Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg liker å lage frokost på kjøkkenet, men kjøleskapet er noen ganger tomt. - I like to make breakfast in the kitchen, but the refrigerator is sometimes empty.

In Norwegian, å marks the infinitive form of a verb—similar to the English "to". So, in "å lage frokost," it tells you that lage means "to make" or "to prepare."

Why is the preposition på used with kjøkkenet instead of i?

Although it might seem like you’d say "in the kitchen," Norwegian typically uses på with rooms or specific areas like kjøkkenet. It’s an idiomatic usage that means "in the kitchen" even though the literal translation of på is often "on."

What does the structure of kjøkkenet and kjøleskapet tell us about definite nouns in Norwegian?

Both kjøkkenet and kjøleskapet are in their definite forms. In Norwegian, you add a suffix (in these cases, -et) to a noun (from kjøkken and kjøleskap) to indicate "the"—so kjøkkenet means "the kitchen" and kjøleskapet means "the refrigerator."

What does noen ganger mean in this sentence?

Noen ganger translates directly to "sometimes." It indicates that the state of being empty for the refrigerator happens occasionally.

Why is the sentence split with men and what role does it play?

Men means "but" and is used to connect contrasting ideas. In this sentence, it links the positive aspect of enjoying cooking breakfast with the occasional inconvenience of an empty refrigerator.

Why doesn't the sentence include an article before frokost as in "en frokost"?

In Norwegian, meal names like frokost are typically used without an article when referring to the general concept of the meal. Much like in English when we simply say "breakfast" without "a" before it, Norwegian often omits the article in this context.