How to Talk About Education and Qualifications in Norwegian

Learning to discuss education and qualifications is essential if you plan to live or work in Norway. Whether you’re applying for a job, discussing your educational background in a social setting, or filling out a form, understanding the relevant vocabulary and sentence structures in Norwegian can give you a significant advantage. This skill is particularly important for expatriates and foreigners who are integrating into the Norwegian education and job market.

In this article, we’ll cover essential vocabulary, common phrases, and grammatical structures to help you talk about your education and qualifications confidently in Norwegian. We’ll also explore how to discuss your job experience, certifications, and skills. If you’re interested in improving your Norwegian, join our classes at NLS Norwegian Language School in Oslo by signing up here.

Basic Vocabulary for Discussing Education in Norwegian

Let’s start with some basic vocabulary that will allow you to discuss your education and qualifications. These words and phrases will help you describe your educational background, including your degree, field of study, and educational institutions.

Key Words and Phrases:

1. Utdanning – “Education”
   Example: Jeg har en utdanning innen økonomi.
   (“I have an education in economics.”)
2. Grunnskole – “Primary school”
   Example: Jeg fullførte grunnskolen i 2005.
   (“I completed primary school in 2005.”)
3. Videregående skole – “High school”
   Example: Jeg gikk på videregående skole i Oslo.
   (“I attended high school in Oslo.”)
4. Høyskole – “College”
   Example: Jeg studerte ved en høyskole i Bergen.
   (“I studied at a college in Bergen.”)
5. Universitet – “University”
   Example: Jeg tok en mastergrad ved Universitetet i Oslo.
   (“I earned a master’s degree at the University of Oslo.”)
6. Bachelorgrad – “Bachelor’s degree”
   Example: Jeg har en bachelorgrad i ingeniørfag.
   (“I have a bachelor’s degree in engineering.”)
7. Mastergrad – “Master’s degree”
   Example: Jeg tok en mastergrad i statsvitenskap.
   (“I earned a master’s degree in political science.”)
8. Doktorgrad – “PhD/Doctorate”
   Example: Han har en doktorgrad i kjemi.
   (“He has a PhD in chemistry.”)
9. Fagbrev – “Certificate of apprenticeship”
   Example: Jeg har et fagbrev i elektrikerfaget.
   (“I have a certificate of apprenticeship in electrical work.”)
10. Eksamen – “Exam”
    Example: Jeg besto eksamen med toppkarakter.
    (“I passed the exam with top marks.”)
11. Karakterer – “Grades”
    Example: Karakterene mine var veldig gode på universitetet.
    (“My grades were very good at university.”)

Describing Your Education

To describe your educational background in more detail, you will need to form sentences that explain where you studied, what degree you earned, and what subjects you specialized in. Here are some useful phrases and sentence structures.

Talking About Where You Studied

1. Jeg studerte ved [institutionens navn].
   (“I studied at [name of institution].”)
   Example: Jeg studerte ved Universitetet i Bergen.
   (“I studied at the University of Bergen.”)
2. Jeg fullførte studiene mine i [årstall].
   (“I completed my studies in [year].”)
   Example: Jeg fullførte studiene mine i 2018.
   (“I completed my studies in 2018.”)
3. Jeg gikk på videregående skole i [by].
   (“I attended high school in [city].”)
   Example: Jeg gikk på videregående skole i Tromsø.
   (“I attended high school in Tromsø.”)

Describing Your Degree and Field of Study

1. Jeg har en [degree] i [subject].
   (“I have a [degree] in [subject].”)
   Example: Jeg har en bachelorgrad i historie.
   (“I have a bachelor’s degree in history.”)
2. Jeg tok en [degree] ved [institution].
   (“I earned a [degree] at [institution].”)
   Example: Jeg tok en mastergrad ved Norges Handelshøyskole.
   (“I earned a master’s degree at the Norwegian School of Economics.”)
3. Jeg spesialiserte meg i [subject].
   (“I specialized in [subject].”)
   Example: Jeg spesialiserte meg i datavitenskap.
   (“I specialized in computer science.”)

Talking About Your Qualifications

Qualifications are not just about degrees; they can also refer to your skills, certifications, and practical experience. Whether you’re discussing job qualifications or specific skills, these words and phrases will help you communicate effectively.

Key Vocabulary for Qualifications

1. Kvalifikasjoner – “Qualifications”
   Example: Jeg har de nødvendige kvalifikasjonene for jobben.
   (“I have the necessary qualifications for the job.”)
2. Ferdigheter – “Skills”
   Example: Jeg har gode ferdigheter innen prosjektledelse.
   (“I have strong skills in project management.”)
3. Erfaring – “Experience”
   Example: Jeg har ti års erfaring innen markedsføring.
   (“I have ten years of experience in marketing.”)
4. Sertifisering – “Certification”
   Example: Jeg har sertifisering i førstehjelp.
   (“I am certified in first aid.”)
5. Kurs – “Course”
   Example: Jeg har tatt flere kurs i programmering.
   (“I have taken several courses in programming.”)
6. Praksis – “Practical training”
   Example: Jeg fikk mye praksis gjennom lærlingeordningen.
   (“I gained a lot of practical training through the apprenticeship program.”)

Describing Your Work Experience

When discussing your qualifications for a job, it’s important to talk about your work experience. This includes explaining what jobs you’ve had, your responsibilities, and what you’ve learned in those positions.

Useful Phrases for Discussing Work Experience

1. Jeg har jobbet som [job title] i [company].
   (“I have worked as [job title] at [company].”)
   Example: Jeg har jobbet som regnskapsfører i DNB.
   (“I have worked as an accountant at DNB.”)
2. Jeg har [number] års erfaring som [job title].
   (“I have [number] years of experience as [job title].”)
   Example: Jeg har fem års erfaring som ingeniør.
   (“I have five years of experience as an engineer.”)
3. Jeg var ansvarlig for [task].
   (“I was responsible for [task].”)
   Example: Jeg var ansvarlig for budsjettplanlegging.
   (“I was responsible for budget planning.”)
4. I denne stillingen lærte jeg [skill].
   (“In this position, I learned [skill].”)
   Example: I denne stillingen lærte jeg å jobbe med teamledelse.
   (“In this position, I learned to work with team leadership.”)
5. Jeg har jobbet med [industry/field].
   (“I have worked in [industry/field].”)
   Example: Jeg har jobbet med IT og programvareutvikling.
   (“I have worked in IT and software development.”)

Talking About Certifications and Courses

In addition to formal education, you may have completed various courses or earned certifications. Being able to discuss these in Norwegian is crucial for building your professional profile.

1. Jeg har fullført et kurs i [subject].
   (“I have completed a course in [subject].”)
   Example: Jeg har fullført et kurs i databaseteknologi.
   (“I have completed a course in database technology.”)
2. Jeg har en sertifisering i [subject].
   (“I have a certification in [subject].”)
   Example: Jeg har en sertifisering i prosjektledelse.
   (“I have a certification in project management.”)
3. Dette kurset ga meg ferdigheter innen [skill].
   (“This course gave me skills in [skill].”)
   Example: Dette kurset ga meg ferdigheter innen programmering.
   (“This course gave me skills in programming.”)

Sentence Structures for Discussing Education and Qualifications

To discuss your qualifications and education effectively, you need to structure your sentences in a way that is clear and concise. Here are a few key sentence patterns to help you do that.

Simple Sentences

• Jeg har en [degree] i [subject].
  Example: Jeg har en bachelorgrad i økonomi.
  (“I have a bachelor’s degree in economics.”)
• Jeg har erfaring med [task].
  Example: Jeg har erfaring med prosjektledelse.
  (“I have experience with project management.”)

Compound Sentences

• Jeg studerte [subject] ved [institution], og jeg fullførte studiene i [year].
  Example: Jeg studerte informatikk ved Universitetet i Oslo, og jeg fullførte studiene i 2020.
  (“I studied computer science at the University of Oslo, and I completed my studies in 2020.”)

Comparisons

• Min utdanning er relevant for denne stillingen fordi [reason].
  Example: Min utdanning er relevant for denne stillingen fordi jeg har studert økonomistyring.
  (“My education is relevant for this position because I studied financial management.”)

Learning to describe your education and qualifications in Norwegian is a valuable skill that will help you succeed in professional and academic settings in Norway. By using the vocabulary and phrases outlined in this article, you can confidently discuss your background and achievements.

If you’re eager to improve your Norwegian language skills further, join our classes at NLS Norwegian Language School in Oslo. You can find more information and sign up here. Happy learning!