Formal vs. Informal Register
Formelt og uformelt språk
Norwegian distinguishes formal and informal writing. Formal: passive voice, complex sentences, nominalization. Informal: active voice, short sentences, contractions. Bokmål itself ranges from conservative to radical forms.
Rule
Formal: passive + nominalization | Informal: active + simple structures
Examples
Søknaden behandles innen to uker. (formal)
The application is processed within two weeks.
Vi fikser det med en gang! (informal)
We'll fix it right away!
Det ble besluttet å utsette møtet. (formal)
It was decided to postpone the meeting.
Common Mistake
Using informal language in a formal job application
Match register to context — formal for applications, informal for friends
Indian learners may default to overly formal English patterns or too casual Norwegian. Reading the social context is essential.
English vs Norwegian
| English | Norsk |
|---|---|
| The application is processed within two weeks. | Søknaden behandles innen to uker. (formal) |
| We'll fix it right away! | Vi fikser det med en gang! (informal) |
| It was decided to postpone the meeting. | Det ble besluttet å utsette møtet. (formal) |
English
The application is processed within two weeks.
Norsk
Søknaden behandles innen to uker. (formal)
English
We'll fix it right away!
Norsk
Vi fikser det med en gang! (informal)
English
It was decided to postpone the meeting.
Norsk
Det ble besluttet å utsette møtet. (formal)