ulv
/ʉlʋ/masculine
The Norwegian word for wolf is ulv. Wiktionary also lists varg and gråbein.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ulv | /ʉlʋ/ | masculine |
| varg | masculine | |
| gråbein | /ˈɡroː.ˌbein/ | masculine |
The term refers to the carnivorous animal. While ulv is the standard way to name the animal, other forms exist for specific literary or metaphorical purposes.
Which one should you use?
ulv is the neutral, standard term for the animal. In contrast, varg is a more poetic or archaic term that often carries a connotation of a predator or an outlaw. gråbein is another specific term for the wolf.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun ulv changes to ulven to mean 'the wolf'. For the plural 'wolves', use ulver. To indicate possession, the definite genitive form is ulvens (the wolf's).
How do you pronounce it?
/ʉlʋ/
Did you know?
- The word varg was historically used to describe an outlaw. In old Nordic societies, being a 'wolf' meant you had been cast out of the community and stripped of all legal protections.
- Gråbein is a common example of a 'Noa-name', a substitute name used in folklore to avoid offending a creature.
- The term varg shares a root with the concept of a 'warg' in modern fantasy literature, which draws from the Old Norse tradition of seeing wolves as monstrous or supernatural beings.
Examples in context
- Du er en ulv i fåreklær.You are a wolf in sheep's clothing.This sentence shows how to use ulv in the idiom 'a wolf in sheep's clothing'.Tatoeba #8138699 by vikvaering, translation #282000 by gracehero
- Han er en ulv i fåreklær.He is a wolf in sheep's clothing.This sentence demonstrates the use of ulv in the idiom 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' with a different subject.Tatoeba #372614 by contour, translation #71977 by CM
- Jeg møtte en ulv i en drøm.I met a wolf in a dream.This sentence uses ulv to describe a wolf encountered in a dream.Tatoeba #501821 by testdog, translation #750227 by sctld
- Den norske ulven er kjent for sin storslåtte skjønnhet.The Norwegian wolf is known for its magnificent beauty.
- Vargen er et symbolsk dyr i norsk kultur.The wolf is a symbolic animal in Norwegian culture.
- Har du sett hvor stor ulven er i skogen?Have you seen how big the wolf is in the forest?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jakob and Emma are looking at a nature documentary.
- JakobSe, der er en ulv!Look, there is a wolf!
- EmmaJa, den ulven er veldig vakker.Yes, that wolf is very beautiful.
- JakobEr den ikke skummel, Emma?Isn't it scary, Emma?
- EmmaLitt, men den er imponerende.A little, but it is impressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wolf” translations and entries ulv, varg, gråbein, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
