Ettersom kjedet er tørt, smører vi det med kjedeolje.

Ettersom is a conjunction meaning since, because, or as in the sense of giving a reason.

In this sentence, it introduces the reason clause:

• Ettersom kjedet er tørt = because the chain is dry

It is a bit more formal or written-sounding than fordi in many contexts. A learner will also often see:

• Fordi kjedet er tørt, smører vi det med kjedeolje.
• Siden kjedet er tørt, smører vi det med kjedeolje.

All are possible, though ettersom can sound slightly more formal.

Kjedet is the definite singular form of et kjede.

So the pattern is:

• et kjede = a chain
• kjedet = the chain

Norwegian often uses the definite ending directly on the noun instead of a separate word like English the.

So:

• English: the chain
• Norwegian: kjedet

The adjective changes form to agree with the noun.

Here, kjedet is treated as a neuter singular noun, so the adjective takes the -t form:

• en tørr ... for many common-gender nouns
• et tørt ... for neuter nouns

That is why we get:

• kjedet er tørt

Compare:

• en stol er tørr = the chair is dry
• et gulv er tørt = the floor is dry

So tørt matches the neuter noun kjede.

This is because of Norwegian V2 word order in main clauses.

The sentence starts with a subordinate clause:

• Ettersom kjedet er tørt

When that whole clause comes first, it takes the first position in the sentence. In a Norwegian main clause, the finite verb must then come second, so you get:

• smører vi det ...

not

• vi smører det ...

This is a very common pattern:

• Når jeg kommer hjem, spiser jeg.
• Hvis det regner, blir vi inne.
• Ettersom kjedet er tørt, smører vi det med kjedeolje.

Det refers back to kjedet.

So the structure is:

• smører vi det = we lubricate it

Because kjede is neuter here, the pronoun used is det.

This is similar to English using it to refer back to the chain.

Med means with, and here it shows what substance or material is used when lubricating something.

So:

• smøre noe med olje = to lubricate something with oil

In the sentence:

• smører vi det med kjedeolje
  = we lubricate it with chain oil

This is a very common pattern in Norwegian:

• male veggen med rød maling = paint the wall with red paint
• vaske bordet med såpe = wash the table with soap
• smøre kjedet med kjedeolje = lubricate the chain with chain oil

Norwegian normally writes compound nouns as one word.

So:

• kjede
  • olje = kjedeolje

This is very typical of Norwegian. English often writes these as two words, but Norwegian usually joins them:

• sykkelkjede = bicycle chain
• motorolje = motor oil
• kjedeolje = chain oil

If you split compounds in Norwegian, it can look wrong or even change the meaning.

The comma separates the initial subordinate clause from the main clause:

• Ettersom kjedet er tørt, = subordinate clause
• smører vi det med kjedeolje. = main clause

In Norwegian, when a subordinate clause comes first, it is normal to separate it from the main clause with a comma.

So the comma helps show the sentence structure clearly.

Smører is the present tense of å smøre.

Norwegian often uses the present tense in places where English might also use:

• a general present: we lubricate it
• an immediate action: we are lubricating it
• an instructional or explanatory style: we lubricate it

Without more context, the sentence can sound like a general statement, an explanation of what is done, or part of instructions.

Yes. Several alternatives would be natural, depending on style.

For example:

• Fordi kjedet er tørt, smører vi det med kjedeolje.
• Siden kjedet er tørt, smører vi det med kjedeolje.
• Vi smører kjedet med kjedeolje ettersom det er tørt.

These all express roughly the same idea, but the original sentence is a good example of:

• a reason clause first
• then normal V2 word order in the main clause

It can mean both, depending on context.

Common meanings of å smøre include:

• to spread, as in spreading butter on bread
• to grease or lubricate, as in putting oil on a chain

So in this sentence, because the object is kjedet and the substance is kjedeolje, the meaning is clearly lubricate.

Context tells you which meaning is intended.