Emphasis and little words: det … som, jo, vel, nok
To highlight something in Norwegian, you can move it to the front or use det er/var … som. Little words like jo, vel and nok tell the listener what you think about what you're saying – spoken Norwegian is full of them.
We teach Bokmål, the written standard most people in Norway use.
In short: to highlight one part of a sentence, put it first or wrap it in det er/var … som. Little words like jo, vel and nok show your attitude to what you say.
Rules
- Cleft sentence: Det + er/var + the important part + som + the rest: Det var Kari som ringte (it was Kari who called – not someone else).
- With time or place, som is often dropped: Det var i Bergen vi møttes. (It was in Bergen that we met.)
- Very common in questions: Hvem var det som ringte? Er det du som har spist kaka mi?
- Move the object to the front and the verb still comes second: Den filmen har jeg sett. (That film I have seen.)
- This is often used for contrast: Te drikker jeg, men kaffe tåler jeg ikke.
- selv = myself, yourself and so on – or 'even': Jeg malte huset selv. Selv barna skjønte det.
- jo = as we both know: Det er jo søndag i dag. Jo is also 'yes' to a negative question: Kommer du ikke? – Jo! (Aren't you coming? – Yes, I am!)
- da = makes it softer, encouraging or a bit impatient: Kom igjen, da! (Come on!) Det går bra, da. (It'll be fine.)
- vel = I suppose, I assume: Du kommer vel i morgen? Ja vel = okay, I see.
- nok = probably, or 'admittedly': Hun kommer nok litt seint. Det er nok riktig, men …
- visst = apparently, I've heard: Det blir visst regn i morgen. Ja visst! = Of course!
- These little words go right after the verb, before ikke: Han er jo lege. Hun kommer nok ikke.
Typical mistake: Den filmen jeg har sett. Correct: Den filmen har jeg sett – the verb must stay in second place.
Examples
- Det var naboen som fant hunden vår i skogen.It was the neighbour who found our dog in the woods.
- Det er på fredag vi skal på hytta, ikke på lørdag.It's on Friday that we're going to the cabin, not on Saturday.
- Den boka har jeg lest tre ganger.That book I've read three times.
- Du har vel husket å kjøpe melk?You did remember to buy milk, didn't you?
- Vi kan jo ta toget til Flåm i stedet.We could always take the train to Flåm instead.
- Det blir visst et nytt kjøpesenter på Lillestrøm.Apparently there's going to be a new shopping centre in Lillestrøm.
- Hun er nok trøtt etter nattevakta.She's probably tired after the night shift.
- Kom igjen da, bussen går om to minutter!Come on, the bus leaves in two minutes!