Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg glemmer å drikke kaffe.

In Norwegian, when a verb that expresses a mental act (like glemme meaning “to forget”) is followed by another action, that action is typically put in the infinitive form. The particle å functions just like the English “to” in “to drink,” marking drikke as an infinitive. This construction is standard for many verbs in Norwegian that require an additional action.

Can glemme be used with different constructions, or is it always followed by an infinitive with å?

For expressing “forget to do something,” glemme is almost always followed by the å + infinitive construction (as in å drikke kaffe). While there might be contexts where glemme appears with other constructions (for example, when combined with a subordinate clause or in other grammatical contexts), the most common way to indicate forgetting an intended action is by using the infinitive with å.

Why is there no article or possessive pronoun before kaffe in this sentence?

The word kaffe is a mass noun referring generally to coffee rather than a specific cup or type of coffee. In Norwegian, as in English, when you speak of an uncountable substance in a general sense you usually omit articles or possessive pronouns. Thus, Jeg glemmer å drikke kaffe means “I forget to drink coffee” in general, without specifying any particular coffee.

How does the word order in Jeg glemmer å drikke kaffe compare to a similar sentence in English?