Pusten er ikke normal, det vil si at vi ringer 113-sentralen.

Pusten is the definite singular form of pust.

In this kind of medical or first-aid sentence, pusten means the breathing or the person’s breathing. Norwegian often uses the definite form for something specific and immediately relevant in the situation.

A rough contrast:

• en pust = a breath
• pusten = the breath / the breathing

So Pusten er ikke normal is a natural way to say The breathing is not normal.

Because pusten is a singular common-gender noun, the predicate adjective stays in its basic form: normal.

Compare:

• Pusten er normal
• Åndedrettet er normalt

Here:

• pusten is common gender, so normal
• åndedrettet is neuter, so normalt

This is standard adjective agreement after er in Norwegian.

Because this is a main clause, and in Norwegian main clauses the finite verb usually comes before ikke.

So:

• Pusten er ikke normal

That is the normal pattern:

• subject + finite verb + ikke
  • rest

Compare that with a subordinate clause, where ikke usually comes before the finite verb:

• fordi pusten ikke er normal

So the position of ikke is a very important clue to clause type in Norwegian.

Det vil si is a fixed expression meaning:

• that is to say
• which means
• in other words

In this sentence, it introduces an explanation or practical consequence:

• Pusten er ikke normal, det vil si at vi ringer 113-sentralen.
• The breathing is not normal, which means that we call the 113 emergency center.

Even though vil normally means want to or sometimes will, you should treat det vil si as one set phrase rather than translating it word by word.

Because at introduces the clause that explains what det vil si refers to.

So:

• det vil si at ... = that means that ...

In English, that is often optional, but in Norwegian at is very natural here and normally expected in standard written language.

Norwegian often uses the present tense for instructions, routines, and the next step in a procedure.

So vi ringer 113-sentralen can mean something like:

• we call the 113 emergency center
• we are to call the 113 emergency center
• we should call the 113 emergency center now

In first-aid language, the present tense often sounds direct and procedural.

Skal ringe is also possible in some contexts, but ringer is very common when describing what one does next in an emergency procedure.

In Norway, 113 is the emergency phone number for medical emergencies / ambulance services.

So 113-sentralen means the 113 emergency dispatch center or medical emergency call center.

You will also very often hear simply:

• Ring 113 = Call 113

The sentence uses 113-sentralen to refer to the service or center behind that emergency number.

The hyphen is used because a number is joined to a noun in a compound.

This is common in Norwegian:

• 113-sentralen
• 5-åring
• 24-timersvakt

The noun still takes its normal ending, so:

• sentral
• sentralen

That is why you get 113-sentralen.

In instructions, especially in first-aid teaching, Norwegian often uses vi in an inclusive way.

It can mean something like:

• we, as the people handling this situation
• we, the rescuer(s)
• a general instructional we

This can sound more cooperative and less abrupt than du.

So vi ringer 113-sentralen does not necessarily mean several people are literally present. It can simply be the instructional style: this is what we do now.