veldig

Veldig is a Norwegian intensifier meaning "very" or "extremely." It is used to modify adjectives, adverbs, and sometimes participles to amplify the meaning of the word that follows. The word is common in both Bokmål and Nynorsk and appears in spoken language and in most written registers, from informal content to news reporting, though some contexts may favor more formal alternatives such as svært or meget.

Etymology and form: Veldig combines the adverb vel, meaning "well" or "good," with the suffix -dig, which in Old Norse and modern Norwegian forms adjectives. Over time, veldig developed into a generic intensifier that can precede a wide range of modifiers, creating phrases like veldig bra, veldig interessant, or veldig rask.

Usage notes: In contemporary Norwegian, veldig typically precedes the word it modifies (e.g., veldig bra, veldig interessant). It can intensify adjectives, adverbs, and past participles, and is common in everyday speech as well as in contemporary writing. In very formal writing, speakers may opt for more formal intensifiers such as svær eller meget, depending on regional style and context. Veldig is largely neutral in tone and does not alter the grammatical properties of the modified word.

Cross-linguistic note: Veldig is cognate with Swedish väldigt, both serving as common equivalents of the English "very." In Danish, equivalents include meget and meget stærkt in similar contexts.

See also: intensifier, Norwegian language, Bokmål, Nynorsk, svært, meget, veldig høflighet.