Conditionals with inversion
Hadde jeg visst det, ville jeg ha sagt nei – had I known, I'd have said no. Here you learn to express conditions without hvis and to talk about what could have happened.
We teach Bokmål, the written standard most people in Norway use.
In short: Instead of hvis (if) you can start the sentence with the verb: Hadde jeg visst det, ville jeg ha sagt nei (Had I known, I would have said no).
Rules
- Inversion without hvis: Hvis jeg hadde visst det = Hadde jeg visst det. The verb comes first and hvis disappears – just like English «Had I known».
- The main clause: When the condition comes first, the verb follows straight after the comma: Hadde jeg visst det, ville jeg ha kommet. In speech many add så: …, så ville jeg ha kommet.
- Counterfactual past: Something that didn't happen: hadde + participle, ville ha + participle: Hadde bussen kommet i tide, ville jeg ha rukket møtet.
- Short form: In speech many use hadde in the main clause too: Hadde jeg visst det, hadde jeg sagt nei. Both are correct.
- Unreal present: Var + subject for something not true now: Var jeg ti år yngre, ville jeg ha søkt på jobben (Were I ten years younger…).
- Skulle det …: For something that might happen: Skulle det oppstå problemer, kan du ringe meg (Should any problems arise, call me).
- Var det ikke for …: = without: Var det ikke for deg, hadde jeg gitt opp (If it weren't for you…). Past: Hadde det ikke vært for legen, ville han ha dødd.
- Om: As common as hvis, especially in speech: Om du vil, kan vi ta det i morgen.
- Dersom: Formal, in contracts and rules: Dersom leien ikke betales, kan avtalen sies opp.
- Med mindre: = unless: Vi starter klokka ni, med mindre noe annet blir avtalt.
- Politeness: Ville and kunne soften requests: Kunne du ha sendt meg rapporten? Det ville vært fint.
Typical mistake: Keeping English order in the main clause: *Hadde jeg visst det, jeg ville ha kommet → ville jeg ha kommet.
Examples
- Hadde jeg visst det, ville jeg ha sagt nei.Had I known, I would have said no.
- Skulle det oppstå problemer, kan du ringe meg.Should any problems arise, you can call me.
- Var det ikke for støtten fra familien, hadde jeg gitt opp.If it weren't for my family's support, I would have given up.
- Hadde regjeringen handlet tidligere, kunne krisen ha vært unngått.Had the government acted earlier, the crisis could have been avoided.
- Dersom leien ikke betales, kan avtalen sies opp.If the rent is not paid, the agreement may be terminated.
- Om du vil, kan vi ta det i morgen.If you like, we can do it tomorrow.
- Var jeg ti år yngre, ville jeg ha søkt på jobben.Were I ten years younger, I would apply for the job.
- Hadde det ikke vært for legen, ville han ha dødd.If it hadn't been for the doctor, he would have died.