blåse

Blåse is a Norwegian verb meaning to emit air from the mouth to create wind, to inflate something with air, or to blow out a flame. The infinitive is å blåse; present tense blåser; past tense blåste; supine blåst. It comes from Old Norse blása and has cognates in Danish blæse and Swedish blåsa, reflecting its common Germanic roots.

Common uses describe both natural air movement and intentional action. For weather or wind, it is used in impersonal constructions like det blåser, meaning “it is windy.” When talking about flames or candles, å blåse can mean to blow out. Idiomatic phrases include å blåse i noe, meaning to not care about something (Jeg blåser i det = I don’t care). å blåse opp can mean to inflate (blåse opp ballongen) or to exaggerate and dramatize something, while å blåse til noe can mean to urge people to participate or rally.

In music and culture, blåse often refers to wind-related topics. The term can denote wind instruments or the wind section of an orchestra, and a person who plays a wind instrument is a blåser. The word appears in descriptions of wind ensembles (blåseensemble) and in everyday musical language.

Across Scandinavian languages, the term is cognate with Danish blæse and Swedish blåsa, all rooted in the same Proto-Germanic lineage. Blåse thus functions as both a common verb and a cultural reference point for wind and wind-related activities.