Gulvet knirker når musen løper under sofaen.

The floor creaks when the mouse runs under the sofa.

Breakdown of Gulvet knirker når musen løper under sofaen.

• når: when
• under: under
• sofaen: the sofa
• gulvet: the floor
• musen: the mouse
• knirke: to creak
• løpe: to run

Questions & Answers about Gulvet knirker når musen løper under sofaen.

What does knirker mean and how do I pronounce it?

knirker is the present-tense form of knirke, which means creaks (or squeaks)—for example, “the floor creaks.” Pronunciation in Bokmål: /ˈkniːrkər/.

• The kn cluster is pronounced [kn], not silent.
• The vowel ir sounds like English “eer.”
• Roll the r lightly and finish with a soft “-er.”

Why is når used here? Could I use da or hvis?

• når means when in a general, habitual, or present/future context.
• da refers to a single, specific event in the past.
• hvis means if (conditional).
  Since the sentence describes “when the mouse runs” as an ongoing or repeated scenario, når is the correct choice.

How does the word order work, especially around the subordinate clause?

Norwegian main clauses follow a V2 rule (finite verb in second position):

1. Gulvet knirker → subject (Gulvet) + verb (knirker)
2. Subordinate clause with når (conjunction) + subject + verb + adverbial:
   når musen løper under sofaen
   Since når is a conjunction, the structure remains SVO (subject-verb-object/adverbial) inside the clause.

Why is there no comma before når? Do we ever need one there?

In modern Bokmål, short subordinate clauses after a main clause often omit the comma. Adding one is optional for emphasis or clarity:
• Gulvet knirker når musen løper under sofaen
• Gulvet knirker, når musen løper under sofaen
Both are grammatically acceptable; the version without a comma is more idiomatic.

Why are gulvet, musen and sofaen in the definite form?

They refer to specific items (“the floor,” “the mouse,” “the sofa”). In Norwegian you mark definiteness with a suffix:
• gulv (neuter) → gulvet
• mus (common) → musen
• sofa (common) → sofaen

How do you know if a noun is neuter or common gender, and how does that affect the ending?

Gender is lexical, but there are tendencies:
• Many one-syllable words are neuter (e.g. tre, hus, gulv).
• Loanwords are often common (e.g. sofa, radio, computer).
Definite endings:
• Neuter → -et (gulv → gulvet)
• Common → -en (mus → musen, sofa → sofaen)

How do you form the plural of mus, gulv and sofa, and how would the sentence look with multiple mice?

Plural patterns differ:
• mus is irregular:
– Indefinite plural: mus
– Definite plural: musene
• gulv (neuter):
– Indef. plural: gulv
– Def. plural: gulvene
• sofa (common):
– Indef. plural: sofaer
– Def. plural: sofaene
To say “when the mice run under the sofa,” you’d write:
Gulvet knirker når musene løper under sofaen.

What does the preposition under mean here and how is it pronounced?

under means under or beneath in a spatial sense. Pronunciation (Bokmål): /ˈʉnːər/ (or [ˈɵnːər]).

• The “u” is a close rounded vowel.
• The double “n” indicates a slightly longer consonant sound.

Why are both verbs in the present tense? How do you express ongoing vs. habitual actions?

Norwegian uses the simple present for both ongoing and habitual actions:
• knirker can mean “is creaking” or “creaks regularly.”
• løper can mean “is running” or “runs habitually.”
Context tells you if it’s happening right now or as a repeated pattern.

Are there synonyms for knirker and løper?

Yes—some alternatives:
• knirker (creaks/squeaks): skramler, skurrer (more like a scratchy noise).
• løper (runs): springer (sprints), haster (hurries), farer (dashes).