Det gjenstår mye.

There is a lot left.

Breakdown of Det gjenstår mye.

• mye: a lot
• det: there (as in 'there is')
• gjenstå: to remain

Questions & Answers about Det gjenstår mye.

What does det do in Det gjenstår mye? Does it mean it?

Here det is a dummy/formal subject. It does not usually refer to a specific thing.

Norwegian often uses det in sentences where English might use:

• there: There remains a lot
• or sometimes no dummy subject at all in a more natural translation: A lot remains

So in this sentence, det is mainly there because Norwegian finite clauses normally need a subject in first position.

You can think of it as similar to:

• Det regner = It is raining
• Det finnes mange løsninger = There are many solutions

In Det gjenstår mye, the important content is really gjenstår mye.

What does gjenstår mean grammatically?

Gjenstår is the present tense of the verb å gjenstå, which means to remain, to be left, or to still be outstanding.

So:

• å gjenstå = infinitive
• gjenstår = present tense

Examples:

• Det gjenstår litt arbeid. = Some work remains.
• To spørsmål gjenstår. = Two questions remain.

This verb is often used for things like:

• work
• time
• tasks
• problems
• questions
• steps in a process

Why is it gjenstår and not gjenstå?