Norwegian refers to anything relating to Norway, a long, narrow country in northern Europe known for its dramatic fjords (deep, narrow inlets of the sea surrounded by steep cliffs), mountains, and northern lights.

When someone is Norwegian, they come from Norway or have Norwegian heritage. The Norwegian people have a rich history of seafaring: a thousand years ago, Norwegian Vikings explored and settled lands from Greenland to the Mediterranean Sea in their swift longships. Today, Norway is known for its high standard of living, love of outdoor activities like skiing and hiking, and careful stewardship of its natural resources.

Norwegian is also a language closely related to Swedish and Danish. If you learn Norwegian, you can often understand these neighboring languages too, since they share many similar words and sounds.

The word can describe cultural things too: Norwegian art, Norwegian literature, or Norwegian cuisine (which includes foods like salmon, brown cheese, and lefse, a soft flatbread). When you see “Norwegian” on a product label or in a book title, it tells you the item has some connection to this northern nation of mountains, fjords, and midnight sun.