forstyrre

Forstyrre is a verb used in Norwegian (and Danish) to mean to disturb, disrupt, or interfere with the normal course of something. It can describe a range of disruptions, from physical disturbances such as noise to interruptions of processes, attention, or sleep. The action is typically transitive, taking a direct object: for eksempel "forstyrre noe" (disturb something) or "forstyrre noens søvn" (disturb someone's sleep). Intransitive uses are possible in phrases like "å bli forstyrret" (to be disturbed).

Common contexts include everyday life, where loud music or chatter may disturb neighbors; work or study, where interruptions disrupt a meeting or concentration; and legal or policy language, where terms like "forstyrrelse av ro og orden" appear in discussions of public order.

The related noun is forstyrrelse, referring to a disturbance or disruption, and the adjective forstyrrrende is used to describe something that causes disturbance. In English, the equivalents are disturb or disrupt, depending on context, while Danish uses the same spelling and meaning. Some speakers distinguish between milder annoyances and more serious disruptions.

Examples: Lydnivået forstyrret undervisningen. Den konstante støyen forstyrret arbeidseffektiviteten. Han ble forstyrret av telefonen midt i møtet.

See also: forstyrrelse, støy, ro og orden.