16 Incredible Norwegian Podcasts To Learn Norwegian By Listening

In the past when learning Norwegian, you had to wait to meet a ‘real life’ native speaker to hear how the language really sounded.

But now anyone can hear real spoken Norwegian in just a few clicks thanks to Norwegian podcasts.

With the advent of the podcast in the digital age, everyone can become a DJ in their own right. And the possibilities for education, language learning included, have increased enormously. 

In this post, you'll discover my top Norwegian podcast recommendations for Norwegian learners.

Many of these podcasts are in Norwegian of course. But some are also in English or both languages, and give you an insight into Norwegian life and culture.

In any case, you're sure to find the right Norwegian podcast for you.

Use the table of contents below to jump straight to the section that interests you most. Otherwise, keep scrolling to discover all my Norwegian podcast recommendations.

Norwegian Podcasts For Language Learning

“Pronounce it as you read it”, is probably one of the most useless instructions you can get when learning a new language like Norwegian, because it always depends on who's reading what.

An English native will pronounce words and certain letter combinations quite differently from a Norwegian – or any other language speaker.

Every language has its particular sound and for foreigners it can be quite challenging to capture the essence of it and apply the modulation to their own inner ear.

When it comes to the pronunciation of words, Norwegian podcasts can prove to be especially helpful.

The following podcasts I have chosen for you are all presented by native Norwegian speakers which should give you an impression of how the language sounds.

Please note that some of the podcasts are sustained by advertising.

1. Practice Norwegian

Operated by a Norwegian language tutor, this is probably the (quite rightly) most famous of the Norwegian language learning podcasts available.

You'll find 43 episodes available on Apple. If you want to access all the episodes, you'll need to support Practice Norwegian on Patreon with a monthly donation.

The length of each episode ranges from 5 to ten minutes and includes irreverent musings over everything from travel, Norwegian literature, pronunciation guides and history.

The podcast is clearly marked with the level of Norwegian required to understand it.

2. Lær Norsk Nå (Learn Norwegian Now)

Lær Norsk Nå is a website with resources for English speakers who wish to learn the Norwegian language.

You can also get an idea of the essential facts about Norwegian administration, industry and history.

The podcasts are available straight from the website and are divided into Norwegian for beginners and for intermediate learners.

The website as well as the podcast of Lær Norsk Nå are brought to you by a Norwegian teacher based in the North of Norway. In each 10 to 30-minute episode they present the topic in both English and Norwegian.

3. The Mystery Of Nils

This story about a magic doll has already enchanted many Norwegian learners.

It’s a Norwegian language learning resource as well as an audiobook and eases people into the language.

Though it is aimed at beginners, you will need a basic vocabulary to understand the story.

The podcast is quite cleverly organized and as you progress in the adventure of Nils and his eight-year-old owner, so does your vocabulary and comprehension skills.

4. The Learn Norwegian Podcast

The Learn Norwegian Podcast, despite being called a podcast, is more of an audio reference guide on how to pronounce certain words, diphthongs, Norwegian phrases and idioms.

Nevertheless, these audio files still can prove to be a welcome resource for anyone learning Norwegian and wanting to know how Norwegians pronounce their words.

The episodes are rarely longer than 10 minutes and cover anything from conversations at the hairdresser's, at the doctor’s surgery or on the phone to basic Norwegian grammar rules.

Norwegian Podcasts On How Foreigners View Norway

If you consider moving to Norway, or just want to know how it might feel living there, it might be a good idea to learn from those who have been there and done that already.

The following Norwegian podcasts are therefore aimed less at those who want to learn the language and more at people who wish to dive into Norwegian everyday life and the ups and downs of living in Norway.

5. The Life In Norway Show

Hosted by British podcaster David Nikel, The Life In Norway Show, which is regularly updated, presents as many foreign perspectives on Norway as possible.

It's actually a bilingual podcast where the introduction by Nikel is in Norwegian, while the interviews are largely done in English.

Each podcast lasts just over half an hour and focuses on one single foreigner living in Norway and their journey through the joys – and pitfalls – of navigating Norwegian life with a different cultural background.

It also gives valuable first-hand experiences of life’s necessities, like finding a job or starting a business, learning the language and dealing with paperwork.

The subjects come from all over the world and despite all of them having the same goal of settling in Norway, the individual perspectives are as varied and unique as there are people in the world.

6. Raised Black In Norway – The Ciakudias

The Ciakudias are a family of five siblings originally from Congo, who in this podcast shed light on how everyday life in Norway played out for them throughout their upbringing.

Touching on subjects like racism, finding friends, acquiring the language, getting a job and adjusting to life in two cultures, Raised black in Norway is as heartwarming as it is thought-provoking.

The adult siblings live separated over three countries right now and new episodes are added haphazardly when they can find time to get together. 

7. NO WAY

For anyone wanting to study in Norway, this is go-to podcast to learn about student life, Norwegian peculiarities and life about in the Norwegian city of Bergen.

NO WAY was in English by the student radio in Bergen which followed groups of foreign students around.

Sadly, when those students left, the podcast was concluded in 2022 – but all 52 episodes are still as relevant now.

At times downright hilarious, especially the food episode, it’s worthwhile listening to even if you have no interest in studying in Norway.

Norwegian Podcasts On How Norwegians View The World

If you're learning Norwegian because you wish to live in Norway or expect to have a lot to do with Norwegians, you might want to know how Norwegians think and feel about hot topics.

Here are a couple of Norwegian podcasts by Norwegians about their perspectives on current affairs, world history and general developments on the global scene.

8. NUPI Utenrikshospitalet 

This podcast is delivered by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and deals with the heavier subjects in life.

From the war in Ukraine to Brexit and the refugee crisis facing Europe, Norwegian and international politicians, researchers and journalists discuss the subjects in both English and Norwegian.

The programming outside the interviews is largely spoken in Norwegian and not really suited for absolute beginners.

In line with the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK's policies, the presenters speak in the dialect they are brought up in.

Before you throw yourself into the world of Norwegian foreign affairs, you should at least have an intermediate knowledge of the language, though the English language parts will give you an idea of what is discussed. 

The NUPI podcasts usually last just under half an hour and are published irregularly and largely depending on what is happening in the world. But it pays to drop in now and again to see what is on offer.

9. The Mediator’s Studio

Have you ever wondered why almost all peace negotiations in all of the world’s conflicts will inevitably have Norway appear and lend a hand?

If so, The Mediator's Studio by the Oslo Forum, an international retreat for peace negotiators, might give you an answer.

The Mediator’s Studio hands the microphone to those who are trying to deliver solutions in the most brutal conflicts of our times.

Listening is not for the squeamish, but it delivers a good insight behind the scenes of peace negotiations and a bird’s eye view on why Norway is such a forerunner for world peace.

10. Our Struggle Podcast

Based on his internationally bestselling book series My Struggle, Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgård started Our Struggle in 2020 and has since released more than 50 episodes running at approximately 2 hours each. 

Our Struggle is not so much the Norwegians, but a single Norwegian’s very personal point of view on the world.

The podcast is broadcast in English and features a new guest each time, willing to discuss whatever the host puts on the table. 

Special Interest Podcasts In Norwegian And English

While learning Norwegian in itself can be regarded as a ‘special interest’, there are many other subjects in relation to Norway that might pique someone’s curiosity to learn the language.

Here are a few podcasts about hobbies and Norwegian specialties you might want to listen to.

11. The Folk Music Podcast

Traditional folk music and dance in Norway is not just something reserved for the older population.

It has a large following among younger Norwegians who are eager to explore the old songs and village dances called Bygdedans.

The tradition has been handed down through generations and is also popuar in the US among Americans with Norwegian heritage. 

The Folk Music Podcast by Norwegian musician Anders Lillebo focuses on folk music from Norway and around the world.

In 34 episodes at just over 30 minutes each, Lillebo interviews international musicians from the folk music scene while also giving an insight into the current state of Norwegian traditional music.

The podcasts are in English.

12. The Thomas Eriksen Podcast

While some like it soft, others might like it loud and prefer the biggest Norwegian export at the moment: Death Metal.

Though highly controversial and once linked to church burnings and some grisly murders, this particular section of the Norwegian music scene has calmed down considerably.

It has become more or less housebroken and in recent years even made it into the Norwegian selection at the Eurovision Song Contest. 

Thomas Eriksen is the founder of the Norwegian death metal band Mork and has created this podcast to keep fans of the genre informed.

Here, he interviews fellow Norwegian and international Death and Black Metal musicians in English.

Though Death Metal has gone more mainstream, some listener discretion is advised when listening to the interviews which can last up to 3 hours!

13. The Norse Files Podcast

The publication of Neil Gaiman’s “Norse Mythology” and the recent deluge of Viking-themed TV series have led to a large wave of podcasts on Nordic mythology and history of more or less dubious content.

The Norse Files Podcast, however, is produced by the University of Bergen and gives a more balanced view on Norwegian history and mythology based on research and the original source material.

The episodes last for around half an hour and are entirely in English but deal exclusively with Norwegian history from the Viking and Middle Ages.

14. The Nordic Football Podcast

Though entirely in English, presenters Steve Wyss & Jonathan Fadugba serve up news from the Norwegian and Swedish field of football.

From results to player exchanges and gossip, the duo leave no stone unturned and the topics are equally divided between Norwegian and Swedish teams.

The Nordic Football Podcast has been going strong since 2017 with at least bi-weekly contributions. There are 169 episodes available so far, running between 30 and 90 minutes each.

15. Relax With Slow Norwegian (ASMR)

Bizarre to some, relaxing to others, the whisperers of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) are a worldwide phenomenon and won't go away any time soon.

There are obviously also quite a few Norwegian language ASMR-artists to be found, especially on YouTube.

But the most remarkable Norwegian ASMR podcaster is Lene Larsen, a trained voice-over artist, certified hypnotherapist and creator of Relax With Slow Norwegian.

On this bi-lingual English-Norwegian podcast, she talks in a soft-spoken voice about everything from Norwegian fairy tales and music to intricacies of the Norwegian language and her own life in Norway.

The podcast so far has amassed over 40 episodes at 30 minutes each, though it has only been broadcast infrequently in recent times.

If you want to learn Norwegian while you relax and fall asleep, this is the show for you.

A Bonus Norwegian Podcast Suggestion

Most of the Norwegian podcasts mentioned on this list will hopefully help you to improve your Norwegian language skills and/or give you an impression of life and culture in Norway.

However, here's a wildcard that might not help you improve your Norwegian language skills – nor give you any pointers on how to behave when in Norway.

But still, it's not be disregarded due to its classy subject matter and workout for the brain.

16. 63 Degrees North

63 Degreees North was launched by NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) to inform listeners about the latest research in science, technology and to some extent history.

A particular focus lies in environmental science, where Norway has taken a leading role on the global stage.

And the topics are presented in an entertaining and accessible way in English.

While you might not make any progress in your Norwegian language or culture skills by listening to this podcast, you'll still get a slice of Norway. And of what is important for Norwegians.

Final Thoughts On Norwegian Podcasts

So there you have it – the best Norwegian podcasts for Norwegian learners.

Whether you like your Norwegian to be whispered or loud, funny or thought-provoking – or are just searching for the pronunciation of one particular word – you should be able to find something on this list. 

And if you want to continue learning Norwegian by listening, check out the audiobook version of my book, Short Stories in Norwegian for Beginners.

And of course there's always the StoryLearning Norwegian Language Course Norwegian Uncovered, where you read and listen to a captivating tale in Norwegian at your level.

Happy listening!