bindestrek

Bindestrek, or hyphen, is a punctuation mark used in Norwegian writing to connect words or parts of words. The symbol is the short minus-like dash (-) and is distinct from longer dashes used for other purposes. Bindestrek is employed in Bokmåls- and Nynorsk orthography to form certain compounds and to improve readability.

The primary uses of bindestrek include joining words to form compound terms or hyphenated adjectives, especially when the meaning benefits from explicit links or when the parts would be hard to read as a single word. It is also used with prefixes or numerals in combination with nouns, for example e-post, 32-åring, or miljø- og klimarådgivning in some spellings. Additionally, bindestrek can indicate syllable breaks at line endings, guiding where a word may be split when wrapping text.

Bindestrek is distinct from the en dash (tankestrek) and the em dash in practice. The en dash is longer and is used primarily for ranges or connections that imply “from … to” (e.g., Oslo–Bergen). The em dash, used less frequently in Norwegian, indicates abrupt offshoots or interruptions. In Norwegian typography, the bindestrek is the shortest dash and has specific spelling guidance in official style rules published by language authorities.

Usage guidelines vary by language tradition and publisher, but in general, bindestrek remains a common tool for clarity in compounds, numerals, and line breaks. Modern Norwegian increasingly favors closed forms in some cases, but hyphenation remains an official option where readability is improved.