Syntax (sentence structure)
Simple sentence structure
A sentence must contain a subject and a verbal. In general, the subject cannot be omitted in Norwegian.
e.g.: Jeg spiser middag (I eat dinner) Wrong: * Spiser middag.
In sentences starting with a subject, sentence adverbials, such as ikke, også, bare, normally follow right after the verb.
e.g.: Jeg spiser ikke brød (I don't eat bread)
Jeg drikker bare vann (I only drink water)
Other adverbials, such as place and time adverbials, are normally placed at the end of the sentence. If you have both place and time adverbials (or adverbial phrases), the place adverbial normally precedes the time adverbial.
e.g.: Jeg spiser middag hjemme hver dag (I eat dinner at home every day)
Question structure
You can formulate a question starting with an interrogative + verbal (+ subject) (+adverbials)
e.g: Hvem kommer? (Who's coming?)
Hva gjør du nå? (What are you doing now?)
You can also formulate questions without interrogatives, starting with the verbal.
e.g:
Snakker du norsk? (Do you speak Norwegian?)
Kommer du ikke i kveld? (Are you not coming tonight?)
Verb in the second place
In a main clause, the finite part of the verbal is always placed second. If the verbal consist of two verbs, e.g., skal kjøpe, the finite part is always the first verb - specifically, the verb with a time specification (such as present or past tense).
Often, the first position in a main clause will be filled by the subject.
e.g.: Jeg bor i Norge nå. (I live in Norway now.)
If a main clause starts with an adverbial, however, the subject will be placed after the finite part of the verbal.
e.g.:
Nå bor jeg i Norge. (Now, I live in Norway.)
Nå vil jeg dra hjem. (Now, I want to go home.)
An adverbial clause ('adverbial leddsetning') placed first
Adverbial clauses fill the function of the adverbial in a sentence. In the example below, it tells something about when the action took place.
e.g.: Jeg studerte jus i fjor. (I studied law last year.)
Jeg studerte jus da jeg bodde i Japan. (I studied law when I was living in Japan.)
As you have seen, the word order in a main clause is inverted when it starts with an adverbial (i.e., the verb is placed second). The same happens when a sentence starts with an adverbial clause.
e.g.: I fjor studerte jeg jus.
Da jeg bodde i Japan, studerte jeg jus.
NOTE that the word order in an adverbial clause always remains the same!
Syntax i subordinated clauses
As you have seen, sentence adverbials such as ikke, aldri, alltid, ofte, også, kanskje etc. are placed after the initial verb in a main clause ('helsetning').
e.g.: Jeg drikker aldri kaffe.
Jeg kan ikke være her så lenge.
In a subordinated clause (i.e., adverbial clause, adjectival clause or nominal clause), however, the sentence adverbials are placed before the verb(s). Study the examples.
e.g.: (Jeg er ute) når det ikke er dårlig vær.
(Han gråter) fordi du aldri ringer ham.
(Barna er alltid ute) selv om det ofte regner.
(Man blir gal) hvis man alltid må jobbe.
(Jeg har en venn) som ikke snakker norsk.
(Jeg har en onkel) som jeg alltid låner penger av.
(Han sa) at han kanskje skulle flytte.
(Jeg vet ikke) hvor han helst vil bo.
(Hun spurte meg) om jeg også skulle på kino.
(Jeg lurer på) hvem som ikke har vært på jobb i dag.