førstegang

Førstegang is a Norwegian noun that denotes the first time something happens or is experienced—the initial occurrence or the first experience of an activity, event, or process. The term carries a sense of novelty or a milestone moment in a sequence of events.

Etymology and forms: It is composed of først ("first") and gang ("occurrence" or "occasion"), and is used primarily in Bokmål. The noun can appear as a single word, and the related adjective form is førstegangs, used to describe something connected to a first-time experience (for example, en første gangs bruker). For everyday speech, many speakers prefer the two-word construction første gang to state simply "for the first time."

Usage notes: Førstegang tends to appear in formal writing, journalism, and official reports to refer to the first occurrence of a phenomenon or the first attempt by a person or group. It is less common in casual speech, where første gang is the standard expression. The concept has parallels in other North Germanic languages, though exact usage and spellings vary. Overall, førstegang signals an inaugural or initial moment within a broader sequence of events, and readers should consider context to determine whether the single-word form or the two-word form is most appropriate.