The letter o can be pronounced in two ways, either as the o sound or as the å sound. We must learn the pronunciation of words with the letter o by heart. There are some rules, but also many exceptions. Here are some useful rules:

O is almost always pronounced as a short o sound before a double consonant. Listen and read these words:

• cow kk

• bo ll e

• so pp

• at kk e

• ho pp e

• wo tt

• so etc. are

• come etc

• flow tt

• believe ll

• stood pp e

O is often pronounced as a short o sound before two consonants. Listen and read these words:

• vo ks one

• o vn

• good time

• co rt

Here are some of the most common words in Norwegian with the letter o. Listen and read these words. Do they have an o sound or an o sound?

• and

• for

• above

• against

• gone

• also

• about

• something

• at

• why

• as

• up

• some

• us

• hold

• stood

• come

• tender

• big

• often

• stay

• come

• million

• good

• two

• percent

• well

• believe

• in front of

• good

• head

• word

• still

• word