pen jente
The English phrase "pretty girl" is translated into Norwegian as pen jente.
The phrase is used to describe a girl who is attractive or pleasing to look at.
Which one should you use?
While pen jente translates to "pretty girl", you may also encounter vakker jente, which means "beautiful girl". The latter is a stronger and more formal way to describe someone's appearance.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "a pretty girl" in the indefinite form, use en pen jente. If you wish to express the superlative "prettiest girl", use peneste jente.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the adjective pen (pretty/nice) with the noun penn (pen), even though they look similar to English speakers. They are pronounced differently in Norwegian.
Did you know?
- The word jente has an unexpected history, as it is derived from an Old Norse word meaning 'joke' or 'foolery'.
- The word pen can also be used to describe things that are 'neat' or 'tidy', such as 'a pretty room' meaning a well-organized one.
- In Norwegian, pen can be used to describe a person's behavior or a 'nice' gesture, moving beyond physical looks.
Examples in context
- Eg kjøpte ein penn til ei pen jente.I bought a pen for a pretty girl.This sentence shows how to use pen jente in a sentence about buying a gift.Tatoeba #12629350 by Barend, translation #12629349 by Barend
- Du er en pen jente.You are a pretty girl.
- Hun er en pen jente.She is a pretty girl.
- Jeg så en pen jente i parken.I saw a pretty girl in the park.
Example conversation
Jakob and Ingrid are sitting in a cafe talking about people passing by.
- JakobSe på den pene jenta der borte.Look at that pretty girl over there.
- IngridJa, hun er virkelig en pen jente.Yes, she is truly a pretty girl.
- JakobHun ser veldig snill ut også.She looks very kind too.
- IngridDet er sant.That is true.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jente, pen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
