Han begår en feil.

he

Breakdown of Han begår en feil.

• en: a
• feilen: the mistake
• begå: to commit

Questions & Answers about Han begår en feil.

What does begår mean in this sentence?

Begår is the present tense of å begå. In this sentence, it means commits or makes in the sense of making a mistake.

A useful thing to know is that å begå is often used for actions seen as serious, formal, or notable, such as:

• begå en feil = make/commit a mistake
• begå et lovbrudd = commit an offense
• begå en forbrytelse = commit a crime

So Han begår en feil is literally something like He commits a mistake, even though natural English usually says He makes a mistake.

Is Han begår en feil natural everyday Norwegian?

It is grammatical and natural, but it sounds a bit more formal or written than the most everyday option.

In casual speech, many people would more often say:

• Han gjør en feil = He makes a mistake

So the difference is roughly:

• Han begår en feil = correct, but somewhat formal/literary
• Han gjør en feil = very common and everyday

You may especially see begå in written Norwegian, news language, formal contexts, or when the action is presented as more serious.

What is the difference between begå en feil, gjøre en feil, and ta feil?