hyggelig

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cozy, pleasant, nice, friendly, nice
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Norwegian Nynorsk
/ˈhʏɡːəli/
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Warm, pleasant ease in places, moments, news, and social behavior, with a stronger sense of welcome and comfort than a bare positive judgment.
Practice using hyggelig in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Vi hadde en hyggelig kveld med gamle venner.
    We had a pleasant evening with old friends.
  • Den nye naboen virker veldig hyggelig.
    The new neighbor seems very nice.
  • Takk for en hyggelig middag.
    Thank you for a lovely dinner.
  • Hun var hyggelig mot gjestene hele kvelden.
    She was friendly to the guests all evening.
  • Vi møtte flere hyggelige folk på toget.
    We met several pleasant people on the train.

Similar words

imøtekommende
elskverdig
koselig
gledelig
hjemlig
trivelig
sympatisk
behagelig
vennlig
omgjengelig

Meanings

Cozy, pleasant, or welcome

adjective
everyday
neutral
Comfortable and agreeable in a warm, homelike, or quietly pleasing way, whether describing a place, a shared occasion, news, or a small kindness.

Usage

Use hyggelig when pleasantness includes warmth, ease, or a feeling of being welcome, not merely when something is technically satisfactory.

Examples

  • Vi hadde en hyggelig kveld med gamle venner.
    We had a pleasant evening with old friends.
  • Kafeen har et hyggelig rom innerst ved vinduet.
    The cafe has a cozy room at the back by the window.
  • Det var hyggelig å høre at alle kom trygt hjem.
    It was nice to hear that everyone got home safely.
  • Takk for en hyggelig middag.
    Thank you for a lovely dinner.
  • Den lille hytta føltes hyggelig selv i regnet.
    The small cabin felt cozy even in the rain.

Common mistakes

The word is too broad if every positive thing is called hyggelig.
IncorrectCorrect
Eksamen var hyggelig fordi jeg fikk A. Eksamen gikk bra fordi jeg fikk A.
Møtet var en hyggelig suksess for budsjettet. Møtet var en god suksess for budsjettet.
Vi hadde et hyggelige besøk. Vi hadde et hyggelig besøk.

Similar words

koselig
trivelig
behagelig
lun
hjemlig
innbydende
gledelig

Friendly and easy to be with

adjective
social
neutral
Pleasant, kind, and approachable in a way that makes social contact feel relaxed and welcome.

Usage

Use hyggelig for friendly conduct or a person who is easy to talk to, while stronger words carry deeper affection or moral praise.

Examples

  • Den nye naboen virker veldig hyggelig.
    The new neighbor seems very nice.
  • Hun var hyggelig mot gjestene hele kvelden.
    She was friendly to the guests all evening.
  • Det er hyggelig av deg å hjelpe til.
    It is kind of you to help.
  • Vi møtte flere hyggelige folk på toget.
    We met several pleasant people on the train.
  • Servitøren var hyggelig uten å være påtrengende.
    The waiter was friendly without being pushy.

Common mistakes

The word can sound too mild when deep kindness or close friendship is meant.
IncorrectCorrect
Hun er min mest hyggelige venn. Hun er min beste venn.
Legen var hyggelig mot sykdommen min. Legen var forståelsesfull med sykdommen min.
De var hyggelig alle sammen. De var hyggelige alle sammen.

Similar words

vennlig
sympatisk
imøtekommende
grei
elskverdig
omgjengelig
blid

Usage

Use hyggelig for warmth, ease, welcome, and friendly social contact. For formal approval, success, or deep moral goodness, choose a more exact word.

Common mistakes

Hyggelig is overused for any good result, and agreement is often missed in forms like hyggelige folk.

Etymology

Derived from Norwegian hygge with the adjective suffix -lig. NAOB also compares Old Norse hyggiligr, meaning thoughtful or sensible.

FAQ

What does hyggelig mean?

Hyggelig means cozy, pleasant, nice, or friendly, depending on whether it describes a place, a moment, news, or a person.

Is hyggelig the same as koselig?

Koselig leans more toward cozy comfort, while hyggelig also covers friendly people, welcome news, and pleasant social moments.

Can hyggelig describe a person?

Yes. A hyggelig person is friendly, pleasant, and easy to be with.

What does bare hyggelig mean?

Bare hyggelig is a common response to thanks, close to you are welcome or my pleasure.

Where does hyggelig come from?

Hyggelig is built from hygge plus -lig, with older Scandinavian links to ideas of thoughtfulness and comfort.

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