Ta faen
What does Ta faen mean? Ta faen is a Norwegian strong that translates to “damn it / to hell with it” in English.
Literal Translation
take the devil
Meaning & Usage
"damn it / to hell with it"
An emphatic exclamation expressing frustrated defiance or cursing a situation.
Examples in the Wild
Ta faen, dette funka ikke. (Damn it, this didn't work.)
When to Use It
Context
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Around religious or conservative communities
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Less commonly used than 'gi faen' or 'faen ta deg', but understood by all Norwegians. Often used to express frustrated resignation.
More in Norwegian 🇳🇴
View all →Jævlig
“fucking / terrible / amazingly”
Functions as both a negative descriptor ('that was terrible') and a positive intensifier ('that was fucking great'). Derived from 'jævel' (the devil).
Jævel
“bastard / son of a bitch”
The noun form. Used to call someone a 'devil', 'bastard', or unpleasant person. Can also express admiration at recklessness.
Ræva
“shitty / terrible”
Used as an adjective to describe something terrible, low-quality, or worthless. Derived from 'ræv' (butt).
Faen meg
“fucking / I swear to God”
Used for emphasis or to stress the absurdity of a situation. Difficult to translate directly but acts as an intensifier expressing exasperation or disbelief.
Helvete
“hell / fucking hell”
Used as a standalone exclamation of extreme frustration, or in phrases meaning 'go to hell'. Carries slightly more weight than its English counterpart.
Faen ta deg
“fuck you”
A direct verbal attack on another person. Rooted in the old curse of wishing the Devil would claim someone's soul.
Det var som faen
“well I'll be damned / holy shit”
An expression of astonishment or impressed disbelief at something surprising.
Drit og dra
“fuck off / get lost”
Used to aggressively dismiss someone and tell them to go away.