Breakdown of Når snøen faller, er gatene roligere enn under en storm.
være
to be
en
a
når
when
gaten
the street
enn
than
snøen
the snow
falle
to fall
rolig
calm
under
during
stormen
the storm
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Questions & Answers about Når snøen faller, er gatene roligere enn under en storm.
Why is når used here instead of hvis?
når introduces a temporal clause (“when”), indicating something that regularly or generally happens. hvis means “if” and expresses a condition rather than a time. Since we’re talking about what happens when the snow falls (a time relationship), når is correct.
Why is the verb er placed before gatene after the comma?
Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in the second position. The entire subordinate clause Når snøen faller counts as the first element, so er comes immediately after it, before the subject gatene.
Why are snøen and gatene definite (with -en)?
We refer here to “the snow” in general and “the streets” as a known group. In Norwegian, you form the definite singular of a noun by adding -en (snø → snøen) and the definite plural by adding -ene (gater → gatene).
Could I say når det snør instead of når snøen faller?
Yes. når det snør literally means “when it snows” and is more idiomatic in Norwegian. Når snøen faller (“when the snow falls”) is a perfectly correct, more literal alternative.
How is the comparative roligere formed from rolig? Why not mer rolig?
rolig is a two-syllable adjective with primary stress on the first syllable, so its normal comparative adds -ere, yielding roligere. You could say mer rolig, but roligere is the standard, more natural form.
What is the function of enn in roligere enn under en storm?
enn introduces the second part of a comparison, equivalent to English than. In Norwegian, you always follow a comparative adjective (like roligere) with enn.
Why under en storm and not i en storm?
Here under means “during,” emphasizing the event’s duration. i en storm is possible but less common in this context; under en storm clearly conveys “while a storm is going on.”
Why is this sentence in the present tense? Can Norwegian use the present for general truths?
Yes. Norwegian often uses the present tense to express habitual actions, general truths, or conditions that regularly occur. So faller (“falls”) and er (“are”) are in the present to describe what generally happens.