Questions & Answers about Vi skal montere sengen.
What does vi mean, and is it always necessary to include it?
Vi means we.
Yes, in a normal Norwegian sentence, you usually need to include the subject, just like in English. So Vi skal montere sengen needs vi to show who is doing the action.
Norwegian does not usually drop the subject the way some other languages do.
What does skal mean here?
Here, skal means something like will, are going to, or are supposed to, depending on context.
In Vi skal montere sengen, it most naturally suggests:
- We are going to assemble the bed
- We will assemble the bed
Skal is a modal verb, and it is very common in Norwegian.
A few common uses of skal:
- future: Jeg skal dra i morgen — I’m leaving tomorrow
- intention/plan: Vi skal spise snart — We’re going to eat soon
- obligation/instruction: Du skal gjøre leksene dine — You must/are supposed to do your homework
So the exact English translation depends on context.
Why is the verb montere in the infinitive form after skal?