Ikke vær slem.

Do not be mean.

Breakdown of Ikke vær slem.

• være: to be
• ikke: not
• slem: mean; unkind

Questions & Answers about Ikke vær slem.

Why does ikke come first in Ikke vær slem?

Because this is a negative command. In everyday Norwegian, negative imperatives are very often formed as:

ikke + imperative

So you get:

• Ikke vær slem
• Ikke gjør det
• Ikke løp

You can sometimes see Vær ikke slem, but Ikke vær slem is the more natural everyday order.

Why is the verb vær, not er?

Because vær is the imperative form of å være.

A few forms of å være are:

• infinitive: å være
• present: er
• past: var
• imperative: vær

So:

• du er snill = statement
• vær snill = command/request

This verb is irregular, so the imperative is not something you can guess from er alone.

Where is the word you?

It is understood, but not stated. Norwegian imperatives usually leave out the subject, just like English often does.

So Ikke vær slem has an implied:

• du if speaking to one person
• dere if speaking to more than one person

The sentence does not need to say the subject explicitly.

Why is it , not or ?