Sentence builder A1

▶ Barna leker i hagen, og vi drikker kaffe.

The children are playing in the garden, and we are drinking coffee.

💡 There is a new subject (vi) after og, so we must write it. Without vi the sentence says the children drink coffee.

▶ Mohammed er trøtt, men han må jobbe.

Mohammed is tired, but he has to work.

💡 After men come the subject and then the verb. After må comes the infinitive without å, so it is «må jobbe», not «må jobber».

▶ Jeg tar på meg jakka, for det er kaldt.

I'm putting on my jacket, because it's cold.

💡 For means the same as fordi, but it joins two main clauses. The for-clause always comes last, with subject before verb, «for det er kaldt».

▶ Bor du i Oslo eller i Bergen?

Also correct: Bor du i Oslo eller Bergen? · Bor du i Oslo, eller bor du i Bergen?

Do you live in Oslo or in Bergen?

💡 The natural choice is one question, «i Oslo eller i Bergen». If you repeat the whole question, the second part also starts with the verb, «eller bor du».

▶ Maria har bursdag i dag, men hun vil ikke ha fest.

It's Maria's birthday today, but she doesn't want a party.

💡 With a modal verb, ikke goes after the conjugated verb vil, so «hun vil ikke ha fest».

▶ Jeg forsto ikke brevet fra NAV, så jeg ringte dem.

Also correct: Jeg forsto ikke brevet fra NAV, så ringte jeg dem.

I didn't understand the letter from NAV, so I called them.

💡 In the main clause ikke goes after the verb, as in «jeg forsto ikke». The reason comes first, and så introduces the result.

▶ Ola lager middag, og Ingrid dekker bordet.

Ola makes dinner, and Ingrid sets the table.

💡 Each person has their own action, so both names must stay. There is no inversion after og, so it is «og Ingrid dekker».

▶ Bussen kommer klokka åtte, og den er ofte full.

The bus comes at eight, and it is often full.

💡 «Bussen» becomes den. In a main clause ofte goes after the verb, as in «den er ofte full».

▶ Jeg liker kaffe, men jeg liker ikke te.

Also correct: Jeg liker kaffe, men ikke te.

I like coffee, but I don't like tea.

💡 After men comes a normal main clause with subject, verb and then ikke. «Men ikke te» is a short, correct version.

▶ Det er sol, men det er kaldt.

It is sunny, but it is cold.

💡 Both clauses need the subject det. After men it is «men det er kaldt», not «men er det kaldt».