liten
The English word 'little' translates to Norwegian as liten.
The primary meaning of liten is to describe something that is small in physical size. You may also see the related word bitteliten used to mean 'tiny' or 'teeny tiny'. There are several common idiomatic expressions involving these concepts: liten bit means 'little bit' and describes a small amount of something, smått og godt refers to something small and good or pleasant and litt av hvert means 'a little bit of everything', used when referring to a mix of various things or experiences.
Meaning: small in size (adj)
Which one should you use?
While liten is an adjective used to describe physical size, you should distinguish it from the related forms lite and litt. The word lite can function as the neuter adjective for 'small', but it also serves as an adverb meaning 'little' in the sense of 'not much'. In contrast, litt is a determiner or adverb meaning 'a little bit' when referring to an uncountable quantity.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on the gender and number of the noun it describes. Use liten for masculine, feminine or common gender nouns. Use lite for neuter gender nouns. The plural form of liten is små.
Did you know?
- The spelling of the neuter form of 'small' has changed over time. In 1907, it was spelled 'litet', but the silent consonant was eventually removed to match modern pronunciation.
- Even though liten is the standard word for 'small', you might hear people use vesle instead. This form was introduced to bring more influence from Nynorsk and various Norwegian dialects into the language.
Examples in context
- Du er altfor liten.You're too little.This sentence uses liten to describe someone being too small.Tatoeba #12482412 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #2218449 by CK
- Anna er en liten jente.Anna is a little girl.This sentence uses liten to describe a small girl.Tatoeba #10941149 by Mayk, translation #2068450 by CP
- Eg tok meg ein liten lur.I took a little nap.This sentence uses liten to describe a small nap.Tatoeba #12474301 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #12474095 by Adelpa
- Jeg har en liten bilI have a little car
- Kan du gi meg en liten bit sjokolade?Can you give me a little bit of chocolate?
- Dette er et koselig spisested med smått og godtThis is a cozy eatery with small and delicious dishes
- Jeg trenger bare litt hjelpI just need a little help
- Jeg ønsker meg litt isI want some ice cream
- Jeg har prøvd litt av hvert i denne butikkenI've tried a little bit of everything in this store
- Se på den bittelille blomsten!Look at that tiny little flower!
- Et lite husA little house
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofie and Jakob are looking at a puppy in a shop window.
- SofieSe på den lille hunden!Look at that little dog!
- JakobJa, den er veldig liten.Yes, it is very small.
- SofieVil du ha en liten hund?Do you want a little dog?
- JakobNei, jeg vil ha en stor hund.No, I want a big dog.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “little” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries liten, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
