Norwegian21 – User Manual

Document revision: 1.0
Applies to app version: 3.40
Date: 9 August 2026

1. What is Norwegian21?

Norwegian21 is an app for learning and practising Norwegian. You can work with complete CEFR courses from A1 to C2, short introductory courses, Norwegian21’s 21-Day Course, and courses you create or import yourself.

Each lesson contains a focused collection of phrases. You can practise the same phrases in several ways:

• Try – become familiar with the phrases;
• Tune – listen and practise pronunciation;
• Test – show that you understand the phrases;
• Talk – produce the Norwegian phrases;
• Listening, dialogues and games – additional comprehension and review where available.

You can operate the app by tapping the screen or enable Hands-Free and use your voice.

2. First launch

On first launch, the app may request access to the microphone and speech recognition. These permissions are required for spoken exercises and Hands-Free. Camera and photo access are only used when you choose features that capture words or content from images.

Choose:

1. UI/support language – the language used for menus, explanations and meanings.
2. Norwegian voice – the voice that reads Norwegian.
3. Voice for the UI/support language.
4. Whether Hands-Free should be enabled.

You can change these choices later in Settings.

Figure 1 – First launch or language selection

3. Main menu

The main menu has four primary options:

The subtitle under Courses normally shows the selected or most recently used course. Tap a card to open it.

Figure 2 – Main menu

4. Course list

The course list is organised into groups that can be collapsed and expanded.

Continue

Shows your most recent course location. Tap the row to return directly to the lesson. For CEFR courses, the level, chapter number, lesson number and title are shown.

My Courses

Contains courses you have created, imported or received. Expand the group and then a course to see its lessons. Create Course opens the appropriate part of Studio.

CEFR courses

Contains Complete Norwegian A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. Each course is divided into chapters. Expand a course and chapter, then tap a lesson.

Quick Start with Norwegian21

Contains:

• Quick Start – a short introductory course;
• Norwegian21 – the original 21-Day Course.

A locked lesson requires Pro. Tap it to see the upgrade option.

Figure 3 – Course list overview

Figure 4 – Expanded CEFR course

Figure 5 – Quick Start and Norwegian21

Figure 6 – My Courses

5. Lesson overview

The lesson overview shows the lesson title and available activities. CEFR lessons show the level on the left, while the heading identifies the chapter and lesson.

If the lesson has a story, dialogue or concept explanation, a separate row appears at the top. The exercises follow below.

Prepare

• Try: browse the phrases, listen, view the meaning and spell words.
• Tune: listen and practise reproducing the phrases.

Are you ready?

• Test: work from Norwegian to the meaning/support language.
• Talk: work from the meaning/support language to Norwegian.
• Learning Adviser: view advice based on available results.

Depending on the exercise, you can choose random order, accent requirements or keyboard input. The menu in the upper-right corner may contain additional lesson tools and settings.

Quick tools menu

When Hands-Free is active, some tap-based tools are hidden to keep the voice-controlled flow clear. AI-based options may require internet access, API access and available AI Lookups.

Figure 7 – CEFR lesson overview

Figure 8 – Lesson menu

6. Try

Try is the calmest way to meet the phrases. You can move between phrases, play Norwegian audio, show or hear the meaning, spell the complete phrase or one word, and adjust speech speed.

In Hands-Free Try, commands are active directly; you normally do not need to say “OK” before each command.

Figure 9 – Try

7. Tune

Tune practises listening and spoken reproduction. The app reads a phrase and you repeat it. Speech recognition compares what it heard with the target phrase. You can request another reading, a hint, the meaning, or a different speed.

A correct match means speech recognition considered the answer sufficiently similar to the target phrase. It is not a complete pronunciation assessment.

Read Intro can be enabled or disabled in the exercise menu. When disabled, the app skips the introduction and starts the first actual task directly.

Figure 10 – Tune

8. Test

Test checks your understanding of Norwegian phrases. A task may ask you to say the meaning in the UI/support language, write the answer, or select an option.

In writing mode, punctuation may be omitted when the content otherwise matches. Speech tasks use the recognition language appropriate for the expected answer. Read Intro is available in the exercise menu.

Figure 11 – Test with a spoken answer

Figure 12 – Test with multiple choice or writing

9. Talk

Talk shows the meaning in the UI/support language, and you produce the Norwegian target phrase. This is the primary mode for independent Norwegian production.

If Apple speech recognition does not match, the optional Speech Recognition AI Backup can attempt another transcription. It must verify that the user spoke the expected language rather than approving a translation spoken in another language. Read Intro is available in the exercise menu.

Figure 13 – Talk

10. Results

After Tune, Test or Talk, the results view lets you review the result, repeat the exercise, return to the lesson overview, or open the next lesson. If no next lesson exists, the app informs you that you are at the final lesson.

Figure 14 – Results

11. Stories, dialogues and additional activities

CEFR courses can contain reading texts, concept explanations, dialogues, questions and comprehension checks. Available content varies by level and lesson.

The Dialogue Player lets you listen to the speakers and follow the conversation. AI Chat and Ask the Teacher are optional online features that may require available AI Lookups. Regular lessons, stories, dialogues and phrase exercises can be used without an AI conversation.

Figure 15 – Story or concept explanation

Figure 16 – Dialogue Player

Figure 17 – Ask the Teacher or AI Chat

12. Studio and My Courses

Studio is used to create and manage personal content.

Create a course

1. Open Studio.
2. Tap Add Course.
3. Select the course category.
4. For a book companion course, enter the book or learning resource, select the required CEFR level and check the course name.
5. Tap Create Course.

Add a lesson

1. Open the course in Studio.
2. Tap Add Lesson.
3. Enter phrases and meanings.
4. Save with Done.

Studio can also edit, move and delete lessons, add translations and manage courses. To edit, move or delete a lesson, display it in Studio and swipe the lesson row to the left. You are responsible for ensuring that personal or imported content may be used lawfully.

When Studio was opened from an empty course row in the Course list, Done or Cancel returns to where you came from.

Figure 18 – Studio

Figure 19 – Create course

Figure 20 – Add lesson

13. Settings

Important settings include UI/support language, Norwegian and support-language voices, speech recognition engine, Speech Recognition AI Backup, Hands-Free, command timeout, command feedback sounds, screen lock, usage statistics, API key and AI usage where relevant, resetting progress, Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Figure 21 – Languages and voices

Figure 22 – Speech recognition and AI Backup

Figure 23 – Hands-Free settings

14. Hands-Free basics

When Hands-Free is enabled, the app listens passively for the activation word. Say OK. The app plays a start sound and enters command mode. Then say one command. Say Exit to leave command mode. Command mode also ends after the selected timeout.

During an exercise, “OK” is treated as a command only when it does not conflict with the target phrase. If the target itself contains “OK” or “Okay”, the word can be used as an answer.

Say Menu or Help in command mode to hear the current screen and available commands.

Figure 24 – Passive Hands-Free

Figure 25 – Command mode

15. Hands-Free commands

15.1 General commands

15.2 Course and lesson navigation

For My Courses, “Lesson 1”, “Lesson 2” and so on follow the course shown under Continue.

15.3 From the lesson overview

15.4 In Try

Try listens continuously for commands; you normally do not need to say OK first.

15.5 In Tune, Test and Talk

Say OK to enter exercise command mode.

Tune also supports Standing and Context where available. Say Menu for the authoritative command list on the current screen.

15.6 On the results view

15.7 In AI Chat

16. Screen lock and CarPlay

Hands-Free includes a screen lock that reduces accidental taps. Use Unlock to unlock by voice. During CarPlay or other in-car use, only operate the app when safe and lawful. Select the course and check the audio before driving.

In CarPlay, tap the finger button or say OK to enter command mode. Say Menu or Help for available commands.

Figure 26 – Hands-Free screen lock

Figure 27 – CarPlay

17. Speech recognition and AI Backup

Apple speech recognition is tried first. If the answer does not match, Speech Recognition AI Backup can send the recording to OpenAI for another transcription. One attempt uses one AI Lookup.

Disable the feature if you do not want external AI transcription. Speech recognition can be affected by background noise, microphone distance, accent, speaking speed, incomplete recordings or unavailable recognition resources. Try again using a normal, clear speaking style.

18. Free and Pro

Free provides access to a limited part of the content and lets you try core features. Pro unlocks the Norwegian21 access described on the Upgrade view. Current purchase terms, price and exact access shown in the app take precedence over this manual.

Figure 28 – Upgrade

19. Troubleshooting

The microphone does not respond

Check microphone permission, recognition engine and language; close another app using the microphone; then restart Norwegian21.

“OK” does not enter command mode

Check that Hands-Free is enabled, wait for speech playback to finish, say one clear “OK”, and look for the Hands-Free indicator.

The app opens the wrong lesson

Use the full CEFR address, such as “B1, chapter 5, lesson 3”. Check the course shown under Continue before using only “Lesson 3”. In My Courses, the number follows the ordering in the active course.

A correct answer is rejected

Check which answer language is expected, try again at a normal speed, check AI Backup if desired, use writing or multiple choice where available, and report recurring problems with the target phrase and transcript.

There is no sound

Check volume, audio route, Bluetooth/CarPlay and selected voices. Download the required iOS voice if it is not installed.

20. Quick reference

Regular use

1. Courses → course → chapter → lesson.
2. Begin with Try, continue with Tune, then use Test and Talk.
3. Select Next Lesson on the results view.

Hands-Free

1. Say OK.
2. Say Menu if unsure.
3. Say one command, for example Talk.
4. In an exercise, say OK, then Hint, Read, Meaning or Exit.
5. On the results view, say Next lesson.

Direct CEFR navigation

A1, chapter 1, lesson 1

Direct navigation in the active course

Lesson 3

21. Figure list

22. Document status

This manual is based on Norwegian21 3.40 and the current menus, course navigation, exercises and voice commands. Screen text may be localised and therefore differ from the English examples. If there is a conflict, the functionality and help text in the installed app version take precedence.