Why Children Should Be Learning Norwegian!
England is renowned for being one of the countries where most people can’t talk any other language.
Considering England is the home of Shakespeare (and home to one of the most widely-spoken languages on earth), why is it that it remains one of the countries, where most people cannot speak a second language?
You’ll never meet a Swedish or German person who can’t speak English, so why is this not the same the other way around?
If that makes you feel bad, don’t be so hard on yourself.
Experts say that schools choose the completely wrong languages for English children to learn.
Unless you are raised in a bilingual family (or immigrate to England so already have another mother tongue), it’s quite difficult (especially later on in life) to learn another language.
But all polyglots (language experts) say that schools and education departments are getting it all wrong.
Apart from the fact that it would be more to the point for children to learn sign language (to include everyone in conversations in society), the chosen ‘first languages’ of French and German are actually some of the most difficult – plus it’s unlikely most of us will ever use them again.
The advice that children should all be learning Mandarin Chinese as ‘the language of the future’ is also daft, because firstly we are transitioning to a local food/culture society, rather than dealing with businesses the other side of the world, as government seems to predict.
But also because it’s also one of the most difficult languages to master (even the word ‘ma’ has four meanings, depending on how it’s written or pronounced).
Other very difficult languages include Hungarian, Russian (no verbs), Polish (like ‘Russian on steroids’), Arabic and Finnish (not related to other Scandinavian languages, this has some of the longest words on earth):
Lentokonesuihkuturbiinimoottoriapumekaanikkoaliupseerioppilas
This means ‘‘airplane jet turbine engine auxiliary mechanic non-commissioned officer student’.
Why Norwegian Is a Better Language to Learn
Learn Norwegian – far easier!
So what’s the best language for English children to learn, to instil them with confidence? Norwegian, apparently. It has similar verbs and grammar to English. And there would be a lot more ‘A grades’ if that was the main first language to learn at senior school:
Here are some simple phrases, you’ll likely know what they are already:
Hei! (hello!)
God morgen (good morning!)
Takk (thank you)
Sommer (summer)
Vinter (winter)
Midnatt (midnight)
Temperatur (temperature)
Vind (wind)
Storm (storm – the same!)
Goodness, that’s easier than French, isn’t it?
Why Norwegian is a smart first language
Children learn languages best when progress feels within reach. Norwegian offers that feeling because it’s close enough to English to reduce frustration, while still being different enough to stretch the brain. It’s like learning to ride a bike with stabilisers first, you still work hard, but you’re less likely to fall off early.
Norwegian also has a clear, consistent structure once you get used to it. Children start noticing how words change, how meaning shifts with small endings, and how context helps when a word is new. Those habits transfer back to English reading and writing, too.
It is close to English, so early wins come faster
Norwegian and English are both Germanic languages, so they share some familiar building blocks. Children often spot words that look like cousins, which makes learning feel less mysterious. For example, “film” is “film”, “sommer” looks like “summer”, and “musikk” is easy to guess.
Sentence patterns can also feel friendly. While Norwegian has its own rules, kids quickly learn simple everyday phrases and see how they fit together. That early momentum matters, because motivation is fragile when children feel stuck.
Pronunciation also helps. Norwegian spelling tends to match the sounds more closely than English does. That means fewer nasty surprises like “though” and “through”. Accents vary across Norway, so a child might hear different versions of the same word. Still, the basics stay learnable, and children adapt fast when they listen often.
Norwegian helps children tap into Nordic stories
Language carries culture. When children learn Norwegian, they get closer to the stories people tell at home, not just the versions translated for visitors. That might mean folk tales, children’s books and songs.
Build a simple weekly routine that actually sticks
Aim for 10 minutes a day, 4 to 5 days a week. That’s long enough to build memory, yet short enough to keep energy high. Mix skills so children don’t get bored.
Here’s a simple week that works at home or in school: play a Norwegian song on Monday and copy two words, use flashcards on Tuesday, read a short story or picture book on Wednesday, practise a mini-dialogue on Thursday (“Hei, jeg heter…”), then watch a short clip with subtitles on Friday and repeat one line.
