lyttende

Lyttende is a form of the Norwegian verb lytte that functions as an adjective or present participle. It describes someone or something that listens, or that is inclined to listen—i.e., attentive and receptive in listening. In everyday Norwegian it can modify nouns or be used predicatively: et lyttende publikum (a listening audience) or publikumet var lyttende (the audience was listening).

Lyttende is formed by adding the present participle suffix -ende to the verb lytte. This -ende-form is common in Bokmål and Nynorsk and yields adjectives such as lyttende meaning listening or attentive. The root lytte comes from the broader Germanic family, with historical links to Old Norse and related forms meaning to hear or listen.

Lyttende is often used in more formal, descriptive, or literary contexts. It emphasizes the act of listening rather than general attentiveness; it may appear in descriptions of meetings, dialogues, or audiences where listening is valued. Examples: Et lyttende publikum responderte med applaus. Hun var en lyttende venn som tok ordet på alvor.

Noun forms related to the concept include lytting, the act of listening. In addition to lyttende, related expressions use the verb lytte or the noun form lytting to discuss listening as a process or skill. The word is used in both Bokmål and Nynorsk and shares its core meaning with similar constructions in other Nordic languages.