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Questions & Answers about Han snakker høyt på telefonen.
What part of speech is høyt in this sentence?
høyt is an adverb. It modifies the verb snakker and tells us how he speaks—namely, “loudly.”
Why do we say på telefonen to mean “on the phone”?
In Norwegian, talking by telephone normally uses the preposition på plus the definite form of the device. So på telefonen literally translates to “on the phone,” just as we say in English.
Why is telefonen in the definite form (“the phone”) and not indefinite?
When referring to the act of speaking “on the phone” in general, Norwegian uses the definite form. It’s an idiomatic structure—på en telefon (on a phone) would emphasize the device rather than the activity of calling.
Could you say i telefonen instead of på telefonen?
Technically some dialects or speakers use i telefonen, but it’s less common and can sound regional or unusual. på telefonen is the standard and most widely understood phrasing.
What’s the difference between snakker and prater?
Both verbs mean “to talk” or “to speak,” but:
- snakker is more neutral and slightly more formal
- prater feels more casual and conversational
In everyday speech they’re interchangeable, though.
Why is the verb snakker in the second position in this sentence?
Norwegian follows the V2 (verb‐second) rule: the finite verb always comes second, after whatever element you start the sentence with. Here the subject Han is first, so snakker must come next.
How do you pronounce høyt, and what’s the sound of ø?
høyt is pronounced [høyːt]:
- ø: a rounded front vowel, similar to the French “peur” or German “schön”
- then a glide to y (like the French “u” in “tu”)
- long t at the end
Could you replace han with hun if you wanted to say “She speaks loudly on the phone”?
Yes. Simply swap Han for Hun:
Hun snakker høyt på telefonen.
All other words stay the same.