følgje

Følgje is a Norwegian verb meaning to follow or to accompany, and it is used in both Bokmål and Nynorsk contexts. The infinitive appears as å følge in Bokmål and å følgje in Nynorsk. Typical conjugation patterns align with standard Norwegian verb endings: Bokmål present follows Følger, past tense fulgte, and supine har fulgt; Nynorsk has corresponding forms such as følgjer in the present and følgde in the past.

Etymology and related forms: Følgje derives from Old Norse fylgja, meaning to accompany or follow. It has cognates in other Germanic languages, including English follow and Icelandic fylgja. The noun form følgje (or følge in Bokmål) is used in Norwegian to denote the act of following, an entourage, or a sequence, as in a person’s company or a chain of events.

Usage and meanings: The core sense is to move behind someone or something or to accompany. Common phrases include å følgje noen/noe (to follow someone/something) and å følgje med (to keep up with or to accompany, sometimes meaning to pay attention). Følge can also function as a noun meaning a following or retinue, such as a person’s entourage. In phrases like følgje etter or følgje med, the word conveys progression, accompaniment, or consequence depending on context.

See also: Følgesvenn (companion or retinue member), følgeskjelp (the act of accompanying or assisting), and the broader family of Germanic cognates such as English follow and Danish følge.

Notes: Spelling and usage differ between Bokmål and Nynorsk, with følgje (Nynorsk) vs. følge (Bokmål) in the infinitive, and corresponding tense forms that align with standard Norwegian conjugation.