Norwegian Writing Guidelines

This skill provides comprehensive guidance for writing high-quality Norwegian text based on official Norwegian spelling and grammar rules.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Writing or editing Norwegian text (bokmål or nynorsk)
• Reviewing Norwegian content for correctness and clarity
• Translating content into Norwegian
• Simplifying formal or bureaucratic Norwegian text
• Checking grammar, punctuation, or spelling rules
• Making text more accessible and reader-friendly

Core Principles

1. Klarspråk (Plain Language)

Write clearly and accessibly:

• Use everyday words instead of formal/bureaucratic language
• Write short, direct sentences
• Use active voice instead of passive
• Structure text logically with clear headings
• Consider your reader's needs and knowledge level

2. Correct Norwegian

Follow the official Norwegian guidelines for:

• Spelling and grammar
• Punctuation (commas, semicolons, etc.)
• Capitalization
• Numbers, dates, and times
• Abbreviations

Quick Reference: Common Rules

Comma Rules (Kommaregler)

Always use comma:

• Before men (but): "Dette er utrolig, men sant."
• After quotation marks in speech: "«Jeg kommer», sa han."
• Before and after vocative words: "Ole, kan du komme hit?"
• Between items in a list (but NOT before final og/eller): "brød, kaker og boller"
• Before and after explanatory additions: "Edvard Grieg, Norges mest kjente komponist, ble født i Bergen."
• Between coordinated main clauses with og, eller, for: "Vi kan gå tur, eller vi kan sitte inne."
• After a subordinate clause at the start of a sentence: "Da Else kom, hadde de andre spist."

Do NOT use comma:

• Before og or eller in lists
• After a noun phrase at the start: "En viktig sak ble drøftet."
• After a prepositional phrase without a conjugated verb: "På benken satt en katt."

Da vs. Når

• Da = specific past event: "Da jeg kom hjem, sov alle."
• Når = recurring/habitual OR future: "Når jeg kommer hjem, spiser jeg middag."

De vs. Dem

• De = subject form (nominative): "De kommer i morgen."
• Dem = object form (accusative): "Jeg ser dem."

Tip: Replace with "vi/oss" - if "vi" works, use "de"; if "oss" works, use "dem".

Å vs. Og

• Å = infinitive marker: "å skrive", "å lese"
• Og = conjunction (and): "kaffe og te"

I vs. På (Prepositions)

Use "i" for:

• Countries, regions: "i Norge", "i Trøndelag"
• Cities (generally): "i Oslo", "i Bergen"
• Buildings (interior): "i kirken", "i banken"

Use "på" for:

• Islands without towns: "på Hvaler", "på Grønland"
• Institutions (as concept): "på skolen", "på universitetet"
• Work activities: "på kontoret", "på jobben"

Capitalization (Stor/liten forbokstav)

Lowercase:

• Days and months: "mandag", "januar"
• Languages and nationalities: "norsk", "fransk"
• Titles before names: "statsminister Støre"
• Departments, committees, sections (generic): "departementet", "utvalget", "seksjonen"
• Laws and regulations: "arbeidsmiljøloven", "barnekonvensjonen" (but "Svalbardloven" — proper noun prefix)

Uppercase:

• Start of sentences
• Proper names: "Oslo", "Nordmarka"
• Formal address: "De", "Dem"
• Fundamental state organs: "Stortinget", "Høyesterett", "Kongen" (as institution)
• Official institution names: "Språkrådet", "Statistisk sentralbyrå"
• "Regjeringen" when emphasizing the state organ (lowercase "regjeringen" is always acceptable)

Numbers, Time, and Dates

Numbers:

• Spell out numbers 0-12 in running text
• Use digits for statistics, tables, technical contexts
• Use space as thousand separator: "1 000", "25 000"
• Use comma as decimal separator: "3,14"

Time:

• 24-hour format with period: "kl. 14.30"
• Alternative: "kl. 14:30" or "klokka 14.30"

Dates:

• Standard format: "15. januar 2024" or "15.01.2024"
• Never: "15/01/2024" (ambiguous)

Compound Words (Sammensatte ord)

Norwegian uses compound words extensively. Write as ONE word:

• ✓ "sykkelverksted" (not "sykkel verksted")
• ✓ "arbeidsmiljølov" (not "arbeidsmiljø lov")
• ✓ "it-avdeling" (with hyphen for abbreviations)

Use binding letters where needed:

• -e-: "gutteklær", "barnehage"
• -s-: "arbeidsdag", "landsomfattende"

Kansellisten: Words to Avoid

The "Kansellisten" is a list of formal/bureaucratic words that create distance between writer and reader. Replace them with everyday alternatives:

Example Transformations

Before (kansellistil):

"Det anmodes om at mottaker tilstiller undertegnede de foreliggende dokumenter vedrørende saken."

After (klarspråk):

"Vennligst send meg dokumentene som gjelder saken."

Sensitive Language

Be mindful of language that may be perceived as discriminatory or outdated:

Gender-Neutral Language

• Use "hen" as gender-neutral pronoun when appropriate
• Use inclusive job titles: "brannkonstabel" not "brannmann"
• Vary pronoun usage in examples

Disability

• Person-first or identity-first based on preference
• "person med nedsatt funksjonsevne" or "funksjonshemmet"
• Avoid: "lider av", "rammet av" → use neutral terms

Ethnicity and Origin

• Use current, respectful terms for groups
• "samer" not "lapper"
• "rom" not outdated terms

Writing for Digital Services

When writing for websites and apps:

1. Front-load important information
2. Use short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max)
3. Write scannable text with clear headings
4. Use bullet points for lists
5. Write actionable button text: "Send søknad" not "Klikk her"
6. Test with real users

Resources

Official Dictionaries

• Bokmålsordboka: https://ordbokene.no/bm
• Nynorskordboka: https://ordbokene.no/nn
• Use these to verify spelling and word forms

Reference Resources

• Main site: https://sprakradet.no
• Writing rules: https://sprakradet.no/godt-og-korrekt-sprak/rettskriving-og-grammatikk/
• Klarspråk guidance: https://sprakradet.no/klarsprak/

Reference Files

This skill includes detailed reference material from official Norwegian language resources. For comprehensive reference material, see references/INDEX.md.

Key reference areas:

• Spelling & grammar - Comma rules, capitalization, common confusions
• Practical usage - Kansellisten, sensitive language, formal email
• Clear writing - Klarspråk principles, digital writing
• Word lists - Full Kansellisten, commonly confused words
• Q&A database - 1100+ answers to real language questions (in references/spraksporsmal/). Search with grep -rl "keyword" references/spraksporsmal/ to find relevant answers.

Updating This Skill

To update the reference material from official Norwegian language resources:

scripts/scrape.sh

This will fetch the latest content from sprakradet.no and update the reference files.