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Questions & Answers about Hjelpen kommer snart.
Why does hjelpen end with -en?
In Norwegian, instead of using a separate word for “the,” you attach a definite suffix to the noun. hjelp is a common-gender noun. The definite singular suffix for common gender is -en, so hjelp + -en = hjelpen (“the help”).
What gender is hjelp, and why does that matter?
hjelp is a common-gender noun (in Bokmål, masculine and feminine nouns are often grouped as “common”). Common-gender nouns use the indefinite article en (en hjelp) and the definite suffix -en (hjelpen). Neuter nouns, by contrast, take et/ -et (e.g., et barn → barnet).
Could you say Hjelp kommer snart without the suffix?
No, that would sound odd or incomplete. When you refer to specific help that’s expected, Norwegian requires the definite form hjelpen. Dropping -en makes it generic or ungrammatical here—hjelp kommer feels too abstract.
What is the infinitive of kommer, and how is this verb formed?
The infinitive is komme (“to come”). To form the present tense, you add -r:
• komme → kommer (“comes” / “is coming” / “will come”)
Past tense is kom, and the perfect is har kommet.
Does kommer mean “is coming” or “will come”?
Norwegian doesn’t have a separate future tense. The present tense covers both English present continuous (“is coming”) and simple future (“will come”). Context tells you that kommer snart means “will come soon” (or “is coming soon”).
Why is snart at the end? Can you put it elsewhere?
Norwegian follows the V2 (verb-second) rule: in a main clause, the finite verb must come second. Here:
- hjelpen (subject)
- kommer (verb)
- snart (adverb)
You can move snart to the front for emphasis—Snart kommer hjelpen—but the verb still stays in the second slot.
How do you change Hjelpen kommer snart into a question?
You invert the subject and the verb (no auxiliary needed):
Kommer hjelpen snart?
This follows the V2 pattern for questions: verb first, then subject, then the rest.