Breakdown of Det var tilfeldig at vi så ham på gaten, men det var hyggelig.
være
to be
vi
we
se
to see
det
it
men
but
at
that
på
on
tilfeldig
random
ham
him
gate
the street
hyggelig
nice
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Questions & Answers about Det var tilfeldig at vi så ham på gaten, men det var hyggelig.
What does tilfeldig mean in this sentence, and how should it be interpreted?
Tilfeldig translates to “by chance” or “accidental” in English. In the sentence, it indicates that the encounter wasn’t planned—it happened randomly or coincidentally.
How is the sentence structured with the words det and at, and what purpose do they serve?
The sentence uses a cleft construction. Det acts as a dummy subject in the main clause (“It was by chance…”), while at is a subordinating conjunction that introduces the explanatory clause (“that we saw him on the street”). This structure highlights the quality of the event (its chance occurrence) by attributing it to the following clause.
Why is ham used instead of han in the phrase vi så ham?
In Norwegian, ham is the object form of the pronoun han. Since the person is receiving the action of the verb (being seen), the object form ham is required—similar to using “him” instead of “he” in English.
What does på gaten mean, and why is the definite form gaten used here?
På gaten means “on the street.” The word gaten is the definite form of gate (meaning “street”), implying that it refers to a specific street known to the speaker or the context, similar to saying “the street” in English.
Why is there a comma before men in the sentence?
The comma separates two independent clauses that are connected by the coordinating conjunction men (which means “but”). This punctuation helps to clearly indicate the contrast between the chance encounter and the pleasant nature of the meeting.
What are the tenses and forms of the verbs var and så in this sentence?
Both var and så are in the simple past tense. Var is the past form of å være (to be), and så is the past form of å se (to see). Their use establishes that the events took place in the past.
What overall contrast is being conveyed by juxtaposing the two parts of the sentence?
The sentence contrasts the unplanned nature of the encounter with its positive outcome. The first clause emphasizes that the meeting occurred by chance, while the second clause notes that the encounter was pleasant. This duality shows that even unexpected, random events can lead to enjoyable experiences.