Questions & Answers about Han sitter i varetekt.
Why does Norwegian use sitter here? He is not literally sitting, right?
Right — sitter is often used idiomatically in Norwegian.
In sentences about prison, custody, or detention, å sitte can mean to be kept somewhere / to be serving time / to be detained, not just to sit physically.
So Han sitter i varetekt means he is in custody or being held in remand, not necessarily that he is physically sitting down.
This is similar to:
- Han sitter i fengsel = He is in prison
- Hun satt arrestert i flere dager = She was held under arrest for several days
So this is a very natural Norwegian way to express detention.
What exactly does varetekt mean?
Varetekt means custody, especially pre-trial detention or remand custody.
It is usually used when someone is being held by the authorities before the case is finished in court. So it is different from a regular prison sentence after conviction.
That means Han sitter i varetekt usually suggests:
- he has been detained by the police or court
- he is being held while the investigation or trial is ongoing
- he is not necessarily serving a final sentence yet
Why is it i varetekt and not i varetekten?