The infinitive: å + verb
The infinitive is the dictionary form of a verb. It usually comes with å in front – but not always.
We teach Bokmål, the written standard most people in Norway use.
What is this about?
The infinitive is the basic form of a verb, the form you look up in a dictionary: to read, to work, to live. It names the action but doesn't say who does it or when.
In Norwegian the infinitive often has a little «å» in front: «Jeg liker å lese» (I like to read). Most verbs end in -e: «å snakke» (to speak), «å spise» (to eat). Short verbs end in another vowel: «å bo» (to live), «å gå» (to go), «å se» (to see). After kan, vil, skal and må you leave out «å»: «Jeg kan svømme» (I can swim), «Vi må gå» (we must go).
«Å» works almost exactly like English «to», so you can trust your instinct: where English says «to», Norwegian usually says «å», and where English says «I can swim» without «to», Norwegian drops «å» too. You'll use the infinitive all the time to say what you like, want or have to do.
Rules
- Most verbs end in an unstressed -e in the infinitive: å snakke (speak), å lese (read), å jobbe (work).
- Short verbs end in another vowel: å bo (live), å gå (go), å se (see), å ha (have), å få (get), å si (say).
- Å works like English “to”: Jeg liker å lese – I like to read. Hun begynner å jobbe – she starts to work. Det er lett å lære – it is easy to learn.
- For å = in order to: Jeg lærer norsk for å få jobb – I'm learning Norwegian to get a job.
- No å after modal verbs: kan, vil, skal, må, bør. Jeg kan svømme – I can swim. Vi må gå – we must go.
- No å after la (let): La meg hjelpe deg – let me help you.
- No å after se and høre + object: Jeg så ham komme – I saw him come. Vi hørte henne synge – we heard her sing.
- Å and og (and) sound the same – both like “o”. Write å before a verb, og between words and clauses: Jeg liker å lese og skrive.
- Dictionaries list verbs in the infinitive. Add -r to get the present: å lese → leser.
Examples
- Jeg liker å gå tur i skogen.I like going for walks in the forest.
- Hun kan snakke tre språk.She can speak three languages.
- Det er vanskelig å finne en leilighet i Oslo.It's hard to find a flat in Oslo.
- Vi tar kurs for å lære norsk raskere.We're taking a course to learn Norwegian faster.
- La meg betale denne gangen.Let me pay this time.
- Jeg hørte naboen spille piano i går.I heard the neighbour play the piano yesterday.
- Du må huske å ringe legen.You must remember to call the doctor.
- Han har sluttet å røyke.He has stopped smoking.