Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg kommer til å hilse på tanta mi i morgen, for hun er på besøk. - I am going to greet my aunt tomorrow, because she is visiting.

Kommer til å is a future tense construction in Norwegian. It combines the present tense form of komme with til å followed by an infinitive (here, hilse), and it indicates that the action will happen in the future—similar to saying “will” or “going to” in English.

Why is the preposition på used in the phrase hilse på?

In Norwegian, when greeting someone, you use hilse på instead of just hilse. The preposition på is necessary to complete the phrasal verb, emphasizing that you are greeting a specific person. It is similar to the English expression “greet someone” where the relationship between the verb and the person greeted is explicitly shown.

What does tanta mi mean, and why is it expressed that way?

Tanta mi translates to “my aunt” in English. Tanta is a familiar or informal version of tante (aunt), and mi is the possessive pronoun for “my.” This construction is common when referring to family members in a casual context.

How do the expressions i morgen and for function in this sentence?

I morgen means “tomorrow,” indicating when the action will occur. The word for here means “because” and introduces the reason for the action, explaining that the aunt is visiting (hun er på besøk).

Is there any difference between using kommer til å and skal when referring to future actions in Norwegian?

Yes, there is a subtle difference. Skal is often used for planned or scheduled actions and sometimes implies obligation, whereas kommer til å tends to describe a future event that is anticipated or likely to happen as a natural consequence. The choice between them depends on context and the nuance you want to express about the future action.