Learn på grunn av, i stedet for and i løpet av, when opp and ut are particles, and why the preposition comes last in «Hva tenker du på?».
Most prepositions are short words like i, på and til. But Norwegian also has prepositions made of several words that work as one, such as «på grunn av» (because of), «i stedet for» (instead of) and «til tross for» (despite). On top of that, many prepositions can stand alone without a noun after them, and then they act as adverbs or particles.
Compare «Hun går opp trappa» (she walks up the stairs) and «Ikke gi opp!» (don't give up!). In the first, opp shows direction and the stairs follow it. In the second, opp belongs to the verb and the whole phrase means something new. The particle is stressed, so you say gi OPP. The same happens in «fylle ut et skjema» (fill in a form) and «logge inn» (log in).
Good news for English speakers, because Norwegian works almost like English here. You already have phrasal verbs like give up and fill in, and you already end questions with a preposition. «Hva tenker du på?» is «What are you thinking about?», and «Hvem venter du på?» is «Who are you waiting for?». Just don't translate the particle word for word. To fill in a form is «fylle ut et skjema», with ut.
You'll meet these forms everywhere in adult Norwegian, in letters from NAV («på grunn av endringer», due to changes), in the news and in work emails. The particle verbs are daily life, like «stå opp» (get up), «slå av lyset» (switch off the light) and «skrive under» (sign).
Three words that work as one preposition. It means both «right beside» and «in addition to», as in «Ved siden av jobben studerer hun» (besides her job, she studies).
Gives the reason, followed by a noun, as in «på grunn av snøen» (because of the snow). Before a whole clause you use fordi (because) instead. In writing you'll often see the short form pga.
Shows that one thing replaces another. It can be followed by a noun or by å + infinitive, as in «i stedet for å kjøre» (instead of driving). You may also see it written istedenfor.
Shows that something happens even though something else speaks against it. Before a whole clause you say til tross for at, as in «til tross for at det regnet» (even though it rained).
Marks a period within which something happens, like i løpet av dagen (during the day) or i løpet av en uke (within a week). It's common in messages from school, the doctor and NAV.
Shows the means or tool you use, often an app or a gadget, as in «ved hjelp av BankID» (using BankID).
Used when you compare things or relate them to each other, as in «Det er billig i forhold til Oslo» (it's cheap compared to Oslo).
Means from side to side, or across borders and groups, as in «samarbeid på tvers av avdelinger» (cooperation across departments). It's common in working life.
With a noun after them, opp and ned are prepositions, as in «opp trappa» (up the stairs). When they belong to the verb they are stressed particles and the meaning changes, as in «gi opp» (give up) and «skru ned musikken» (turn the music down).
Inn and ut show movement into or out of something. As particles they make new verbs, like «fylle ut» (fill in) a form, «logge inn» (log in) and «finne ut» (find out) how something works.
With a noun they are prepositions, as in «over bordet» (over the table) and «under senga» (under the bed). Without a noun they can mean something new, as in «Ferien er over» (the holiday is over) and «Skriv under her» (sign here).
With a noun, foran and bak are prepositions, as in «foran huset» (in front of the house). Without one they are adverbs, as in «Barna sitter bak» (the kids sit in the back) and «Hun går foran» (she walks in front).
In questions the question word comes first and the preposition stays behind after the verb. You say «Hva tenker du på?» (what are you thinking about?), not «På hva tenker du?». The same goes for hvor … fra (where from) and hvem … med (who with).
In relative clauses too, with or without som, the preposition goes last. You say «Huset (som) vi bor i, er fra 1920» (the house we live in is from 1920), because i belongs to bo i.
«Because of» is på grunn av, not fordi. Fordi needs a whole clause. «✗ fordi regnet» «✓ på grunn av regnet» or «✓ fordi det regner».
English «of» tempts you into av, but these end in for. «✗ i stedet av kaffe» «✓ i stedet for kaffe», «✗ til tross av regnet» «✓ til tross for regnet».
Particles don't always match English. To fill in a form is «✓ fylle ut et skjema», and to sign is «✓ skrive under».
Ending a question with a preposition is normal in Norwegian, just as in everyday English. «✓ Hvem venter du på?»
Choose the right preposition. You see the answer with audio and an explanation right away.
Flyet ble innstilt ___ tåke.
Flyet ble innstilt på grunn av tåke.
The flight was cancelled because of fog.
💡 Fog is the reason, and a reason expressed with a noun takes på grunn av.
Kan vi møtes på torsdag ___ onsdag?
Kan vi møtes på torsdag i stedet for onsdag?
Can we meet on Thursday instead of Wednesday?
💡 Thursday replaces Wednesday, so you use i stedet for.
Hun gikk på jobb ___ feberen.
Hun gikk på jobb til tross for feberen.
She went to work despite the fever.
💡 The fever speaks against going to work, but she goes anyway, so til tross for fits.
Legen ringer deg ___ dagen.
Legen ringer deg i løpet av dagen.
The doctor will call you during the day.
💡 The day is a period, and what happens within it takes i løpet av.
Hun fant fram ___ kartet på mobilen.
Hun fant fram ved hjelp av kartet på mobilen.
She found her way using the map on her phone.
💡 The map is the tool she uses, so ved hjelp av fits.
Ikke gi ___, du klarer det!
Ikke gi opp, du klarer det!
Don't give up, you can do it!
💡 Gi opp is a fixed particle verb that means to stop trying.
Jeg prøver å finne ___ hvordan appen virker.
Jeg prøver å finne ut hvordan appen virker.
I'm trying to find out how the app works.
💡 Finne ut is a particle verb meaning to find out.
Hva snakker dere ___?
Hva snakker dere om?
What are you talking about?
💡 It's snakke om (talk about), and in a question om goes to the end.
Det er stolen jeg alltid sitter ___.
Det er stolen jeg alltid sitter på.
That's the chair I always sit on.
💡 You sit på a chair, and in the relative clause på stays at the end.
Det er ikke dyrt ___ hva du får.
Det er ikke dyrt i forhold til hva du får.
It's not expensive considering what you get.
💡 You're comparing the price with what you get, so you use i forhold til.
Verbs with prepositions → · Adjectives with prepositions → · Particle verbs →
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