Norwegian dialects Norwegians generally don’t speak similar to how they write. In most regions, the speech doesn’t seem to reflect the written languages. Norwegians understand both Swedish and Danish better than the Danes and Swedes understand Norwegian. This is because we have such a diverse set of dialects around us as we grow up. The Norwegians who speak and are mostly exposed to speech similar to the written language, understand dialects worse than the majority of the population. This is an important topic. Normalised Norwegian isn’t really a thing anymore for everyday people. That said, it is important for us teachers to normalise our speech to a degree when teaching, to ease learners into the language. If you are moving to a certain city, it could really help to learn about how most people speak in that area. Getting a grasp on the most important differences in speech you will encounter both in real life and in media, is a must. Don’t limit yourself to only normalised Norwegian, because the language has so much more to offer. Dialects are cool, and important. Now watch, read and listen to some more Norwegian! (They would definitely not speak normalised in this town here)