Jeg liker å trene før jeg spiser frokost.

I like to train before I eat breakfast.

Breakdown of Jeg liker å trene før jeg spiser frokost.

• jeg: I
• spise: to eat
• å: to
• før: before
• frokost: the breakfast
• trene: to train

Questions & Answers about Jeg liker å trene før jeg spiser frokost.

Why is the infinitive marker å used before trene?

In Norwegian, the particle å is used to form the infinitive of a verb. In this sentence, trene is in its basic (infinitive) form. Much like the English "to exercise" in "I like to exercise," å signals that trene is the non-conjugated form following a verb like liker.

What does før mean, and what role does it play in the sentence?

Før translates to "before" in English. It functions as a subordinating conjunction that connects the main clause (Jeg liker å trene) with the subordinate clause (jeg spiser frokost), establishing the time relationship whereby the training happens prior to eating breakfast.

Why is there no å before spiser?

There’s no å before spiser because spiser is already conjugated in the present tense. The infinitive marker å is only necessary when using the base form of a verb—as seen with trene—not with verbs that are being used in their finite, or conjugated, forms.

How is the sentence structured in terms of clauses?

The sentence is divided into a main clause and a subordinate clause. The main clause is Jeg liker å trene, and it is followed by the subordinate clause før jeg spiser frokost. The subordinate clause, introduced by før, keeps the normal subject-verb-object order, indicating when the breakfast is eaten relative to the training.

Do I need to include the subject jeg in both clauses?

Yes, including the subject jeg in each clause is standard in Norwegian. Even though it might feel repetitive for English speakers, explicitly stating the subject in both the main clause and subordinate clause helps maintain clarity and adherence to Norwegian grammatical rules.

Is a comma required before før like it sometimes is in English?

No, a comma is not necessary before før in Norwegian. While English punctuation might often set off subordinate clauses with a comma, Norwegian punctuation rules typically do not require a comma in this situation unless it’s needed for clarity.