lærer
/læːrər/masculine
The Norwegian word for teacher is lærer. Wiktionary also lists lærerinne and frøken.
Meaning: person who teaches (noun)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| lærer | /læːrər/ | masculine |
| lærerinne | feminine | |
| frøken | feminine | |
| lærar | masculine | |
| lærarinne | feminine |
A teacher is a person who teaches.
Which one should you use?
While lærer is often used for any teacher, lærerinne is a specific feminine form used to denote a female teacher.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The title Professor is used in higher education contexts, such as universities or colleges, to signify a higher level of expertise. Frøken was traditionally used as a polite way to address a female teacher, but it is now considered outdated or overly formal in most modern school settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Lærar is the Nynorsk form of the word, whereas lærer is the Bokmål form.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the definite singular 'the teacher', add the suffix -en to the masculine form 'lærer' to get læreren. The indefinite plural form of 'lærer' is lærere.
How do you pronounce it?
/læːrər/
Did you know?
- Unlike in many English-speaking cultures, it is common for a lærer to participate in social activities and trips with students as a mentor rather than a distant authority figure.
- In higher education, the title 'Professor' is strictly regulated by the state and cannot be used as a general term for any teacher at a university.
- Norway has two official written standards, meaning a student might see their teacher referred to as a lærer in a Bokmål textbook and a lærar in a Nynorsk one.
Examples in context
- For ein lat lærar!What a lazy teacher!This sentence is useful for expressing an opinion about a lærar.Tatoeba #12512386 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #24881 by CK
- Ho er læraren vår.She's our teacher.This sentence is useful for identifying a lærar.Tatoeba #12512387 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #67828 by CK
- Hvem er læreren din?Who is your teacher?This sentence is useful for asking about a lærer.Tatoeba #2879685 by eirik174, translation #17660 by CK
- Jeg har en flink lærerI have a good teacher
- Skolelæreren min forklarte emnet grundigMy school teacher explained the topic thoroughly
- Læreren min gir alltid gode rådMy teacher always gives good advice
- Førskolelæreren leder kreative aktiviteter for barnaThe preschool teacher leads creative activities for the children
- Læreren min forklarte alt grundig i dag.My teacher explained everything thoroughly today.
- Skolelæreren vår er veldig streng, men dyktig.Our school teacher is very strict but talented.
- Jeg trenger å snakke med professoren min angående oppgaven.I need to talk to my professor regarding the assignment.
- Læreren min er kul og alltid forståelsesfull.My teacher is cool and always understanding.
- Førskolelæreren min organiserer morsomme leker for oss.My preschool teacher organizes fun games for us.
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kristoffer and Ingrid are talking about their new school schedule.
- KristofferHvem er din nye lærer?Who is your new teacher?
- IngridJeg vet ikke navnet hans ennå.I don't know his name yet.
- KristofferJeg tror vi har samme lærer.I think we have the same teacher.
- IngridHåper han er snill!I hope he is kind!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teacher” translations and entries lærer, frøken, lærar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
