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The Norwegian puzzle - find your missing pieces

Silje Linn Moss

Are you learning Norwegian?

Do you find some aspects of the Norwegian language hard to grasp?

Don't be puzzled! You have come to the right place!

In this podcast, you can pick the episodes covering the things you struggle with, whether it is pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary nuances, expressions, cultural aspects or you need some learning tips.

Bare hyggelig ;)

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S1 · E50
August 11 · 11 min
#50 Big changes in the making!
From now on, the most work-intensive episodes will be premium, with options to get explanations in English or Norwegian depending on your level and learning goals. You asked for more listening practice, and we’re rebuilding The Norwegian Puzzle to deliver it in a way that finally fits how people actually learn. Rather than one-size-fits-all audio, we’re creating a new kind of Norwegian listening comprehension series where you can choose your level and still follow the same topic from beginner all the way up to advanced. If you want extra support, we’ll also offer optional PDFs with transcripts, highlighted vocabulary, and useful expressions, plus occasional pointers to related grammar and pronunciation episodes. If you like this direction, subscribe, share the show with a fellow Norwegian learner, and leave a review so more people can find their missing pieces. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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August 4 · 10 min
#49 "Både" vs "begge" (begge to / begge deler) [grammatikk] [vokabular]
We break down the real difference between “både” and “begge” so you can say “both” in Norwegian without guessing. We also tackle the tricky part, when Norwegian wants “begge deler” because you are talking about an idea instead of a specific thing you can point at. • “Både” requires the “og” structure and cannot stand alone as “both” • Using “både” to list categories, including three or more items • “Begge” as a single grouped category, limited to exactly two • Definite vs indefinite meaning, including when to use “begge deler” Don't forget to do the test in the end and write the answers in the comment field :) I'm curious to know what you wrote! Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E48
July 28 · 24 min
#48 Sin, si, sitt and sine - correct grammar can save family drama! [grammatikk]
“His car” sounds clear until it suddenly isn’t. When the subject is third person, English often forces us to guess who owns what, but Norwegian grammar refuses to let that ambiguity slide. We walk you through the real reason Norwegian has reflexive possessives and show how sin, si, sitt, and sine create instant clarity compared with hans, hennes, and deres. If you have ever felt like you understand the theory but still freeze mid-sentence, this is designed to make the rules feel usable. We start from the ground up: what “third person” really means, why ownership gets confusing, and the two rules that explain nearly everything. First, sin, si, sitt, sine have no fixed meaning out of context. Second, they must refer back to the subject in the same sentence or clause, not something mentioned earlier. From there, we make the forms practical: choosing sin/si/sitt/sine based on the gender and number of the thing being owned, not the person who owns it. Then we move into the situations that actually trip people up: when the possessive sits inside the subject, and when you have a clause inside a sentence. With multiple subjects, placement tells you exactly who the reflexive points to, and we show how Norwegian can even disambiguate a sentence about a daughter wearing “her” hat. We finish with a quick challenge that tests whether you can hear the difference between a reflexive and a non-reflexive possessive in a simple sentence. If this helps, subscribe for more Norwegian language learning, share it with a friend who struggles with Norwegian grammar, and leave a review so more learners can find the show. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E47
July 21 · 20 min
#47 Infinitive and present tense: the explanation you were waiting for! [grammatikk]
That one little choice between infinitive and present tense van be tricky. We sit down and untangle the confusion from the ground up, because most learners were taught a shortcut that works… until it doesn’t. If you’ve ever stared at a verb and thought, “Do I add R or not?” this is the reset you need. We explain what infinitive really is: the dictionary form that sits outside time. Once you understand that, the sentence logic gets simpler. You hear why infinitives usually cannot follow a subject directly, how an infinitive phrase can act like a noun, and how that mental model helps you build correct Norwegian word order without guessing. We also talk about why English can hide the difference between forms, and why French and other Latin languages can push you toward the wrong pattern. Then we hit the big exception: modal verbs. We unpack why modal verbs are “special”, and why the infinitive marker is skipped after modals. Finally, we tackle the listening trap: the final written R in present tense is not always pronounced, depending on what comes next, so spelling and pronunciation don’t always match. We end with a practical mini-exercise to translate and to write what should be written, not only what you think you heard. If this helps, subscribe so you don’t miss the next grammar fix, share it with a friend learning Norwegian, and leave a review with the verb form you struggle with most. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E46
July 14 · 19 min
#46 Norwegian adjectives made simple: are you describing or defining? [grammatikk]
Norwegian adjective endings can feel like a guessing game until you learn what they are really doing. We focus on one practical distinction that clears up a ton of confusion fast: are you using an adjective to describe something, or to define which thing you mean? We start by separating indefinite adjectives from definite adjectives. Along the way we use everyday examples like “a nice car”, “the house is nice”, and the common reaction “det er fint”, where “det” points back to an idea or an entire situation rather than a specific noun. Then we tackle the structure that surprises many learners: when a noun is definite and has an adjective, Norwegian typically needs a determiner in front (den, det, de) and the adjective takes -e. That’s how you get “den fine bilen”, and why it can look like “the the nice the car” if you translate word-for-word. At the end, we give you a quick exercise using “god, godt, gode” so you can test the rules immediately. Listen through, try the blanks, then share your answers and questions. If this helps, subscribe, share the episode with a friend learning Norwegian, and leave a review so more learners can find it. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E45
July 7 · 10 min
#45 Hva er klokka? - telling the time in Norwegian [expression] [culture]
We start with the everyday question, “What time is it at your place?”, and use it to unpack why telling time in Norwegian can feel strangely hard at first. We walk through two reliable paths: digital time and analogue time. For digital time, we keep it clean and practical: use the 24-hour clock and say only numbers, like fourteen thirty and fourteen fifteen. Then we move into the fun part: analogue time and the clock-face logic many Norwegians use. We explain the shifting reference points around the hour, and we spend extra time on the concept that trips up most learners: “halv” as “halfway to” the next hour. If you want to speak Norwegian more naturally, press play, try the quick test near the end, and share your answer with us. Subscribe, share the episode with a fellow learner, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E44
May 19 · 2 min
#44 Jeg må fortelle deg noe - I must tell you something [på norsk]
Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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#43
May 7 · 19 min
#43 The rolled Norwegian R - how and when to pronounce it [uttale] [pronunciation]
The Norwegian R is the sound everyone worries about, and it turns out the worry is pointed in the wrong direction. We talk through what many learners are actually hearing in everyday Norwegian: a light tap R that barely “rolls” at all, often so subtle it can resemble a D. From there, we zoom out to the bigger truth about Norwegian dialects, including the skarre-r (the French-style R) in parts of Western and Southern Norway and the more rolled variant you can find around Ålesund. Then we get practical and a little nerdy with Norwegian phonetics. When R collides with consonants made in the same area of the mouth, especially D and T, many speakers don’t pronounce a clean R. Instead, the next consonant changes shape: the tongue moves slightly back toward the hard palate and the sound takes on an American R-like quality. Finally, we connect this to real learner pain points, like hearing tense endings where present tense adds a final R but spoken Norwegian may drop it. If you’re an English speaker (and especially if you’re British), we talk about why that can scramble your ear. Subscribe for more Norwegian language learning tips, share this with a friend learning Norwegian, and leave a review. What word or sentence makes the Norwegian R hardest for you right now? Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E42
April 27 · 10 min
#42 "Connection" in Norwegian - a concept full of nuances [vokabular] [kultur]
“Connect” feels like a simple word until you try to say it in Norwegian and realise you’re actually talking about five different things. We unpack the real meanings hiding inside that one word, and we give you Norwegian options you can use immediately in real conversations. Subscribe for more Norwegian language tips, share this with a friend who’s learning, and let me know which word or expression you struggle to translate most. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E41
March 25 · 11 min
#41 "Frisk" or "fersk"? - The finesse of freshness. [vokabular]
“Fresh” sounds simple until you try to say it in Norwegian and suddenly you have two options that both seem right. We unpack the real difference between frisk and fersk, and it turns out the split is incredibly practical: one word is about how something feels and tastes, the other is about how new it actually is. If you’ve ever stood in a grocery store wondering what a label really promises, this one will save you time and confusion. We start with people, because this is where direct translation trips learners. Frisk means you’re not sick, period, while sunn points to health as a lifestyle, habits, and long-term choices. Then we take it to food and everyday shopping vocabulary. Fersk is what you use for newly baked bread, freshly made juice, or fish that is genuinely freshly caught. Frisk is what you reach for when produce still has firmness and juice, and we also explore how frisk can be use as a way to describe an acidic, refreshing taste. That’s why wine descriptions often talk about friskhet instead of bluntly saying “acidic.” If you want more confident Norwegian speaking and sharper listening skills, press play and try the mini quiz at the end. Subscribe for more clear, practical language lessons, share the episode with a fellow learner, and let me know if you have any questions about "frisk" and "fersk" :) Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E40
March 17 · 12 min
#40 "Normalest"? Or "mest normal"? - three rules of comparative and superlative use [grammatikk]]
We start with the quick foundation: how comparative and superlative forms work (think -ere and -est), and why the English habit of avoiding endings on “long words” doesn’t translate cleanly into Norwegian. From there, we move into the real skill: spotting the adjectives that refuse to inflect, so you can stop guessing and start sounding natural. We also talk about why using mer and mest for everything can sound a bit off, how a dictionary can confirm what’s allowed, and how “less” and “least” push you straight into "mindre" and "minst". Stick around for a short quiz at the end to test your instinct and lock in the rules. If this helped, subscribe, share the show with a fellow Norwegian learner, and leave a review to boost the channel. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E39
March 10 · 15 min
#39 Tid / gang / time - What do they mean? And how are they used? [vokabular]
Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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#38
March 4 · 13 min
#38 Silje lærer å stå på ski! (3/3) [lytteøvelse] [listening practice]
(Norwegian only from 08:47) I share how a final course day transformed nerves into confidence by framing cross-country skiing around three core “gears,” each designed for a different speed and feel—one led by arms and upper body for fast glide, one that recruits the whole body for steady control, and a third that feels like running when you want more speed. I use a bilingual learning arc: short, slow Norwegian sentences with pauses and English translations, followed by a Norwegian-only pass to test comprehension. It somehow mirrors the skiing training itself—break skills into parts, then put them back together. If this helped you find your next gear, follow the show, share it with a friend who has a love hate relationship with snow, and leave a quick review to tell me how the listening exercise went :) Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E37
February 26 · 28 min
#37 Skiglede ("ski joy") where are you? - A sceptic’s guide to skiing, gear, and sanity [kultur] [tips]
Winter can feel endless when the sun disappears, and everyone around you seems to glide across the snow like they were born doing it. I've been there too, and I wanted to make a clear, friendly guide that helps you get outside, shake off the gloom, and find real joy on skis without wasting money, time, or courage. Listen, share with a friend who’s ski‑curious, and tell us what still confuses you—then subscribe and leave a quick review so more newcomers can find their way onto the snow. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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February 17 · 14 min
#36 Silje lærer å stå på ski ... eller?? (2/3) [lytteøvelse] [listening practice]
(Norwegian only from 09:21) Let's continue with my ski course story from last episode ... First, I guide you through a Norwegian–English sequence with generous pauses for repetition. Then I replay the same content in full Norwegian, so that you can stress-test your comprehension and lock in new words, phrases, and sounds. It’s a gentle but deliberate workout for your ear, your mouth, and your confidence. By tying language to a vivid, authentic scene, recall becomes easier, and both my speech and yours will sound more natural. When the English drops away, lean on context, not panic. Pause, check the transcript for new terms, look them up once, and circle back for another listen. I would love your input on the format: Do you prefer having it all in Norwegian? Are the pauses the right length? What would make these practice sets more useful and fun for you? Subscribe, share the episode with a friend who’s learning, and leave a quick review to help me shape the future listening practices! Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E35
February 10 · 11 min
#35 Silje lærer å stå på ski (1/3) [lytteøvelse] [listening practice]
(Norwegian only from 07:47) A bad day on the trail becomes the perfect language workout. We take you through a true cross-country skiing mishap—too-short poles, the wrong skis, zero technique—and use it to build your Norwegian listening in two steps: first with English support, then as a clean Norwegian-only replay. The story is simple, honest, and packed with phrases you’ll actually use, from asking for help to refusing to give up. Even if you never plan to wax a pair of skis, you’ll learn how to handle confusion, ask for tips, and keep going when progress feels slow. Press play, try the English-supported section once, then test yourself on the Norwegian-only version, and tell me what clicked. If this helped, subscribe, share with a friend learning Norwegian, and leave a quick review so others can find it. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E34
February 3 · 7 min
#34 "I", "inn", "inne" and "inni". I say no more... [vokabular]
What is the difference in meaning and function of these four words? How can we translate the English word "in" to Norwegian? I hope you will know after listening to this episode :) Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E33
January 27 · 17 min
#33 "Til" or "for"? I have cake for you... or to you? When to use "til" and "for" in Norwegian. [vokabular]
Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E32
January 21 · 29 min
# 32 My language learning journey and personal tips [tips and thoughts]
We explore why motivation beats method when learning Norwegian and how joy, identity, and daily habits make progress stick. We share hard-won lessons from English, French, Greek, Arabic, and Mandarin, then turn them into practical steps you can use today. • find personal motivation(s) • choose resources that fit your goals • read aloud • write to lock in vocabulary • learn a lot of vocabulary (maybe by using flashcards) • don't be ashamed of your accent • reframe errors as learning fuel • make the process playful and enjoyable Ha en fin dag! Vi snakkes! Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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S1 · E31
January 13 · 8 min
#31 "Å bety" versus "å mene" - because “to mean” means a lot ... [vokabular]
We start with "å bety", the reliable choice when you ask what a word translates to, define a term, or tie facts to outcomes. Then we switch lanes to "å mene", the verb for staking out a position or clarifying what you intended to say. Along the way, we share a quick rule that saves you from false-friend mistakes: "å mene" never follows anything but people (you can say "jeg mener", but it is not logical to say "boka mener" or "hunden mener"); whereas "å bety" usually never follows people (in other words: you can not say "jeg betyr"). If this helped sharpen your Norwegian, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s learning, and leave a quick review with your favorite example. Your feedback means a lot—and it helps more learners find us. Got some feedback? Write me :) Support the show 🧩 Want to supercharge your Norwegian? Join The Norwegian Puzzle Premium for premium episodes, graded listening (from total beginner to advanced), transcripts, pedagogical resources, and more. 👉 Explore Premium: https://podcast.norsk-med-silje.com/ 🌐 More from Norsk med Silje: https://www.norsk-med-silje.com/ Transcripts available here: https://the-norwegian-puzzle.buzzsprout.com
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