Breakdown of Pilotene sier at en liten forsinkelse kan oppstå.
en
a
liten
small
kunne
can
at
that
si
to say
piloten
the pilot
forsinkelsen
the delay
oppstå
to occur
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Questions & Answers about Pilotene sier at en liten forsinkelse kan oppstå.
What does pilotene mean and why the -ene ending?
pilotene is the plural definite form of pilot (“pilot”). In Norwegian Bokmål, adding -ene to a common-gender noun makes it both plural and definite, so pilotene means “the pilots.”
Why is there en before liten forsinkelse?
en is the indefinite article for singular common-gender nouns in Bokmål. It corresponds to English “a” or “an,” so en liten forsinkelse = “a small delay.”
Why is the adjective liten and not lite?
Norwegian adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. forsinkelse is a common-gender noun, so the correct form is liten (not lite, which is used with neuter nouns).
What does kan oppstå mean?
kan means “can” or “may,” and oppstå means “to occur” or “to arise.” Together, kan oppstå expresses the possibility that something “may occur.”
Why not just use oppstår instead of kan oppstå?
oppstår is the simple present “occurs” (stating that it does happen). kan oppstå adds a modal nuance, indicating that the delay is possible but not certain (“may occur”).
Why is there an at after sier?
In Norwegian, at is the conjunction “that” used to introduce subordinate clauses after verbs like sier (“say”). So pilotene sier at… = “the pilots say that…”
Why doesn’t the word order change in at en liten forsinkelse kan oppstå?
Subordinate clauses introduced by at keep the subject–verb order (SVO), unlike main clauses that require verb-second (V2) word order. That’s why it remains en liten forsinkelse kan oppstå rather than inverting the verb.
Could I use another verb instead of oppstå, such as skje?
Yes. skje also means “to happen.” You could say pilotene sier at en liten forsinkelse kan skje. oppstå tends to sound slightly more formal or technical, while skje is more neutral.
What’s the difference between liten and litt?
liten is an adjective used with countable or singular nouns (“a small delay” = en liten forsinkelse). litt is an adverb meaning “a little” or “somewhat,” used with verbs or uncountable quantities (e.g., jeg er litt trøtt = “I’m a bit tired”).