Breakdown of Du har kanskje forventet en rask løsning, men vi trenger mer tid.
du
you
ha
to have
en
a
vi
we
trenge
to need
men
but
tid
the time
kanskje
maybe
rask
quick
forvente
to expect
løsning
the solution
mer
more
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Questions & Answers about Du har kanskje forventet en rask løsning, men vi trenger mer tid.
Why is the adverb kanskje placed right after har instead of at the beginning or end of the sentence?
In Norwegian, when using a compound tense like the present perfect, adverbs such as kanskje typically follow the finite (auxiliary) verb. The structure becomes: subject + auxiliary (har) + adverb (kanskje) + main verb (forventet). This positioning emphasizes the modal quality (possibility) associated with the action.
How is the present perfect tense formed in this sentence with har forventet?
The sentence uses the present perfect tense by combining the auxiliary verb har with the past participle forventet. This construction shows that the action (expecting a quick solution) occurred at some point in the past while still having relevance to the current situation. It works similarly to the English structure “have expected.”
Why is the indefinite article en used before rask løsning?
In Norwegian, nouns are assigned a gender, and the indefinite article must agree with that gender. Løsning is a common‑gender noun, so the article en is used—much like using “a” in English. This tells the listener that the speaker is referring to one non‑specific, quick solution.
Does the adjective rask change its form when describing løsning, and why?
In the case of en rask løsning, the adjective rask stays in its basic form because it is used in an indefinite construction with a common‑gender noun. Adjectives in Norwegian can change their endings to signal definiteness or when describing nouns of other genders, but here no additional ending is needed.
How does the coordinating conjunction men function in this sentence?
The word men is used to contrast two ideas: the expectation of a quick solution versus the reality that more time is needed. It serves the same function as the English conjunction “but” by connecting two independent clauses that offer opposing points.
Why is there a comma before men, and is it always necessary?
The comma before men separates two independent clauses, making the sentence clearer by indicating a pause between contrasting ideas. While Norwegian comma rules can be more flexible than in English, using a comma in such cases is common practice to enhance readability and mirror the natural pause one would take when speaking.