Jeg vil ha
/jæɪ̯ ʋɪl hɑː/word by word
To say "I want" in Norwegian, use Jeg vil ha.
The phrase is used to express a desire to possess or obtain something.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally composed of Jeg (I), vil (will/want) and ha (have).
Which one should you use?
While Jeg vil ha is used for wanting to possess an object, if you want to express a desire to perform an action, you use Jeg vil followed by the infinitive, such as Jeg vil spise (I want to eat).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Bergen dialect, Jeg vil ha becomes Eg vil ha.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, where "want" is a transitive verb that can take an object directly, in Norwegian you must use the verb ha (to have) after vil to express wanting to possess something.
How do you pronounce it?
/jæɪ̯ ʋɪl hɑː/
Did you know?
- While Jeg vil ha is grammatically correct, it can sound demanding to native speakers. To be more polite, Norwegians often use Jeg skulle gjerne hatt or Jeg kunne tenkt meg.
- The pronoun jeg is related to the word for 'I' used in ancient Greek and Latin, stemming from the Proto-Indo-European word *eǵh₂óm.
- In Norwegian, the word vil functions as both 'will' and 'want'. This creates an ambiguity where the phrase Jeg vil det can mean either 'I want it' or 'I intend for it to happen'.
Examples in context
- Jeg vil ha to.I want two.This sentence shows how to express wanting a specific quantity.Tatoeba #10944277 by Mayk, translation #8773561 by carlosalberto
- Jeg vil ha min.I want mine.This sentence shows how to express wanting a possessive object.Tatoeba #2935264 by eirik174, translation #2247445 by CK
- Jeg vil ha vifta.I want the fan.This sentence shows how to express wanting a specific object.Tatoeba #14048331 by Mayk, translation #273343 by CK
- Jeg ønsker å bestille en kopp kaffeI want to order a cup of coffee
- Jeg vil gjerne ha en hjelpende håndI would like to have a helping hand
- Kunne jeg få en dessert, takk?Could I get a dessert, please?
- Jeg vil ha en iskremI want an ice cream
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Andreas are shopping for clothes.
- AndreasJeg vil ha den blå skjorten.I want the blue shirt.
- EmmaPasser den til deg, Andreas?Does it suit you, Andreas?
- AndreasJa, jeg vil ha den.Yes, I want it.
- EmmaGreit, la oss gå til kassen.Okay, let's go to the checkout.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (jeg, vil, ha) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ha, jeg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
