Breakdown of Trykk på knappen hvis du vil åpne døren.
du
you
å
to
ville
to want
hvis
if
døren
the door
åpne
to open
knappen
the button
trykke på
to press
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Questions & Answers about Trykk på knappen hvis du vil åpne døren.
What does Trykk mean in this sentence?
It’s the imperative form of the verb å trykke, meaning press. In other words, Trykk is a command: Press!
How do you form the imperative in Norwegian?
You take the infinitive (here å trykke), drop the å and the ending -e, leaving trykk. Most verbs form the imperative by removing å and -e from the infinitive.
Why do we use på after Trykk?
In Norwegian you normally say trykke på noe (literally “press on something”). The preposition på links the verb to the object (“press on the button”).
Why is knappen in the definite form?
Because you’re referring to the specific button. The indefinite form is en knapp (“a button”). Adding -en makes it definite: knappen (“the button”).
What does hvis mean here?
Hvis is a conjunction meaning if. It introduces a conditional clause: “if you want to open the door.”
What is the role of vil in hvis du vil åpne døren?
Here vil is a modal verb meaning want to (or “will” in other contexts). So hvis du vil åpne døren literally means if you want to open the door.
Why is there no å before åpne after vil?
When you use a modal verb like vil, you omit the infinitive marker å. You say vil åpne, not vil å åpne.
Why does the verb come right after the subject in hvis du vil åpne døren?
In Norwegian subordinate clauses (introduced by conjunctions such as hvis), the finite verb remains in second position: 1) conjunction, 2) subject, 3) finite verb, then any non-finite verbs or objects.
Could we use for å åpne døren instead of hvis du vil åpne døren?
Yes, but it changes the meaning.
- for å åpne døren = in order to open the door (expresses purpose)
- hvis du vil åpne døren = if you want to open the door (expresses condition)