Skaal!: Toasting in Norway

Celebrations in Norway traditionally call for the use of clever and appropriate toasts to complete the festive atmosphere. This is particularly true of weddings, the symbolic joining together of families (and political units). If you've been invited to a Norwegian wedding and are groping for something to say, read on:

The simplest toast, appropriate for just about any occasion, is "Skål" [pronounced skole]. The English equivalent of this would be something like "Cheers."

For something a little more elaborate to say to the couple, try the phrases below:

"La oss skåle for brudeparet!"
[Laa ose skol-e for broo-de-par-et]
Let's make a toast to the wedding couple

"Til de nygifte: Må 'i gode og vonde dager, ' bli mye bedre enn vondt."
[Till dee nee-yift-e: Mow i goo-de oh voon-de dogger blee meye baed-re enn voondt]
To the newlyweds: May 'in good times and in bad,' be better than worse

"Hip hip hoorah, for i dag er det Per og Kristina's dag"
[Hip hip hoorah, for ee dog aer de Per oh Kristina's dog]
Hip hip hoorah, for today is Per and Kristina's day

"Jeg ønsker dere til lykke og alt godt for fremtiden"
[Yei eunsker de-re til leuk-ke oh alt gowdt for frem-teeden]
I wish you luck and happiness for the future

"Må deres kjaerlighet bli moderne nok til å overleve de skiftende tidene og gammeldags nok til å vare livet ut"
[Mow deres shaer-lee-het blee mood-aerne nok til oh over-laeve de shiftende teedene oh gammel-dags nok til oh va-re leevet oot]
May your love be modern enough to outlive the changing times and old-fashioned enough to last a lifetime

"Til Per og Kristina, smil og syng til alle tider. Det er i livet en av de gode sider. Det er nettop det som verden trenger, det skaper glede blandt familie og venner."
[Til Per oh Kristina, smeel oh syng til all-e teeder. De er ee leevet en av dee go-de seeder. De er net-top de som vaerden trenger, de skap-er glaed-e blannt famil-i-e oh venner]
To Per and Kristina, smile and sing for all times. It is one of life's good sides. It's exactly what the world needs and spreads joy among family and friends

A wedding couple struggling to find the right words to toast one another might say:

"Skål for deg, og skål for meg - må vi alltide gå samme vei"
[Skole for die oh skole for mi - mow vee altteed gow sam-me vie]

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic