Advanced word order
What you put first in a sentence decides what the reader notices. Here you learn to move parts of the sentence to create emphasis, contrast and flow.
We teach BokmÄl, the written standard most people in Norway use.
In short: What you put first becomes the topic or gets extra stress â but the verb always stays in second place.
Rules
- The front field: The slot before the verb is called the fundament. Almost any part can go there: Den boka har jeg aldri likt (That book I never liked).
- Contrast: Putting the object first creates contrast: Kaffe drikker jeg ikke, men te drikker jeg gjerne.
- Known before new: Known information tends to come first, new information last: Rapporten kom i gÄr. Den har styret allerede lest.
- Heavy parts last: Long parts are moved to the end so the sentence is easier to read: Styret la i gÄr fram en plan for hvordan sykehuset skal spare penger.
- Extraposition: A long subject is moved out and det takes its place: Det er viktig at alle fÄr si sin mening (not: At alle fÄr si sin mening, er viktig).
- Presentation: A new, indefinite subject comes after det + verb: Det stÄr en mann utenfor dÞra (There is a man outside the door).
- Cleft sentences: Det er/var ... som highlights one part: Det var Kari som fikk jobben, ikke Per.
- Adverbs in subclauses: Ikke, aldri and alltid go before the verb in subordinate clauses: Hun sa at hun ikke hadde fÄtt beskjed.
- Light pronouns: A short unstressed object pronoun usually goes before ikke: Jeg forstÄr ham ikke. But: Jeg forstÄr ikke spÞrsmÄlet.
- Style: Don't start every sentence with the subject. Vary with time, place and linking words, and your text will flow better.
Typical mistake: Using English order after a fronted element: *I gĂ„r jeg jobbet (Yesterday I worked) â I gĂ„r jobbet jeg.
Examples
- Den boka har jeg aldri likt.That book I have never liked.
- Det er lite sannsynlig at regjeringen gÄr av.It is unlikely that the government will resign.
- Det var ikke direktĂžren som tok beslutningen.It wasn't the director who made the decision.
- I fjor hĂžst la kommunen ned to skoler.Last autumn the municipality closed two schools.
- Hun sa at hun ikke hadde fÄtt beskjed.She said she hadn't been told.
- Jeg forstÄr ham ikke.I don't understand him.
- Penger har vi nok av; det er tid vi mangler.Money we have plenty of; it's time we lack.
- Styret la i gÄr fram en plan for hvordan sykehuset skal spare penger.Yesterday the board presented a plan for how the hospital will save money.