Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Været virker bedre enn i går. - The weather seems better than yesterday.

Here virker means “seems” or “appears.” Although virke can mean “to function”, in sentences like Været virker bedre enn i går it conveys your impression: “The weather seems better than yesterday.”

Why is it været and not just vær?

Vær is the indefinite form “weather,” while været is its definite form “the weather.” In Norwegian you add -et (for neuter nouns) to make a noun definite: et vær (a weather) → været (the weather).

Why do we say bedre here? What’s the base form?

Bedre is the comparative of bra (good). The full series is: • positive: bra (good)
• comparative: bedre (better)
• superlative: best (best)

Why is it enn i går instead of enn går?

i går is the fixed adverbial phrase for “yesterday.” When you compare two time points you say enn i går (“than yesterday”). You can’t drop i, because går alone isn’t used to mean “yesterday.”

Could I say Været er bedre enn i går instead?

Yes, that’s perfectly correct: Været er bedre enn i går means “The weather is better than yesterday.” Using virker adds the nuance of impression or subjectivity (“it seems”), whereas er is more factual.

What’s the word order rule in this sentence?

Norwegian main clauses require the finite verb in second position (V2 word order). Here the subject været is first, virker (the verb) is second, then the rest bedre enn i går follows.

How do you pronounce æ in været?

Æ is like the vowel in English “cat” or “bad.” So været sounds roughly like “VAIR-et”, with a short æ (as in “cat”) and a rolled or tapped r.

How would I say “The weather seems as good as yesterday”?

Use like + adjective + som: Været virker like bra som i går. Here like means “equally,” and som means “as.”