Å oppdra barn er vanskelig.

to be

Breakdown of Å oppdra barn er vanskelig.

• å: to
• vanskelig: difficult
• barna: the children

Questions & Answers about Å oppdra barn er vanskelig.

Why does the sentence begin with Å?

Because å is the infinitive marker in Norwegian, like to in English.

So å oppdra barn means to raise children.

In this sentence, the whole infinitive phrase å oppdra barn acts as the subject:

• Å oppdra barn = raising children / to raise children
• er vanskelig = is difficult

So the structure is very similar to English:

• To raise children is difficult.

What does oppdra mean here?

Oppdra means to raise, to bring up, or to rear a child.

It is used specifically about raising children and teaching them behavior, values, and discipline.

For example:

• De oppdrar barna sine godt. = They are raising their children well.

It is not the usual verb for things like raise a hand, raise prices, or raise animals in every context. It is mainly about upbringing.

Why is barn used without et, en, or -ene?