My mini-mission: One conversation in Norwegian or Danish every day for the next 3 weeks - and a new word every day! | My language mission and my log | Forum

Hi everyone, I'm fairly new to the site and I thought the idea of posting your own mission seemed like a great way to get motivated and also get to know other language learners – so here's mine…

My mission is of the 'mini' variety (in the sense that it's a very short term goal and not that complicated) but I think it's one that should present a personal challenge for me. I am an English speaker, living in Norway for 6 months with a Danish family. I have always enjoyed learning languages but my problem has been that however much I study, however successful I may (or may not!) be at leaning new words and getting my head around various points of grammar, I seem to run up against a big fat brick wall of anxiety whenever I even think about having a conversation with a native speaker. Whilst it's an attitude I've always known needs to be fixed, this site has really given me the push I need to actually get out there and try it!

So, my mini-mission is simple – at least one conversation in Norwegian or Danish every day, without reverting back to English. Doesn't have to be a long conversation, or about anything complicated/impressive (it definitely won't be, I knew no Norwegian or Danish before I came here and am still very much at beginner level!), only conversation rule is NO ENGLISH!

(Also, I want to try and learn a new word each day- just cause that seems like fun!)

Wish me luck!

Gina

It's been a good day- managed a slightly longer conversation in Danish today with only very few words that I absolutely had to say in English (if I was able to successfully mime 'road tax', I would have done, but I guess every so often using the English word is going to be unavoidable!!). It really does help to have a patient person to practice with, who doesn't mind my mistakes and doesn't just switch to English out of frustration/ sympathy when the conversation slows down.

However, proudest moment today was a conversation with a delivery driver on the phone in Norwegian- fairly short and not overly complicated, but really felt like a massive victory for me! To anyone who is afraid of making mistakes/ too shy to speak to people, PLEASE go out and try it – I know I didn't say everything perfectly today and my accent is still far from sounding native, but the fact that someone understood me and even complemented my Norwegian was just the best feeling ever and put me in a great mood for the rest of the day

Thankyou! Definitely was super nervous but first one has got to be the hardest…. right??

Time for another mini-mission update after a lovely trip to Bergen! (4 days and NO rain, by the way!!)

Unfortunately not too much to report in the way of extended conversations as I was traveling on my own. I did meet some really friendly Norwegian (and Italian and English!) students but not until I was just about to leave – great timing!

However, still feeling happy cause I managed to make all the arrangements for my trip in Norwegian – booking bus/ferry tickets, checking into my hostel, changing money,souvenir shopping (and  buying disposable cameras when my camera broke ). I found that everyone (with only one exception) was more than happy to speak Norwegian with me, even when I was making mistakes or couldn't think of the right word. Bergen in August was full of tourists from all over the world, and I found that people automatically spoke English to me in shops, etc. before I even said anything. When I replied in Norwegian though, they didn't carry on speaking English (even though at my earlyish stage of learning, it's obvious that I'm not a native speaker). Have really found Norwegians to be incredibly helpful and patient with anyone trying to learn

plumbroth said
I'm curious, what was the one exception that wouldn't speak to you?

One of the receptionists at the hostel – he just looked a bit irritated and answered me in English- but he did look really tired so he's forgiven!

Do the Danes you live with just speak Danish to Norwegians, or do they Norwegian-ify their pronunciation? I live in Sweden, and while "of course Danes just speak Danish and Swedes speak Swedish", I did see on tv after a football match that the Danish team couldn't understand Swedish and so the Swedish tv host had to speak in English… But Norwegians should be able to better understand spoken Danish than Swedes and vice versa.

My cousin owns a shop here and I've heard that she speaks more 'clearly' to customers than she does in Danish at home but I don't think her actual pronunciation changes too much, so it may just be the relative formality of the situation (I know I've been told that even in English I have a 'work voice'!!). I have heard from a couple of Norwegians that Swedish is easier for them to understand than Danish is (this could just be their opinion of course, not sure how true it is for everyone here). Another Norwegian told me he could understand English better than Danish but I'm guessing he's an exception!!

I've never done an au pair, but do they give you enough free time to join clubs and stuff? Everyone tells me here to join clubs to meet people and talk in the local language. You could go to a swimming hall or something too.

That would have been a good idea but I spoke no Norwegian at all when I came here so it would have been a bit too difficult then, and now that I've started to learn more my time here is running out (although I did go to a mum & baby group with one of the children I'm looking after and that was a nice way to meet people). If I come back here to stay for longer, or maybe permanently (can only hope!) that's definitely something I'll try

MitchellA said
I like this mini mission, its just a little step, but your taking that step of faith and that what gets you going.

Thankyou!

also, since you have started the mission do feel more confident with your norwegian and danish?

im kinf of intereseted in Norwegian….. but i don't want to overload mylself and in New York, I dont know where i can learn or find people to talk to in Norwegian. Did you find it as an easy language to learn for english speakers?

I think learning another language might be more useful for me even though Norwegian is a cool language. Also, do thery speak Norwegian anywhere else?

I definitely feel more confident with my Norwegian since starting the mini-mission. I feel like I have people to share it with when I have a success story (however small!) and that's really motivated me to try hard with conversations even when I might not otherwise have pushed myself so hard  I think some of the vocabulary is easily recognisable for English speakers (although some of it REALLY isn't!!) but I'm personally finding the grammar a bit tricky. As far as I know there aren't other countries where Norwegian is spoken as a first language (unless I'm being very ignorant, in which case someone please correct me!) but it shouldn't be too difficult to find speakers somewhere like New York I would imagine? Also, in one of my language books there was an organisation mentioned for Norwegian speakers in the US (setting up get-togethers, cultural/ language exchanges, etc.). I don't have the details on me now but I will look it up for you when I get back to Lyngdal

For now, Hilsen fra Oslo alle sammen!