Beklager at jeg maser, men du må begynne å lage mat snart.

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Breakdown of Beklager at jeg maser, men du må begynne å lage mat snart.

• du: you
• mat: the food
• å: to
• men: but
• måtte: must
• at: that
• snart: soon
• beklage: sorry
• begynne: to start
• mase: to nag
• lage: to cook

Questions & Answers about Beklager at jeg maser, men du må begynne å lage mat snart.

What is the English translation of the sentence "Beklager at jeg maser, men du må begynne å lage mat snart"?

It translates to "I'm sorry for nagging you, but you have to start cooking soon."
This conveys an apology for bothering someone followed by a statement of necessity.

What does the verb mase mean in this context?

Mase means to nag or to pester.
It implies repeatedly bothering or pestering someone, much like nagging in English.

Why is the word at used after beklager?

In Norwegian, at introduces a subordinate clause.
After beklager (meaning "I'm sorry"), at links the apology to the action that is being apologized for (in this case, nagging).
It functions similarly to the word that in English when explaining the reason for the apology.

How is the modal verb må used in the sentence, and what does it imply?

Må is a modal verb that expresses necessity or obligation, equivalent to "must" or "have to" in English.
When it appears as du må begynne å lage mat snart, it tells the listener that they are required to start cooking soon.

What is the structure and meaning of the phrase begynne å lage mat?

The phrase begynne å lage mat breaks down as follows:

• Begynne means "to start" or "to begin."
• Å lage mat means "to cook" or "to make food."
  Combined, the phrase means "to start cooking."
  The use of å before lage marks the infinitive form, similar to the English "to cook."

Why is the adverb snart placed at the end of the sentence?

Snart means "soon," and its placement at the end of the sentence is common in Norwegian word order for adverbs of time.
This mirrors English usage in sentences like "start cooking soon," where the timing emphasis comes at the end.

What is the function of the conjunction men in the sentence?

Men translates directly as "but."
It serves to connect two contrasting ideas: an apology in the first clause and a firm instruction in the second clause.
This shows that although the speaker is apologizing for nagging, they still insist that the listener must start cooking soon.