Tilsett

Tilsett is a Norwegian verb form used to indicate adding or introducing something into another substance or mixture. It functions mainly as the imperative singular, as in instructions or recipes where a person is commanded to add an ingredient. In everyday language, phrases like "Tilsett gjerne litt melk" appear to guide actions in cooking or preparation.

The standard infinitive form is tilsette, with present tense tilsetter and past tense tilsatte. The imperative form, commonly seen in manuals and recipes, is Tilsett. The noun form for the act of adding is tilsetning, and in the context of food production the term tilsetningsstoff or tilsetningsstoffer is used for additives or substances added to foods. This distinguishes the act of adding from the category of substances that are added, such as preservatives, colorings, or flavor enhancers.

Etymology traces tilsett to the prefix til- meaning toward or to, combined with sette meaning to place or put, yielding a sense of placing something into a mixture. The word is widely understood across Norwegian-speaking contexts and remains a standard part of cooking instructions, laboratory protocols, and industrial formulations.

In usage, tilsett often appears alongside measurements or sequence steps, for example to indicate when to add a liquid, spice, or other component. While tilsett is primarily a verb in everyday use, its related nouns and related terms help distinguish actions from substances in technical and regulatory texts. See also tilsetning, tilsetningsstoffer, and tilsetningsstoffer in food labeling.