resirkulering
feminine, masculine
The English phrase "recycling" is translated into Norwegian as resirkulering.
resirkulering refers to the general practice of sorting and collecting waste materials so they can be used again. If you are specifically talking about the act of sorting your waste at home or at a specific point of origin, you should use the term kildesortering. For specific types of recycling, Norwegian uses compounds such as plastgjenvinning for plastic recycling and papirgjenvinning for paper recycling.
Meaning: the practice of sorting and collecting waste materials for new use (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word resirkulering is a compound consisting of the prefix re- (meaning again) and sirkulering (meaning circulation).
Which one should you use?
gjenvinning is the formal term for recycling. To specify the material being recycled, you can use compounds like plastgjenvinning or papirgjenvinning.
How does it change in a sentence?
resirkulering is a noun that can be either feminine or masculine in gender.
Did you know?
- In Norway, the word pant is used for a specific type of recycling where you receive a cash deposit back for returning plastic bottles and cans. This system is so ingrained that panting is used as a verb for the act of returning these containers.
- The formal term gjenvinning comes from the verb vinne, which means 'to win' or 'to gain'. This frames recycling not just as a process of circulation, but as a way of recovering lost value from waste.
- While resirkulering is common, the term kildesortering literally translates to 'source sorting'. This reflects a cultural emphasis on the citizen's responsibility to separate waste at the exact point it is created.
Examples in context
- Vi bør alle bidra til gjenvinning og ta vare på miljøet vårt.We should all contribute to recycling and take care of our environment.
- Jeg vil sørge for at flaskene mine går til resirkulering.I will make sure my bottles go for recycling.
- Vi må bli bedre på resirkulering.We must get better at recycling.
- Resirkulering av plast er viktig.Recycling of plastic is important.
- Byen har et system for resirkulering.The city has a system for recycling.
Example conversation
Sofie and Kristoffer are cleaning up their kitchen.
- SofieHvor skal denne plasten, Kristoffer?Where does this plastic go, Kristoffer?
- KristofferDen skal til resirkulering.It goes to recycling.
- SofieEr du flink med resirkulering?Are you good at recycling?
- KristofferJa, jeg sorterer alt avfallet.Yes, I sort all the waste.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “recycling” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
