Breakdown of Jeg ønsker å forske på klimaet.
jeg
I
å
to
på
on
ønske
to want
klimaet
the climate
forske
to research
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Norwegian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Jeg ønsker å forske på klimaet.
What does ønsker å mean here, and why not just use vil?
ønske å literally means “to wish to” or “to desire to.” It’s a bit more formal and emphasizes a wish. vil also means “want” or “will,” but it’s more direct about your intention. So
- Jeg ønsker å forske på klimaet. = “I wish to research the climate.”
- Jeg vil forske på klimaet. = “I want to/can/will research the climate.”
Why is there an å before forske?
In Norwegian, å is the infinitive marker (like English “to”). After verbs like ønske, you need the infinitive, so you say ønske å forske (“wish to research”).
Why is på used with forske, and can forske ever stand alone?
forske (“to research”) is one of those verbs that requires the preposition på to introduce the topic you’re researching. You always say forsker på noe (“research something”). You cannot say forske noe in this sense.
Why is klimaet in the definite form? Could I just say klima?
klimaet = “the climate.” Norwegian often uses the definite form when talking about a known or general concept. Saying forske på klima sounds vague or awkward. forske på klimaet (“research the climate”) is the natural phrasing.
Could you use a different preposition, like i or om, instead of på?
No. With forske, only på is used.
- forske om is not used (you would say skrive om = “write about”).
- forske i would literally mean “research in” (a location), not “research about.”
How would I express “I am researching the climate” in Norwegian, since there’s no continuous tense?
Norwegian doesn’t have a separate continuous form. You simply say Jeg forsker på klimaet. Context tells you it’s ongoing.
Can I turn this into a noun phrase like “research on the climate”?
Yes. Use the noun forskning:
forskning på klimaet = “research on the climate.”
How do you pronounce ønsker å forske på klimaet, especially ø and å?
- ø is like the vowel in English “sir,” but rounded.
- å sounds like the ‘o’ in “for.”
Rough IPA transcription: [ˈønskər o ˈfɔʂkə po ˈkliːmət]. Stress is on the first syllable of klimaet.