Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hun er trist i dag, men et morsomt program på TV kan hjelpe. - She is sad today, but a funny show on TV can help.

The sentence consists of two independent clauses connected by the conjunction men (meaning but). The first clause is Hun er trist i dag (She is sad today), and the second clause is et morsomt program på TV kan hjelpe (a funny program on TV can help). A comma is placed before men to clearly separate these two clauses.

How is adjective agreement demonstrated in the phrase et morsomt program?

In Norwegian, adjectives agree with the noun they modify in terms of gender and definiteness. Because program is a neuter noun in its indefinite form, the adjective takes the neuter form morsomt (rather than morsom). This rule ensures grammatical correctness in adjective–noun pairs.

What role does the modal verb kan play in this sentence, particularly in the construction kan hjelpe?

The modal verb kan means can and is used to express possibility or ability. In Norwegian, when a modal verb is present, it is followed by the main verb in its base form, which here is hjelpe (help). Therefore, kan hjelpe properly translates to can help.

Why is there a comma before men in the sentence?

The comma before men is used to separate the two independent clauses. This punctuation rule is similar to English and helps clarify that the sentence is composed of two distinct ideas: one expressing sadness and the other offering a potential remedy.

How does the prepositional phrase på TV function in this sentence?

The phrase på TV translates to on TV and serves as a prepositional phrase indicating the medium through which the program is delivered. The preposition på is used similarly to English on, specifying that the program is broadcast on television.

What does the adverbial phrase i dag modify, and why is its placement significant?

I dag means today and provides a temporal context to the feeling expressed in the first clause. Its placement at the end of Hun er trist i dag emphasizes the immediacy of her sadness. This is a common structure in Norwegian where time expressions are often positioned at the end of a clause.

How does the word order in et morsomt program på TV kan hjelpe demonstrate typical Norwegian sentence structure?

The word order follows the standard Norwegian structure where the subject comes first, followed by the verb. In this clause, et morsomt program på TV acts as the subject and kan hjelpe (with kan as the modal and hjelpe as the main verb) forms the predicate. This is in line with the verb-second (V2) rule that governs many Norwegian main clauses.