Jeg oppdaterer telefonen når jeg har tid.

I update the phone when I have time.

Breakdown of Jeg oppdaterer telefonen når jeg har tid.

• jeg: I
• ha: to have
• tiden: the time
• når: when
• telefonen: the phone
• oppdatere: to update

Questions & Answers about Jeg oppdaterer telefonen når jeg har tid.

Why is the verb oppdaterer in the present tense even though I’m talking about updating later when I have time?

In Norwegian the simple present tense covers:

• actions happening right now
• habitual actions (“I update regularly”)
• future or planned events when a time expression is present

So Jeg oppdaterer telefonen når jeg har tid. can mean “I will update the phone when I have time” without needing a separate future form.

Does Norwegian have a separate progressive tense like English “I am updating”? How do I emphasize an ongoing action?

Norwegian does not have a true progressive tense. You normally use the simple present (Jeg oppdaterer). If you want to stress that you’re in the middle of the action, use holde på med:
• Jeg holder på med å oppdatere telefonen. (literally “I’m in the process of updating the phone”)

Why isn’t there an infinitive marker å before oppdaterer?

Because oppdaterer is the finite (conjugated) form in present tense. Only the infinitive (base form) takes å, as in å oppdatere. When you choose a tense (present, past, etc.), you drop å and add the appropriate ending (here –er for present).

Why is telefonen in the definite form, and how do I indicate “my phone”?

In Norwegian you mark definiteness on the noun itself. Here telefonen means “the phone,” and context tells us it’s your phone. If you want to be explicit, add your possessive pronoun either before or after the noun:
• min telefon
• telefonen min

What’s the difference between når and da in sentences like this?

• når = “when” for general, habitual or future events (and “whenever”).
• da = “when” for a specific, single event in the past.

Examples:
Når jeg har tid = “whenever/when I have time” (present/future)
Da jeg hadde tid = “when I had time” (specific past)

Why is the word order når jeg har tid subject–verb (S–V) instead of verb–subject (V–S)?

In subordinate clauses introduced by a conjunction like når, Norwegian uses the order: conjunction → subject → verb. The V2 (verb‐second) rule applies only in main clauses, not subordinate ones.

Do I need a comma before når jeg har tid?

In Norwegian punctuation, a comma before a subordinate clause is optional. In short sentences like this you’ll often see no comma. If you want extra clarity you can write:
Jeg oppdaterer telefonen, når jeg har tid.
but Jeg oppdaterer telefonen når jeg har tid. is perfectly normal.

What’s the difference between når jeg har tid and når jeg får tid?

Both translate roughly as “when I have time,” but with a nuance:
• når jeg har tid – you already have free time at that moment.
• når jeg får tid – you’re waiting for some free time to become available.

If I want to emphasize the future, how can I say “I will update the phone when I have time”?

You can add a future auxiliary or periphrastic future:
• Jeg skal oppdatere telefonen når jeg har tid. (using skal)
• Jeg kommer til å oppdatere telefonen når jeg har tid. (using komme til å) both mean “I will update the phone when I have time.”