penger
/peŋːer/plural
The Norwegian word for money is penger. Wiktionary also lists kontanter.
Meaning: currency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| penger | /peŋːer/ | plural |
| kontanter | plural |
penger is the most common and general term for money in Norwegian. You can use it for various expressions, such as å tjene penger (to earn money) or the idiom å kaste pengene ut av vinduet (to throw money out of the window).
How does it change in a sentence?
The word penger is a plural-only noun. You must use the plural form penger even when referring to money as an abstract concept.
How do you pronounce it?
/peŋːer/
Did you know?
- The word kontanter shares a root with the word kontant, which can describe a person who is 'curt' or 'abrupt' in their speech.
- The phrase å ha penger på bok means to have money in the bank. It literally translates to 'having money on book', referring to the old ledger books used by banks.
- Norway is one of the most cashless societies in the world, meaning you will rarely need kontanter in daily life.
Examples in context
- Hun vil ha penger.She wants money.This sentence shows how to express a desire for penger.Tatoeba #10942861 by Mayk, translation #8651702 by CH
- Penger er ikke alt.Money is not everything.This sentence uses penger in an abstract sense.Tatoeba #3503570 by janni, translation #18634 by CK
- Det er bare penger.It's just money.This sentence uses penger to dismiss the importance of the subject.Tatoeba #10957912 by Mayk, translation #2249094 by CK
- Jeg trenger penger for å kjøpe en gave.I need money to buy a gift.
- Han har mye kapital investert i prosjektet.He has a lot of money invested in the project.
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Kristoffer are planning a weekend trip.
- EmmaHar du penger til bensin, Kristoffer?Do you have money for gas, Kristoffer?
- KristofferJa, jeg har penger på kontoen.Yes, I have money in my account.
- EmmaDet er bra, for turen blir dyr.That is good, because the trip will be expensive.
- KristofferIkke bekymre deg, Emma.Don't worry, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “money” translations and entries penger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
