The 19 Best Channels To Learn Norwegian On YouTube

Love it or loathe it, but for many of us the go-to place for any information we need, including learning Norwegian, is still YouTube.

Yet it’s also the single biggest graveyard of incomplete projects, unfinished thoughts and schemes that seemed like a good idea at the time.

When you look up ‘learning Norwegian’, you'll be presented with page after page of channels, only to realise that most of them barely made it past two videos.

However, there are still a few useful YouTube channels for Norwegian language learners in this dumping ground of best intentions.

In this post, you'll discover the 19 best channels to learn Norwegian on YouTube, covering everything from pronunciation to culture and daily life in Norway.

Let's get into it.

You can jump to the section or YouTube channel that interests you most thanks to the table of contents below. Otherwise, keep scrolling to discover the best YouTube channels to learn Norwegian.

Learn Norwegian On YouTube: Pronunciation And Grammar

Grammar includes the building blocks for anyone aiming to learn a new language like Norwegian, while the pronunciation ensures, that what you have learned also will be understood when you communicate.

Sitting at home trying to learn Norwegian by yourself can sometimes be challenging, especially when you try to figure out why certain words or expressions are used the way they are – and how they sound like when being pronounced by a local.

This is where YouTube’s strength lies, as anyone from all corners of Norway can post in their language and dialect, giving the world at large an insight into the natural habitat of the Norwegian language.

You’ll find a huge amount of channels to learn Norwegian on YouTube. But very few of those stand the course longterm and even fewer are organised in a way that enables structured language learning. 

Here I have collected some of the more serious channels with Norwegian language learning content which have proven to be useful as well as being entertaining.

1. Norsklærer Karense (Norwegian Teacher Karense)

Norsklærer Karense is an excellent YouTube channel. But it's not easy to find and only for the initiated as the teacher uses the Norwegian letter æ in the name for the channel, making exact searches difficult.

Yet, she still has managed to gather 100.000 followers and not without reason. Karense has specialized in explaining even the most difficult and mindboggling exceptions of Norwegian grammar and presents them in a clear and plausible matter. 

If you've ever wondered how prepositions are used, adjectives are conjugated and prefixes are applied in Norwegian, she surely will have a video answering your question. The channel is still going strong and is frequently updated.

2. Speak Norsk

Starting in 2018, Speak Norsk, a channel dedicated to Norwegian language learning has amassed 100 videos. Though only infrequently updated lately, it’s still one of the most relevant resources for beginners and intermediate Norwegian language learners.

The videos are introduced in both English and Norwegian by professional teachers in a classroom setting.

The teachers will discuss subjects ranging from Norwegian grammar and pronunciation issues to tips and tricks on how to learn the language fast.

As the name of the channel suggests, the focus is almost exclusively on speaking the Norwegian language and communication with Norwegians, but less on written Norwegian.

3. Simple Norwegian

Though Simple Norwegian is seemingly discontinued, there still are 55 videos for you to catch up on.

Here you’ll find all the basics with regards to Norwegian grammar as well as pronunciation issues.

Besides, the channel has a very charming section with street interviews where Norwegian passersby are asked questions about their perception on foreigners, food, taboos etc. The answers are given in Norwegian with English subtitles.

4. Norwegian Teacher – Karin

With 380 videos and still counting, Norwegian Teacher – Karin is something of a Trivial Pursuit or pub quiz of the Norwegian language world.

Karin seemingly started this channel in 2006 to teach the Norwegian language to an unsuspecting audience. But since it has developed into a treasure trove of both irreverent and relevant information about life in Norway.

The language part of this partially very personal vlog is based on a standard work for Norwegian as a second language learners called ‘God i Norsk’ (Good in Norwegian), published by Aschehoug.

And Karin the Norwegian teacher runs through chapter by chapter with fierce determination. 

5. Become A Polyglot

While only 16 videos in Become a Polyglot are dedicated to the Norwegian language, this channel operated by a Norwegian polyglot stands out through its sheer no-nonsense approach and pragmatism.

The videos are exclusively aimed at beginners and walk through the most essential pronunciation and grammar topics.

Each video lasts between five and ten minutes. The focus is on fundamentals like the Norwegian alphabet, numbers, colours etc. And presents a good introduction to anyone who is not quite sure yet what learning Norwegian really might involve.

Learn Norwegian On YouTube: Norwegian Listening Practice

When looking at channels to learn Norwegian on YouTube, you'll soon discover that most will inevitably include at least one reading of a Norwegian short story or fairy tale.

In most circumstances, this will be advertised as ‘improving listening skills’. When starting to listen to it though, you’ll soon realise it's not very helpful, especially for beginners.

Also intermediate learners and to a certain extent advanced Norwegian language speakers will struggle, as the stories weren't initially written to teach the language, but to tell a story to people who are already proficient in Norwegian.

There are, however, at least two YouTube channels dedicated to helping eager Norwegian language students with their comprehension of the language.

6. Ett Lite Bildeglimt (A Small Snapshot)

This channel combines drawings and slowly spoken Norwegian to give language learners a connection between the visual and the verbal. The videos are available in a slowly and a quickly spoken version.

Oddly enough, there are only beginner and advanced learner sections available on Ett lite bildeglimt, with the intermediate segment completely missing. 

As the videos in the beginner section are only between one and five minutes long, you can finish the beginner listening session within only a couple of hours. And you'll find the advanced learner category far too difficult to continue with.

This is where the next playlist will prove to be helpful.

7. Learn Norwegian With NorwegianClass101.com

NorwegianClass101 is probably the largest Norwegian language learning channel you can find on YouTube.

Due to its size, it’s also the most difficult to navigate as videos and playlists on all learning levels are constantly added without any regard for a systematic order and it can be difficult to find the appropriate video for a specific need. 

Their videos to enhance Norwegian comprehension and improve listening skills are ideal for anyone who prefers a traditional classroom setting.

Teaching is mostly in form of dialogue accompanied with pictures. The dialogue subsequently is repeated with English and Norwegian subtitles. There are altogether 5 playlists aimed solely at listening skills:

• Norwegian Listening Comprehension for Absolute Beginners
• Norwegian Listening Comprehension for Beginners
• Norwegian Listening Comprehension for Intermediate Learners
• Norwegian Listening Comprehension for Advanced Learners
• Norwegian Listening Practice

Learn Norwegian On YouTube: The Norwegian Lifestyle

Speaking the Norwegian language and knowing how to pronounce it correctly represents only one side of the story on making a living in Norway.

To fully understand Norwegians, you’ll need more than just verbal communication. And the following channels have made it their mission to ease you into the culture and everyday life in the Nordic country.

8. YourWay2Norway

YourWay2Norway advertises itself as a travel channel, but after almost ten years and over 100 videos, it has become a deep dive into Norwegian culture and lifestyle beyond the conventional ‘holiday in Norway’ information.

Besides, the presenters Ronald and Mads more often than not deviate from the standard tourism platitudes and cast a critical eye on important topics within Norwegian society.

Among the subject matter raised on the channel, which is presented in both Norwegian and English, are:

• the rising number of obesity cases in Norway
• personal safety while travelling around the country
• and the citizens’ attitude to the international pet hate of never-ending construction work.

The videos last from a few seconds (The Sound of Norway) to over half an hour.

Their organisation of the various playlists can be somewhat confusing. But if you're looking for just a few entertaining titbits of Norwegian everyday life, you're bound to find something on this channel.

9. Leena Henningsen

German film maker Leena and her artist partner Joachim live in the former mining town of Røros in the mountains in the middle of Norway, which is known for exceptionally cold winters.

This YouTube channel is her Vlog on everyday life in Norway and how the couple carves out a living in the beautiful but inhospitable landscape.

Presented in English, German and Norwegian, Leena’s Vlog features beautiful shots of snow-covered landscapes, Norwegian wildlife and chocolate-box pretty Norwegian villages.

The videos are categorised by yearly reviews rather than subject matter, but Leena’s beautiful voice alone makes all of them worth listening to.

10. Ivanna’s Norsk Life

While Leena’s Vlog is about making a living in rural Norway, Ukrainian-born Ivanna talks about her journey of integrating into urban Norwegian work life and becoming a Norwegian citizen as someone coming from outside the EU.

Beginning in 2021, Ivanna documents the different stages in her Norwegian existence – from studying and getting a working visa to buying a house and finding a job.

The vlog is exclusively in English and most videos last around 15 minutes. The focus of her channel covers the intricacies of the Norwegian job market and how to navigate Norwegian Academia.

Ivanna’s Norsk Life is now seemingly discontinued but the content is still relevant and useful for anyone wanting to move to Norway, but not knowing where to begin.

11. Osloelsa67

Based in the Norwegian capital, the Norwegian artist behind Osloelsa67 takes life in urban Oslo head on.

The mother of two uses her phone camera to explore her hometown from the seaside and the inner city to the nearby mountains and suburban party circuit. Her particular focus is on Norwegian art and museums.

Though her videos can be overly long at times (2-3 hours) (the drop-ins at museums are so detailed that you feel that a real-life visit is no longer necessary!) Osloelsa67’s channel still gives the most comprehensive view on what contemporary life is like in the Norwegian capital.

Sadly, the sound is not always satisfactory, but the pictures speak for themselves.

12. Quentin

The premise of a Californian former basketball player with severe anxiety issues meeting a Norwegian girl on TikTok and subsequently moving to Norway sounds like a perfect plot for a romcom.

At the moment, however, American twenty-something Quentin sticks to his social media presence where he talks about culture shocks and raising a young family on a shoestring budget somewhere in the Norwegian outback.

It’s a completely personal and compelling diary of Norwegian life.

Viewers also are advised to look at the comments that prove how much the former sportsman and current rap music enthusiast captures the sentiments and often bewilderment of foreigners trying to navigate their way through Norwegian society and culture.

As a bonus, take a look at his hilarious reviews of Norwegian and Swedish music.

Learn Norwegian On YouTube: Norwegian News Channels

News reporting and their angles can give a foreign language learner a unique insight into what makes a country tick.

When it comes to Norway, where world peace negotiations and sustainability issues seemingly play a large part in the political and societal arena, only two major news outlets have deemed it necessary to publish some of their content regularly on YouTube

13. NRK: Ny I Norge (New In Norway)

Norsk Rikskringkrasting (Norwegian National Broadcaster, NRK) no longer operates a regularly updated channel for its Norwegian audience.

Instead, the broadcaster has set up a channel for immigrant groups where the regular Norwegian news presenters speak slowly about current affairs and news with a particular focus on foreigners in Norway.

Unfortunately, the videos aren't subtitled in English, but in Ukrainian, Arabic, Somalian, Dari and Tigrinya.

However, intermediate Norwegian language learners will still benefit from checking out the channel and listening, as the reporting is clearly pronounced and uses few, if any, dialects.

14. Dagbladet

More challenging are the daily updates from Norwegian tabloid newspaper Dagbladet, which operates within the realm of sensationalism and gossip.

Their topics mostly cover spectacularly dressed-up news, Norwegian celebrities (kjendis) and anything else that touches on the lurid or sleazy.

Though it should be watched with a certain amount of scepticism, it also gives an impression of what would be regarded as inflammatory in a certain demographic within the Norwegian population.

Learn Norwegian On YouTube: Norwegian Special Interest Channels

Some might want to learn the Norwegian language because a subject matter connected to the country has piqued their interest.

Whether it’s for professional reasons, hobbies or research, the country has a lot to offer with regard to special interests you can’t find anywhere else. 

Here is a list of a few channels about Norway from a different perspective.

15. NTNU

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) operates three different YouTube channels.

It’s one of the biggest educational providers in Norway with several campuses spread around the country.

Their ‘main’ channel has over 500 videos on how studying in Norway plays out for both local and international students with live streams several times a year.

While the mother channel is mainly in English, the NTNU Student subsidiary channel is almost entirely in Norwegian with Norwegian subtitles.

This second channel is provided by the student body of the various campuses and gives tips on how to settle into Norwegian university life.

The third channel NoW NTNU is aimed at the university’s foreign students but is suitable for anyone wishing to learn Norwegian. NoW NTNU exclusively deals with learning the Norwegian language.

Not as quirky and individualistic as most other Norwegian YouTube channels on this list, it wins on being the best organised and fundamentally thought-through Norwegian language resource for those who are comfortable to learn a language in a digital classroom setting.

16. Jackson Crawford

It might seem odd to include an American scholar on a list of channels to learn Norwegian on YouTube, but Jackson Crawford is not only a world authority on the Old Norse language, but he also has the gift of being able to communicate his knowledge.

On his YouTube channel, he discusses the origins of Norwegian and other Scandinavian languages and discusses their place in everyday use during the Viking era and in Nordic Mythology.

You might not learn much contemporary Norwegian grammar and pronunciation here, but you’ll learn where it comes from.

17. TV2 Norge

If you want to know what Norwegians watch on television, this is the right place for you.

Though the TV2 YouTube channel only publishes small sections of about 3 minutes each about their programming, it gives you a comprehensive insight on what Norwegians watch every day.

From reality TV and music to game shows and sports events, the channel relates a fairly accurate picture of the microcosm that is Norwegian society.

18. Manuela Kjeilen

Professionally shot and beautifully presented, this channel by Norwegian hobby baker and cookery book author Manuela Kjeilen shows how Scandinavian specialities like Kransekake (traditional Norwegian wreath cake) or Krumkaker (paper-thin biscuit rolls) are prepared at home.

Manuela now lives in Sweden and is a regular on Scandinavian cooking shows. There is strictly no talking on her channel and the instructions on the 5-minute-long videos are given in English through subtitles. 

It is a feast for the eye, and if you can bear so much sugarcoating, for the stomach, too.

19. Visit Norway

Yes, it’s the Norwegian Tourist Board – and the sole purpose of Visit Norway is to sell you Norway in all its glory, down to the last snowclad mountain and breathtaking Fjord.

Yet with almost 500 videos, it’s also the largest assembly of glimpses into Norwegian nature and lifestyle.

In most circumstances, Visit Norway hands the camera and microphone to the tourists themselves and leaves the commentary on spectacular views and exciting adventures to the average visitor.

If you harbour a picture postcard view of Norway, this is the channel most likely to meet your expectations.

Learn Norwegian On YouTube: Time To Press Play

Whether it’s language learning or culture shocks, special interests or Norwegian tabloid news, you can be sure to find a YouTube video on the subject. Yet not all of the channels are equally consistent and prone to quality content.

In this article, I have tried to assemble some of the most trustworthy sources to aid you in your Norwegian language learning and cultural interests. If you still want more, you can take a look at my YouTube video on Norway.

Most of the channels I’ve picked for you are the perfect accompaniment to my Norwegian course, Norwegian Uncovered.

When it comes to comprehension and listening skills, you can also take a look at my book, Short Stories in Norwegian for Beginners and the accompanying audiobook which are written for upper-beginner learners of the Norwegian language.