Hun ble forfremmet i går.

she

Breakdown of Hun ble forfremmet i går.

• bli: to become
• i går: yesterday
• forfremmet: promoted

Questions & Answers about Hun ble forfremmet i går.

Why does the sentence use ble?

Ble is the past tense of bli, which often means become. In this sentence, it is being used to form a passive construction:

• bli
  • past participle = a common way to say that something was done
• ble forfremmet = was promoted

So Hun ble forfremmet literally works like She became promoted, but in natural English it is She was promoted.

Is forfremmet a verb form or an adjective?

Here, forfremmet is the past participle of forfremme (to promote).

In the sentence Hun ble forfremmet, it combines with ble to make the passive:

• forfremme = to promote
• forfremmet = promoted
• ble forfremmet = was promoted

Past participles in Norwegian are often used this way, just like English promoted, seen, written, and so on.

Is this sentence in the passive voice?

Yes. Hun ble forfremmet i går is a passive sentence.

Compare:

• De forfremmet henne i går = They promoted her yesterday
  
  • active
• Hun ble forfremmet i går = She was promoted yesterday
  
  • passive

The passive is common when the person doing the action is unknown, unimportant, or not mentioned.