Du er fantastisk – en kort samtale

Why do Norwegians say “og du også” after compliments?

Norwegians have a tidy social ritual: when one person gives a compliment, the other often returns it with a near-identical mirror. “Du er fantastisk.” “Og du også.” (“You’re fantastic.” “And you too.”) The reciprocal phrase keeps the moment balanced, avoids singling anyone out, and fits the wider Scandinavian preference for social symmetry, often called jantelov (“the law of Jante”). Norwegian speakers reach for og du også more often than English speakers reach for “thanks, you too,” and the mirror happens fast enough that it almost reads as a single compound greeting.

In this clip, two people exchange the call-and-response: “du er fantastisk.” “Og du også.” The whole reel is the small ritual.