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Postmannen kommer i dag.

Postmannen kommer i dag.
The mailman is coming today.
FromLesson 12inHardcore Norwegian
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Breakdown of Postmannen kommer i dag.

komme
to come
i dag
today
postmannen
the mailman
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Questions & Answers about Postmannen kommer i dag.

How do you form the definite form postmannen from the indefinite postmann?

In Norwegian, you add the definite article as a suffix.
• Indefinite: postmann (a postman) ⇒ with an article: en postmann
• Definite: add –en to the noun ⇒ postmannen (the postman)

What does i dag mean, and why is it written as two words?
i dag means today. It literally translates to “in day” and is always two separate words in Norwegian. Similarly, i morgen (“tomorrow”) and i går (“yesterday”) follow the same pattern.
Why is the present tense verb kommer used for something happening later today instead of a future tense?
Norwegian often uses the simple present to talk about scheduled or near-future events when there’s a time expression. So Postmannen kommer i dag can be understood as “The postman is coming today” or “The postman will come today.” There is no separate continuous form as in English.
What is the default word order in Postmannen kommer i dag, and can you move i dag elsewhere?

The default is Subject (S) – Verb (V) – Adverbial (A):
Postmannen (S) – kommer (V) – i dag (A).
You can also place the time adverbial at the beginning for emphasis, but the finite verb must remain in second position.

Why does the sentence become I dag kommer postmannen when i dag is moved to the beginning?
Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must occupy the second position. If you start with the adverbial i dag (position 1), the verb kommer moves to position 2, and the subject postmannen follows.
How do you turn Postmannen kommer i dag into a yes/no question (“Is the postman coming today?”)?

Simply invert the finite verb and the subject:
Kommer postmannen i dag?
No extra words are needed—just a rising intonation at the end.

Is there a more gender-neutral alternative to postmannen?

Yes. postbud is commonly used and considered gender-neutral (“postal worker”).
• Indefinite: et postbud (a postal worker)
• Definite: postbudet (the postal worker)
• Plural: postbud or postbudene