Breakdown of Jeg liker å ha smør på brødet mitt når jeg spiser frokost.
jeg
I
ha
to have
spise
to eat
brød
the bread
å
to
like
to like
på
on
min
my
når
when
frokost
the breakfast
smør
the butter
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Questions & Answers about Jeg liker å ha smør på brødet mitt når jeg spiser frokost.
How does the infinitive marker å function in this sentence?
The marker å indicates that the verb ha is in its infinitive form, just like the English "to" in "to have." In Norwegian, when a verb follows another verb that expresses a preference or emotion—such as liker (like)—it is standard to use the infinitive with å.
Why is the possessive mitt placed after brødet instead of before it, as it would be in English?
In Norwegian, when a noun is in its definite form (here, brødet means "the bread"), the possessive pronoun follows the noun. So, brødet mitt literally translates to "the bread mine." This construction is standard in Norwegian, even though in English we would say "my bread."
Why is the noun brød transformed into its definite form brødet in this sentence?
The definite form brødet is used because the sentence refers to a specific bread—that is, the speaker’s own bread. In Norwegian, when a noun is modified by a possessive (here, mitt meaning "my"), it is commonly rendered in its definite form.
What role does the preposition på play in the sentence?
The preposition på translates to "on" in English. It connects smør (butter) to brødet (the bread), indicating that the butter is placed on the bread. This usage is directly equivalent to how we use "on" in English to show location or placement.
Why is the subordinate clause når jeg spiser frokost placed at the end of the sentence?
In Norwegian, time clauses introduced by words like når ("when") are typically positioned after the main clause. In this sentence, the main clause (Jeg liker å ha smør på brødet mitt) expresses the general preference, while the subordinate clause (når jeg spiser frokost) specifies the time when this preference applies.
Why does Norwegian use an infinitive with å after liker instead of a gerund form like "having" in English?
Norwegian grammar consistently uses the infinitive with å following verbs such as liker to express likes or preferences. While English can alternate between a gerund form (e.g., "I like having") or a to-infinitive (e.g., "I like to have"), Norwegian always uses the infinitive form (e.g., Jeg liker å ha...), making this the standard structure.