For studying Norwegian, Books and courses are not the only things you should always pay attention to.
Watching flicks from Norway can be immensely beneficial, too. Here are 12 entertaining movies to help you learn Norwegian.
Learning a foreign language has intrinsic advantages.
And suppose you decide to learn Norwegian for whatever reason. In that case, you might search for some resources to learn this Scandinavian language further.
And what is a better language learning method than viewing movies?
Sitting at the top of the United Nations Human Development Index is the beautiful country of Norway.
Continuously ranked as the best for the quality of life of its inhabitants, Norway has been attracting more tourists and migrants.
To live in Norway, the best way to feel a sense of belonging is to learn the local language.
Almost all of Norway’s population, 5 million, speaks Norwegian. And to mingle with them while in Norway, Norwegian goes a long way.
Cinema has always been the best teacher and language learning process.
If a language course promises to teach Norwegian in 12 months, shorten the period to a maximum of 9 months if you are learning the language with films.
Where to Watch Norwegian Movies?
Unfortunately, the availability of good Nordic movies and TV series is limited.
Thanks to the rise of online streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, you can watch plenty of content anytime, anywhere!
To save time exploring television shows and movies to learn a language on Netflix, you can use secret genre codes. Replace the last few digits XXXX (Netflix.com/browse/genre/XXXX) with the below-mentioned codes to explore the wealth of content.
Movies & TV-Series—107464, TV Shows—78373, Norwegian Wood—70144559, Movies—62510, Audio & Audio description in Norwegian Bokmål —1400290 / 1500290, Talk More—70091967, Norwegian Ninja—70153425, Black Metal (Norwegian Legacy)—70114835, and more.
You can also try Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vimeo, and other online streaming channels. So you can enjoy getting that Norwegian flair in your life.
12 Must-Watch Movies to Help You Learn Norwegian
And all with context by relating each word to the actual emotion.
These films would do the same wonders for your Norwegian learning experience. While Norwegian isn’t a hard language to study, these cinemas can make it easier and more enjoyable.
View with Norwegian subtitles before trying without subtitles.
Without further ado, here are the twelve best movies to learn Norwegian.
1. Headhunters (2011)
The action-thriller Headhunters is based on the novel of the same name.
A successful headhunter steals art to fund his lifestyle. The film revolves around his robbery of a valuable painting, which gets him into trouble.
The unexpected twists and turns in the storyline add to the thrill. The movie was a turning point for Norwegian cinema.
Simple vocabulary makes it an ideal choice for beginners learning Norwegian.
2. Max Manus: Man of War (2008)
Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, the 2008 biographical war film is about a resistance fighter named Max Manus during World War II. It is one of Norway’s most successful movies so far.
The flick tells an adventurous story about Max Manus, a Norwegian resistance fighter who helped free his country from German occupation.
They captured Manus twice, but both times he escaped from the clutches of the Nazis.
The stunning visuals, moving storyline, and gripping thriller will keep you hooked throughout the film.
Although the dialogue is fast-paced, it will help you learn some interesting words, primarily military and war terms.
3. Trollhunter (2010)
Troll Hunter justifies its name. The story revolves around three students on a journey to find the bear hunter in Norway, who turns out to be a Troll hunter.
The film portrays the Norwegian culture and carries a lot of dark humor.
This wild comedy features giant trolls wreaking havoc across the countryside.
With funny and straightforward language, the film is suitable for all levels of Norwegian language enthusiasts.
4. Kon-Tiki (1950)
This Oscar-winning documentary revolves around the journey of a Norwegian explorer.
He set sail from Peru in a wooden raft to Polynesia to prove that his theory that South American natives had settled there was correct.
The language and tone of Kon-Tiki are Norwegian from the 1940s.
The Anglo-ethnocentric approach takes you back in time to old-world Norway.
It is a good learning experience for intermediate Norwegian language learners.
5. King of Devil’s Island (2010)
Marius Holst directed King of Devil’s Island (Norwegian: Kongen av Bastøy) is a 2010 French-Norwegian action drama film.
It is a true story of a violent uprising against the pitiless regime at the Bastøy Prison in Norway.
It all started when 17-year-old Erling came to this prison for an alleged murder.
The clash begins with the governor, who believes that strict discipline, hard work, and ruthless punishment are the only ways to change these boys into good humans.
Erling resisted and encouraged other boys to fight. Finally, he leads the rebellion against all the odds.
How far is he willing to go to attain freedom?
Well, I guess you will need to watch to find out. This is the film to watch if you want to see a prison escape.
The flick has uncomplicated conversations but some tricky vocabulary, making it suitable for intermediate and advanced students.
6. Pinchcliffe Grand Prix (1975)
This talkie is a motion-animated sports adventure that tells the story of a brilliant mechanic. Unfortunately, his former colleague stole the idea for his racing car.
To take revenge, he is on a mission to create an even better design. Based on the characters from a book series by a Norwegian cartoonist, the film satisfies your inner child.
The simple vocabulary in the movie will help even children understand.
The film is best suited for beginner-level Norwegian language learners.
7. Elling (2001)
Based on Ingvar Ambjornsen’s 1996 novel Blood Brothers, Elling is one of the three Norwegian films to be nominated for an Academy Award.
The movie shows the good life through comedy scenes and splendid performances.
Elling, a 40-year-old, has lived his entire life with his mother.
After the death of his mother, he was afraid of going out because of his anxiety. Thus, the authority sent him to an institution where he lives with a new roommate, Kjell.
Eventually, both were released and set up in a small apartment in Oslo.
Elling is a movie with humor and heart. It is one of the best movies for learning Norwegian, especially for intermediate-level students.
8. Insomnia (1997)
Insomnia is a mysterious drama that follows an investigation into a murder within a city’s 24-hour daylight cycle.
The research goes wrong when the sleep-deprived police detective accidentally shoots his partner.
The killer now knows his truth, and a double-sided cat-and-mouse play begins.
The film has simple, easy dialogue but a little advanced vocabulary, making it suitable for intermediate- and advanced-level learners of Norwegian.
9. Oslo, August 31st (2011)
This critically acclaimed film represents a free day in the life of a recovering drug addict.
Inspired by a 1931 novel, Le Feu Follet, the movie displays the dark journey of a drug addict confronting his demons.
He is out of the rehab center for a job interview, but feels too old to start something new. The film uses routine language and is apt for intermediate-level pupils.
You can watch the film with Norwegian or English subtitles, depending on your proficiency level.
10. Kitchen Stories (2003)
Kitchen Stories is a comedy-drama about real-life social experiments conducted in Sweden in the 1950s.
It is a delightful piece, making it a true masterpiece of Norwegian cinema.
After WWII, Swedish researchers came to Norway to observe a handful of Norwegian bachelors.
The humor comes from the stereotype of the Swede as uptight and organized, and the Norwegian as slow but stable.
Kitchen Stories is a must-see movie from Norway. With a vernacular tongue and an advanced vocabulary, the film is suitable for everyone.
11. In Order of Disappearance (2014)
In Order of Disappearance, the vengeance thriller is a dark comedy with the story revolving around a snowplow driver.
The man provokes a full-blown underworld gang war while seeking revenge for his son’s murder for something he didn’t do.
The action drama involves creative and brutal killings by the man, with the body count rising high.
The simple, repetitive dialogues make it the best choice for beginner-level Norwegian learners.
12. The Wave (2015)
The Wave is the story of a natural disaster experienced by a Norwegian village.
It portrays a family’s fight for survival from a high tidal wave caused by a massive landslide.
The spectacular scenes and the sustained tension throughout the film keep you glued till the end.
The film uses a local language with some advanced vocabulary, making it an apt choice for those who already know Norwegian or other Scandinavian languages like Swedish or Danish.
Takeaway on Learning Norwegian with Films
We all know the benefits of languages.
If you want to study Norwegian or are curious about Norwegian culture, you can watch the 12 movies mentioned above to improve your command of the language.
Did I miss any film you think should be on the list?
If you want more suggestions concerning movies to learn Norwegian, please ask in the comments section below.
Have Fun! Ha Det Gøyİ!