Å sykle i regnet er farligere.

Cycling in the rain is more dangerous.

Breakdown of Å sykle i regnet er farligere.

• være: to be
• å: to
• i: in
• sykle: to cycle
• farligere: more dangerous
• regnet: the rain

Questions & Answers about Å sykle i regnet er farligere.

What is the function of Å before sykle in Å sykle i regnet?

Å is the infinitive marker in Norwegian, equivalent to English to. When you use an infinitive clause as a noun (here as the subject of the sentence), you place Å before the verb. So Å sykle literally means to cycle.

Can I omit Å sykle and simply say Sykling i regnet er farligere?

Yes. Sykling is the noun (gerund) form of the verb, so Sykling i regnet er farligere is perfectly correct. Using Å sykle emphasizes the action as an infinitive clause and is common in more formal writing, while Sykling works well in both speech and writing.

Why is regnet in the definite form (with -et) instead of just regn?

In Norwegian, when referring to weather phenomena like rain in a general sense (“in the rain”), you normally use the definite singular. Regnet translates to the rain. Saying i regn (without -et) is grammatically possible but feels odd or poetic in everyday usage.

What does farligere mean, and how is it formed from farlig?

Farligere is the comparative form of the adjective farlig (“dangerous”). To form comparatives in Norwegian, you generally add -ere to the adjective stem. Thus farlig → farligere, meaning more dangerous.

Why isn’t there an explicit enn in the sentence, even though it’s a comparative?

When you compare two items and name both, you use enn (for example mer farlig enn sykling i fint vær). In Å sykle i regnet er farligere, the second element is left implicit—understood as cycling in nice weather. To make the comparison explicit, you would write:
Å sykle i regnet er farligere enn å sykle i fint vær.

Is the word order in Å sykle i regnet er farligere correct, and why does er come after the infinitive clause?

Yes. Norwegian follows a V2 (verb-second) word order: the finite verb must be in the second position. Here, the entire infinitive clause Å sykle i regnet occupies the first position, so the verb er follows immediately. The structure is:
[Subject (infinitive clause)] [Verb] [Complement].

Could I instead start with Det and say Det er farligere å sykle i regnet?

Absolutely. Det er farligere å sykle i regnet is a very common alternative. Here, Det acts as a dummy subject (“it”) and postpones the infinitive clause. Both word orders are correct; choosing one is a matter of style and emphasis.

How would I explicitly compare cycling in the rain to cycling in dry weather?

You include enn plus another clause or noun phrase. For example:

• Å sykle i regnet er farligere enn å sykle i fint vær.
• Sykling i regnet er farligere enn sykling i tørt vær.
  This makes the comparison clear: “more dangerous than cycling in good/dry conditions.”