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The letter Y in Norwegian requires precise lip positioning. Mastering this sound prevents embarrassing mistakes like saying "to drool" when you meant "to ride a bike." If yiu don't master "u" yet, you might want to start with episode 11 first.

• Y pronunciation requires vertical lip opening rather than horizontal (no smiling!).
• The "duck face technique" helps position lips correctly for authentic Y sounds.
• Try holding a pen between your upper lip and nose for proper lip positioning.
• Long Y examples: yte (to contribute), yr (eager/rain), by (to bid/city/town), sky (cloud).
• Short Y examples: yrke (profession), yste (to make cheese), idyll (idyllic situation).
• Short vowels generally open the mouth (jaws) more than long vowels.

Beginner tip: Practice moving between I, U and Y sounds regularly, focusing on lip movement while keeping tongue position stable.

Bonus: Here's the song I talked about (Idyll).

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Transcript available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com

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Questions? Feedback? Get in touch!

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*Bonus material below introduction*

Have you ever confidently used a word in Norwegian only to be met with confusion? That's exactly what happens with the deceptively simple word "sikkert." This episode tackles one of the most common mistakes made by Norwegian language learners—a mistake that virtually all my students have fallen into the traps of. The confusion might stem from how "sikkert" dramatically changes meaning based on its grammatical function.

Bonus material for eager learners:

1. When you just want to say "I am sure", you do not add "på" (= "jeg er sikker")

2. Alternative ways to express "for sure" are: "absolutt" (absolutely), "garantert" (garanteed), or by adding "jeg lover" ( I promise).

3. "Helt sikkert" can mean "completely sure/certain" (when used as an adjective) and "most probably" when used as an adverb).

4. "Sikker" can also mean "safe", in which verb the corresponding adverb "sikkert" would mean "safely", an not "probably".

5. If you have a rolled r, "jeg er sikker" can also be pronounced "jæ sikker", and if you use a French r, you should always pronounce r.

Support the show

Do you like the podcast? :)

Feel free to buy me a coffee :)

buymeacoffee.com/thenorwegianpuzzle

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This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube, Deezer and Podcast Addict.

....

Transcript available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com

....

Questions? Feedback? Get in touch!

norskmedsilje@gmail.com

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Other places to find me:

www.norsk-med-silje.com

www.facebook.com/norskmedsilje

www.instagram.com/norskmedsilje

www.linkedin.com/in/silje-linn-moss

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Struggling with Norwegian pronunciation? You're not alone! The letter U presents a unique challenge for English speakers, requiring tongue positioning that feels unfamiliar and awkward at first.

This episode breaks down the mechanics of the Norwegian U sound with practical exercises to help you master it. The secret lies in understanding that while your lips form a circle (similar to saying "ooo"), your tongue needs to stay in the position you use when saying "ee" as in "eagle."

Support the show

Do you like the podcast? :)

Feel free to buy me a coffee :)

buymeacoffee.com/thenorwegianpuzzle

....

This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube, Deezer and Podcast Addict.

....

Transcript available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com

....

Questions? Feedback? Get in touch!

norskmedsilje@gmail.com

....

Other places to find me:

www.norsk-med-silje.com

www.facebook.com/norskmedsilje

www.instagram.com/norskmedsilje

www.linkedin.com/in/silje-linn-moss