Breakdown of Hun har savnet deg lenge, men nå er hun glad.
være
to be
hun
she
ha
to have
nå
now
men
but
deg
you
glad
happy
savne
to miss
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Questions & Answers about Hun har savnet deg lenge, men nå er hun glad.
What tense is used in “har savnet” and how is it formed?
It’s the present perfect tense. In Norwegian, the present perfect is formed by combining the auxiliary verb har (“have”) with the past participle savnet (from å savne, “to miss”). This construction indicates that the action of missing started in the past and continues into the present.
What does deg mean, and why is it used instead of du?
Deg is the object form of the pronoun du (“you”). It is used in the sentence because it functions as the object of the verb savnet (“has missed”).
How does lenge function in the sentence?
Lenge is an adverb that modifies the verb phrase har savnet. It specifies the duration of the action, meaning “for a long time.”
How should we understand the clause “men nå er hun glad”?
This clause uses a simple, present construction. Men means “but,” nå means “now,” er is the present form of “to be” (“is”), and glad means “happy.” It tells us that although she had been missing you, her state has now changed, and she is currently happy.
Why is the subject hun repeated in both parts of the sentence?
In Norwegian, each independent clause usually includes its own explicit subject for clarity, even if it seems repetitive in English. So hun (“she”) appears in both clauses to clearly indicate who is performing the action or experiencing the state described.
How do the different tenses in the sentence contribute to its overall meaning?
The first clause, “Hun har savnet deg lenge,” uses the present perfect to describe an action that began in the past and lasted until now. The second clause, “men nå er hun glad,” switches to the simple present to state her current condition. This contrast emphasizes a change over time—from a prolonged period of missing you to a present state of happiness.
Does the adjective glad change form based on the subject, and why?
In this sentence, glad functions as a predicate adjective following the linking verb er. In Norwegian, predicate adjectives generally do not inflect for gender or number. Thus, glad remains unchanged even though it describes hun (“she”).