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Questions & Answers about Vi går rundt huset.
What does Vi mean in this sentence and why is it necessary?
Vi is the first-person plural pronoun (we). Norwegian normally requires an explicit subject, so you can’t drop Vi even though English sometimes omits “we” in informal speech.
What is the function and tense of går?
Går is the present tense of the irregular verb å gå (to go/to walk). Here it conveys an ongoing action: are walking or simply walk in English present tense.
Why is huset written as one word with -et at the end?
Norwegian uses a suffixed definite article for neuter nouns. hus means “house” and huset means “the house.” There’s no separate word for “the” in this construction.
What does rundt mean and why is it placed after the verb?
Rundt is a preposition meaning around. In a main clause Norwegian word order is Subject – Verb – Adverbial(s) – Object. So Vi (subject), går (verb), rundt (preposition/adverbial), huset (object).
Can I use omkring instead of rundt, and would it change the meaning?
Yes. Vi går omkring huset also means “We walk around the house.” Omkring is slightly more formal or literary, while rundt is very common in speech.
What’s the difference between Vi går rundt huset and Vi går rundt i huset?
Vi går rundt huset means you walk around the outside of the house. Vi går rundt i huset means you walk around inside the house. The preposition i (“in”) indicates interior movement.
Is the verb-second (V2) rule relevant in this sentence?
Yes. In Norwegian main clauses the finite verb must be in second position. Here Vi is first, so går comes second. If you began with another element (e.g. a time expression), you’d invert subject and verb: I går gikk vi rundt huset (“Yesterday we walked around the house”).