to say that you mean a lot to me!
- Åh, tusen takk! Jeg er virkelig glad i deg!Oh, thank you so much! I really love you!
- Det varmer hjertet mitt å høre det. Jeg er glad i deg, vennen min.That warms my heart to hear. I love you, my friend.
- Takk for at du er du og for at du alltid er der for meg. Jeg har stor kjærlighet for deg som venn.Thank you for being you and always being there for me. I have great love for you as a friend.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Andreas are saying goodbye before bed.
- EmmaGod natt, Andreas. Jeg elsker deg.Good night, Andreas. I love you.
- AndreasGod natt, Emma. Jeg elsker deg også.Good night, Emma. I love you too.
- EmmaVi ses i morgen.I'll see you tomorrow.
- AndreasJa, vi ses.Yes, see you.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
