· 6 min read
Learn Norwegian for Free: University Courses
By Language Lab editorial team
Learn Norwegian for free with LearnNoW and Norwegian on the Web, two online courses from NTNU with texts, audio, grammar, exercises and vocabulary lists.
Two complete beginners' courses in Norwegian are free online, and both come from a university. LearnNoW is an online beginner's Norwegian course, free of charge, developed at NTNU, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, on behalf of an agency of Norway's Ministry of Education and Research. It has 12 chapters, each with texts, grammar, pronunciation, listening exercises and vocabulary, and its instructions are offered in English, Polish, Spanish, Arabic, Tigrinya and Ukrainian. Norwegian on the Web, also from NTNU, has 10 chapters built around everyday expressions and basic grammar; it was designed for people who study or work at the university but is open to all. Norwegian is also quick for English speakers: the US State Department lists it at 24 weeks of classes.
The free courses at a glance
| LearnNoW | Norwegian on the Web (NoW1) | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | The LearnNoW Team, Department of Language and Literature, NTNU | NTNU |
| Cost | Free of charge | Open to all who want to learn Norwegian |
| Level | Beginner | Beginner: everyday expressions and basic vocabulary |
| Length | 12 chapters | 10 chapters |
| In each chapter | Four texts, grammar, pronunciation, listening exercises, exercises, vocabulary and extras | Texts with audio, grammar, pronunciation, listening exercises, exercises, vocabulary and extras |
| Instructions in | English, Polish, Spanish, Arabic, Tigrinya and Ukrainian | English |
LearnNoW
NTNU describes LearnNoW as an online beginner's Norwegian course, free of charge, developed on behalf of the Norwegian Agency for Lifelong Learning, an agency of the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. The course follows four characters, Alex, Ben, Cecilie and Dina, from a journey from Paris to Oslo through daily life in Norway: the airport, a new home, school, work, shopping, a hospital visit and Christmas. Each of the 12 chapters has one text for each character, followed by grammar, pronunciation, listening exercises, exercises and vocabulary.
Norwegian on the Web
Norwegian on the Web 1 focuses on familiar everyday expressions and basic vocabulary, and on the basic grammatical rules of inflection and word order. Its first six chapters follow a group of characters who study at NTNU in Trondheim or live elsewhere in Norway; the last four deal with topics such as family and spare time. Every text has audio, and vocabulary is presented in several ways: lists under each text, an alphabetical list, tables and flashcard sets. NTNU also lists a second course, NoW2.
How NTNU suggests using the audio
- Listen to the whole text, or play short pieces and repeat what you hear.
- Read a sentence first and listen afterwards.
- Record your own voice and compare it with the audio.
- Use the audio for dictation, then compare with the text.
- Slow the playback down, for example to 75%, to concentrate on pronunciation.
NTNU adds that learning vocabulary matters most in the first phase and takes a lot of practice and repetition, and that it is worth doing a chapter's exercises again as revision.
First phrases
| Norwegian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hallo. | Hello. |
| Ha det. | Goodbye. |
| Takk. | Thank you. |
| Ja. | Yes. |
| Nei. | No. |
| Mitt navn er ... | My name is ... |
| Snakker du engelsk? | Do you speak English? |
These come from the BBC's archived list of essential Norwegian phrases.
A free weekly plan
- Four days a week, 30 minutes: one text of a LearnNoW chapter, with its audio and vocabulary.
- The fifth day: the chapter's grammar page and its exercises.
- Every day, 5 minutes: read one text aloud after the audio.
- Once a week: a dictation from an earlier text.
- After each chapter: redo all its exercises before moving on.
The plan relies on practice testing and distributed practice, the two techniques a 2013 review of learning research rated as high utility. Rereading and highlighting were rated low.
How far free takes you
Both courses are for beginners. The US State Department lists Norwegian in Category I, languages close to English, at 24 weeks of classes for English speakers, so the beginner stage is a real share of the journey. The courses give you reading, listening, grammar and vocabulary. Speaking needs a partner. Language Lab's Norwegian course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor, which supplies spoken practice.
Frequently asked
Can I learn Norwegian for free?
Yes, at beginner level. NTNU's LearnNoW is an online beginner's Norwegian course, free of charge, and its Norwegian on the Web course is open to all who want to learn Norwegian.
What is LearnNoW?
A free online beginners' course in 12 chapters, developed at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology on behalf of an agency of Norway's Ministry of Education and Research.
What is the difference between LearnNoW and Norwegian on the Web?
LearnNoW follows four characters through daily life in Norway and offers instructions in six languages. Norwegian on the Web was designed for people who study or work at NTNU and has 10 chapters.
Do the NTNU courses have audio?
Yes. The texts come with audio, and vocabulary entries can be listened to as well.
Is Norwegian easy for English speakers?
The US State Department places it in Category I, languages close to English, at 24 weeks of classes.
If I learn Norwegian, will I understand Swedish and Danish?
To a large extent. The Nordic Council says Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are so closely related that, with a little effort, most people understand each other.
Sources: Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), LearnNoW and Norwegian on the Web; Nordic co-operation (norden.org), The Nordic languages; BBC Languages, Quick Fix essential Norwegian phrases (archived); US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Boat dock at Reine, Lofoten, Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
