some phrase questions

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nighean-neonach
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some phrase questions

Postby nighean-neonach » 2008-05-26, 18:30

I am looking for good (idiomatic) expressions in Norwegian for the following:

- it makes sense
- something fails (= klikke??)
- minor character (in a book etc.) (= biperson??)
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Re: some phrase questions

Postby Aleco » 2008-05-26, 19:23

nighean-neonach wrote:I am looking for good (idiomatic) expressions in Norwegian for the following:

- it makes sense
- something fails (= klikke??)
- minor character (in a book etc.) (= biperson??)

- det gir mening (? Tror vi har bedre setninger) :?
- noe er mislykka (noe klikker = "something fails", but only with electrical/digital things :) )
- Husker ikke :shock: men i skuespill/film: birolle
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Re: some phrase questions

Postby Rounin » 2008-05-26, 19:33

nighean-neonach wrote:I am looking for good (idiomatic) expressions in Norwegian for the following:

- it makes sense
- something fails (= klikke??)
- minor character (in a book etc.) (= biperson??)

"It makes sense" and "something fails" can't really be translated in a way that conveys the same meanings as in English. "Minor character" can be translated as "bifigur", though.

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Postby nighean-neonach » 2008-05-27, 4:35

Well, that's why I was looking for idiomatic expressions.
Writing poetry in: Scottish Gaelic, German, English.
Reading poetry in: Latin, Old Irish, French, Ancient Greek, Old Norse.
Talking to people in the shop in: Lithuanian, Norwegian, Irish Gaelic, Saami.
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Postby keme » 2008-06-02, 11:24

Not sure if it can be used in every situation, but...
It makes sense ~ (roughly) Det henger på greip. (more often used negatively, I think: "...henger ikke på greip."). Literally "will hang on a graip" (or not, in the latter case).
graip = dungfork

fail = klikke, svikte, mislykkes (depending on context. Often a negation of the "non-failure" is used instead.)

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Postby j0nas » 2008-06-02, 15:28

Do we really have a good "translation" for "to make sense" in Norwegian? I often find myself to say things like "Ja, det maker jo sense." :lol:

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Postby Rounin » 2008-06-03, 12:51

"Det er forståelig", kanskje? "It's understandable".

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Postby Raufoss » 2008-06-08, 23:23

Hei! Does the idiomatic expression "play it by ear" have a Norwegian equivalent?

By "play it by ear" I mean "decide what to do when the time arrives."

På forhånd takk!
Last edited by Raufoss on 2013-01-22, 18:10, edited 3 times in total.

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Postby Rounin » 2008-06-09, 13:57

Sounds a lot like "Ta det på sparket". ("Spark" the noun, not "sparke" the verb. The first syllable has a low pitch, while the second one is high.)

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Postby Ioannes » 2008-06-09, 21:17

It would translate "It makes sense" with "det gir mening" (lit. it gives meaning) and "it doesn't make sense" with "det gir ikke mening".
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Re: some phrase questions

Postby Geir76 » 2008-09-29, 12:21

For the expression "to take it as it comes" in Norwegian I would use something like "jeg skal bare ta det som det kommer" or "jeg skal se" or even "jeg ser det an"...

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Re: some phrase questions

Postby Raufoss » 2014-08-25, 19:29

Is there a Norwegian equivalent for the idiomatic expression "trying to fit a square peg into a round hole"? In English this means "trying to combine two things that do not belong or fit together."

På forhånd takk!
Last edited by Raufoss on 2016-12-31, 20:19, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: some phrase questions

Postby Ífaradà » 2014-08-25, 21:22

Raufoss wrote:Is there a Norwegian equivalent to the idiomatic expression "trying to fit a square peg into a round hole"? In English this means "trying to combine two things that do not belong or fit together."

På forhånd takk!
I'm not entirely sure if there is, but there is a saying: "som hånd i hanske" like a hand fits in a glove. I suppose you could say "som fot i hanske" and everyone would understand.
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Re: some phrase questions

Postby Raufoss » 2014-08-26, 18:19

Ífaradà wrote:I'm not entirely sure if there is, but there is a saying: "som hånd i hanske" like a hand fits in a glove. I suppose you could say "som fot i hanske" and everyone would understand.
Tusen takk for det, Ífaradà! :y:

Jeg er interessert i å vite om det er andre norske uttrykk som har en lignende betydning.

I'm interested to know if there are other Norwegian expressions that have a similar meaning.

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