mjau
The Norwegian word for meow is mjau.
The term is an onomatopoeia used to represent the cry of a cat.
Meaning: cry of a cat (intj)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb form used to describe the act of a cat making its cry is mjaue. When using the word as a noun, the definite singular form is mjauet (the meow) and the gerund or the act of meowing is expressed as mjauing.
Did you know?
- The verb mjaue can be used metaphorically in Norwegian to describe a person speaking in a way that is intentionally weak or pleading.
- In Norway, many people use the word mjau to imitate a cat, but they might also use mjav in certain dialects to represent the same sound.
- The spelling of mjau is notably different from the English 'meow', reflecting the Scandinavian preference for the 'j' to represent the 'y' sound.
Examples in context
- Mjau.Meow.This example shows the word mjau used as a simple statement.Tatoeba #8144810 by vikvaering, translation #2176411 by dafp
- Mjau!Meow!This example shows the word mjau used as an exclamation.Tatoeba #11064059 by Mayk, translation #10699281 by AutoBot
- Katten sa mjau.The cat said meow.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ingrid and Kristoffer are in the kitchen with their pet cat.
- IngridHør, nå sier katten mjau!Listen, now the cat is saying meow!
- KristofferJeg tror den er sulten.I think it is hungry.
- IngridJa, den vil ha mat.Yes, it wants food.
- KristofferJeg skal gi den litt.I will give it some.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meow” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
